Retirement Watch Weekly
6 Estate Planning Strategies to Leverage Your Gifts to Charity
At year end, many people focus on estate planning and charitable giving. But don’t simply write a check or leave a sum of money to charity in your will. There are better ways to give that can increase your tax deductions or even your income, and they also can give you more control over how […]
Last Chance for Roth IRA Conversions
It is decision time for Roth IRA conversions. By letting the decision slip past Dec. 31 you miss a very profitable gift from Congress. As you probably know, Congress created the Roth IRA, which accumulates income and gains tax free, and from which all withdrawals are tax free. Another benefit of the Roth IRA is […]
More Estate Planning Benefits For Business Owners
The IRS continues to lose important cases on the valuation of closely-held business interests. Only a few years ago the IRS stopped arguing that family members who receive less than 50% ownership of a business cannot take discounts for owning a less-than-controlling interest in the business and also for a lack of marketability, if the […]
How to Reduce Taxes on Social Security Benefits
Some of you are old enough to remember when Social Security benefits were free of income taxes, as originally promised. Now they can be taxed at a rate of up to 85%, if you are considered a high income retiree. (My report, Retirement Tax Guide has details. Call customer service at 800-552-1152 for information.) Year-end […]
How to Maximize Power Of Gifts in Your Estate Planning
Gift-giving season is on the way. Many people use this time of year to make not only the traditional holiday gifts, but also to make gifts as part of their estate plans. Annual gifts are a powerful part of any estate plan. If you are going to make gifts, you might as well get the […]
Strategies for Year-End Tax Savings
In the next few weeks you could add thousands of dollars to your net worth. Market volatility and new tax rules give you the best opportunity in years to reduce your income taxes with year-end moves. Here are some actions to consider between now and Dec. 31 to slash the amount you owe Uncle Sam. […]
Use Estate Planning to Build a Legacy (Trust)
Trusts aren’t just for the super wealthy anymore. IRS statistics show that the average trust has about $250,000 in it, not exactly Rockefeller territory. That’s because many people have learned that trusts can be useful for even middle class families. One way to use a trust is to build a legacy that will last for […]
More Savings From The Latest Tax Law
In last month’s visit I gave you the main course from the buffett of changes in the latest tax law, enacted in July. There was a lot packed into that law, so here are a few side dishes you should know about. Roth IRAs. Most people are concerned with putting money into Roth IRAs or […]
