Retirement Watch Weekly
Exit Taxes and Other State Efforts to Tax Former or Departing Residents
Before moving from a state or establishing a second home, know how the state you currently reside in will react. States with net losses of residents are becoming more innovative and aggressive to capture tax revenue from their expatriates. The most recent innovation is the “exit tax” imposed on departing residents. A proposed wealth tax […]
IRS Regulations Clarify More of SECURE Act, SECURE Act 2.0
The IRS is filling gaps, fixing glitches and answering questions about the SECURE Act and SECURE Act 2.0, and about required minimum distributions (RMDs) in general. Last month, I discussed details in the final regulations regarding the end of the Stretch IRA, the 10-year rule and related issues. The final regulations contain more details about […]
The Little-Known Benefits of Upstream or Reverse Estate Planning
Families holding stocks or other assets with a lot of appreciation often overlook an easy way to reduce or eliminate capital gains taxes. The strategy is for multi-generation families in which the generations are fairly close and trust each other. Known as upstream or reverse estate planning, the strategy works best when the middle generation […]
How to Avoid Probate Without a Lawyer
About 70% of U.S. adults don’t have a will or trust, according to various surveys. That doesn’t mean those individuals are neglecting their estates. Most people are exempt from estate and gift taxes under current law, so they don’t need a tax avoidance plan. The main goals of estate planning these days are to transfer […]
Bob’s Journal for 9/26
An Irrevocable Trust Isn’t Always Irrevocable In another celebrity estate plan gone wrong, Rupert Murdoch and his children are in court this week arguing over whether a key family trust can be changed. Currently, an irrevocable family trust controls 40% of the voting power of Fox Corp. and News Corp., and Murdoch personally controls the […]
Bob’s Journal
Medicare Advantage Plans Will Shrink in 2025 In the last few months, I passed along warnings that big changes in Medicare Advantage plans were likely in 2025. The first details of the changes have emerged. Insurers who sponsor Advantage plans reported earlier this year that costs exceeded expectations in 2024, primarily because members needed more […]
Senior Living Communities: What You Need to Know About Benefits and Risks
In my new Retirement Watch Spotlight Series, I’ll share my newest breakthrough strategies for protecting your assets and growing your portfolio, including how to prepare for the next market downturn. Click here now to learn more. […]
Bob’s Journal 9/12
Good Luck and Bad Luck for Indexes Sometimes luck and timing, both good and bad, contribute to the returns of stock indexes. A good example is recent activity involving Super Micro Computer (SMCI). The technology hardware manufacturer was in the Russell 2000 Index of smaller companies when it became an investor favorite. While the large-company […]
