Investments

Tolerate the Turbulence

Look beyond this moment and stay focused on your long-term objectives   Volatility will always be around on Wall Street, and as you invest for the long term, you must learn to tolerate it. Rocky moments, fortunately, are not the norm.   Since the end of World War II, there have been dozens of Wall Street shocks. Wall Street has seen 56 pullbacks (retreats of 5-9.99%) in the past 73...

Tax Considerations for Retirees

Are You Aware of Them?   The federal government offers some major tax breaks for older Americans. Some of these perks deserve more publicity than they receive.        If you are 65 or older, your standard deduction is $1,300 larger. Make that $1,600 if you are unmarried. Thanks to the passage of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, the 2018 standard deduction for an individual taxpayer at least 65...

No, That Is Not the I.R.S. Calling

Watch out for crooks impersonating I.R.S. agents (and financial industry professionals).    Do you know how the Internal Revenue Service contacts taxpayers to resolve a problem? The first step is almost always to send a letter through the U.S. Postal Service to the taxpayer.1 It is very rare for the I.R.S. to make the first contact through a call or a personal visit. This happens in two circumstances: when...

Is Generation X Preparing Adequately for Retirement?

Future Financial Needs May Be Underestimated If you were born during 1965-80, you belong to “Generation X.” Ten or twenty years ago, you may have thought of retirement as an event in the lives of your parents or grandparents; within the next 10-15 years, you will probably be thinking about how your own retirement will unfold.1  According to the most recent annual retirement survey from the Transamerica Center for...

A Look at HSA’s

Health Savings Accounts may provide you with remarkable tax advantages. Why do higher-income households inquire about Health Savings Accounts? They have heard about what an HSA can potentially offer them: a pool of tax-exempt dollars for health care, a path to tax savings, even a possible source of retirement income after age 65. You may want to look at this option yourself. About 26 million Americans now have HSAs....

Including Digital Assets in Your Estate Plan

What should you know? What should your executor know?   When people think about estate planning, they may think in terms of personal property, real estate, and investments. Digital assets might seem like a lesser concern, perhaps no concern at all. But it is something that many are now considering.1 Your digital assets should not disappear into a void when you die. You can direct that they be transferred,...

Starting a Roth IRA for a Child or Grandchild

This early financial decision could prove profoundly positive over time. Do you have a child or grandchild earning some income? Indirectly, that after-school or summer job might present a savings opportunity for that teenager. You could help your child or grandchild save for future goals by assisting them to create and fund a Roth IRA. So many people wish they had begun saving for retirement sooner. Imagine how your...

How New Tax Laws Affect Small Businesses

A recap of the major changes impacting corporations and closely held firms.   The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act changed the tax picture for business owners. Whether your company is incorporated or held closely, you must recognize how the recent adjustments to the Internal Revenue Code can potentially affect you and your workers. How have things changed for C corps? The top corporate tax rate has fallen. C corps...

The Different Types of IRA’s

This popular retirement savings vehicle comes in several varieties.     What don’t you know? Many Americans know about Roth and traditional IRAs, but there are other types of Individual Retirement Arrangements. Here’s a quick look at all the different types of IRAs:  Traditional IRAs (occasionally called deductible IRAs) are the “original” IRAs. In most cases, contributions to a traditional IRA are tax deductible: they reduce your taxable income,...

Financing a College Education

A primer for parents and grandparents.   A university education can often require financing and assuming debt. If your student fills out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and does not qualify for a Pell Grant or other kinds of help, and has no scholarship offers, what do you do? You probably search for a student loan. A federal loan may make much more sense than a...