The SECURE Act represents the most sweeping set of changes to retirement legislation in more than a decade. Many individuals will likely want to revisit their retirement and estate strategies to prevent unexpectedly high tax bills in the future.
The IRS publishes annual updates to IRA and retirement plan contribution and earning limits for eligible participants. For 2020, changes are happening that impact IRA income rules and 401k/403b contribution limits.
When making charitable gifts at the end of a year, you should consider them as part of your year-end tax planning. Typically, you have a certain amount of control over the timing of income and expenses. You generally want to time your recognition of income so that it will be taxed at the lowest rate possible, and time your deductible expenses so they can be claimed in years when you are in a higher tax bracket.
A health savings account (HSA) is a tax-advantaged account linked with a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). They work together to help you cover your current health-care costs and also save for your future needs.
The IRS continues to encourage taxpayers to review the amount of tax they have withheld to avoid an unexpected tax surprise when they file their 2019 tax returns next year. Preliminary 2018 tax filing data seems to show the need for taxpayers to review their withholding in order to make sure the appropriate amount of tax is being withheld from their paychecks to reflect recent tax law changes.
Charitable gift planning has increased in importance due to the current tax landscape. Donor Advised Funds are one of several strategies you can work with your advisor to explore and create opportunities for increasing effectiveness of your giving while minimizing income taxes.
If you converted a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA in 2017 and your Roth IRA has sustained losses, you may want to consider whether it makes sense to undo (recharacterize) your conversion. You have until October 15, 2018, to undo your 2017 conversion.
The IRS has released proposed regulations that would shut down some suggested workarounds for the new $10,000 limit on the deductibility of state and local taxes (SALT). The new guidance would close the door on a strategy offered by some states to circumvent the deduction limit by attempting to turn the taxes paid into charitable contributions not subject to the same cap.
January is typically a strong month for the municipal bond market, but 2018 began with the worst January performance since 1981, driven by rising interest rates and uncertainty over changes in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The tax law changed the playing field for these investments, which could affect supply and demand.
There's still time to make a regular IRA contribution for 2017! You have until your tax return due date (not including extensions) to contribute up to $5,500 for 2017 ($6,500 if you were age 50 by December 31, 2017).