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Retirement Watch Weekly

There Are Four Ways You Can Make Tax-Free Gifts

February 20, 2023

Gift giving is an essential strategy in many estate plans. When done properly, gifts reduce lifetime income taxes and reduce or eliminate estate and gift taxes. Through gifts, you help loved ones today, and see the benefits of that help, instead of having them wait to inherit. To optimize gifts, know how to minimize gift […]

Bob’s Journal for 2/15/23

February 16, 2023

Key RMD Changes in The SECURE Act 2.0 You Should Know It is hard for people to keep up with the more than 100 changes the SECURE Act 2.0 made in retirement plans and related tax code provisions. Here’s a summary of the key changes in required minimum distributions (RMDs) in the law that was […]

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How Your IRA Could Be Taxed (Even a Roth IRA)

February 12, 2023

Years ago, a pension plan acquired an interest in a spaghetti factory. A consequence of that episode is that your IRA might owe income taxes on some of its investment income. Other spaghetti manufacturers said it wasn’t fair they had to compete with a business owner who was tax-exempt. Eventually, Congress agreed and enacted the […]

What Tom Brady Taught Us About Retirement: Unintentional Lessons from a Superstar

February 10, 2023

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. […]

February 9, 2023

Beware of a Potential Stock Market Bear Trap Major stock indexes turned a corner at the start of 2023. After losing about 18% in 2022, the S&P 500 is up more than 7% so far in 2023. The Nasdaq 100 went from a 32.58% loss in 2022 to about a 14.01% gain this year. Several […]

This Could Completely Disrupt Your Retirement Plans

February 5, 2023

Significant changes in retirement planning were made in the last days of 2022 with the enactment of the 4,155-page Consolidated Appropriations Act (CCA). Most of the CCA appropriates an estimated $1.7 trillion to various government departments. But Division T of the CCA is the SECURE Act 2.0, a 358-page compilation of more than 100 provisions […]

Bob’s Journal for 2/2/23

February 2, 2023

Take a Deep Dive Into the Latest Inflation Data It’s time for a close look at the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report. I last did this in the July 21, 2022, entry for Bob’s Journal under the headline “Inflation Is Deeper and Broader Than Many Believe.” I stated that “inflation is well-embedded in the […]

Yes, Your IRA Could Be Taxed, Even a Roth IRA

January 31, 2023

Years ago, a pension plan acquired an interest in a spaghetti factory. A consequence of that episode is your IRA might owe income taxes on some of its investment income. Other spaghetti manufacturers said it wasn’t fair they had to compete with a business owner who was tax-exempt. Eventually, Congress agreed and enacted the unrelated […]

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