Articles from the Tax Planning Category
Taxes, Retirement, and Timing Social Security
August 31, 2015 | By Kevin Smith, CFA
The advantages of tax deferral are often emphasized when it comes to saving for retirement. So it might seem like a good idea to hold off on taking taxable distributions from retirement plans for as long as possible. (Note: Required…Read More
Key Numbers for 2015
February 11, 2015 | By Kevin Smith, CFA
Every year, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announces cost-of-living adjustments that affect contribution limits for retirement plans, thresholds for deductions and credits, and standard deduction and personal exemption amounts. Here are a few of the key adjustments for 2015. Retirement…Read More
Importance of Timing a Roth IRA Conversion
December 12, 2014 | By Kevin Smith, CFA
Conventional wisdom holds that if you convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, you should never pay the conversion taxes from IRA assets. The reason is that you’ll be depleting IRA assets that might otherwise be available to grow…Read More
Year-End Charitable Giving
December 10, 2014 | By Kevin Smith, CFA
With the holiday season upon us, and the end of one year and the start of another approaching, we pause to give thanks for our blessings and the people in our lives. It is also a time when charitable giving…Read More
Prepare Now for a Year-End Investment Review
October 9, 2014 | By Kevin Smith, CFA
Getting organized for your year-end investment review with your financial professional may help make the review process more efficient. Here are some suggestions for making your meeting as productive as possible. Decide what you want to know One of the…Read More
Leaving Assets to Your Heirs: Income Tax Considerations
October 9, 2014 | By Kevin Smith, CFA
An inheritance is generally worth only what your heirs get to keep after taxes are paid. So when it comes to leaving a legacy, not all property is created equal–at least as far as federal income tax is concerned. When…Read More
Retiring and Relocating? Don’t Neglect State Taxes!
October 9, 2014 | By Kevin Smith, CFA
If you’re retired, or about to retire, you may be thinking about relocating to a state that has low tax rates or provides special tax benefits to retirees. Here’s a survey that may jump-start your search for a tax-friendly state…Read More
Deadline Approaching for Undoing a 2013 Roth IRA Conversion
October 1, 2014 | By Kevin Smith, CFA
If you converted a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA in 2013 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, 2014, to…Read More
10 Basic Tax To-Dos for the Rest of 2014
September 3, 2014 | By Kevin Smith, CFA
Here are 10 things to consider as you weigh potential tax moves between now and the end of the year. 1. Make time to plan Effective planning requires that you have a good understanding of your current tax situation, as…Read More
Some Things to Consider about Gifts to Children
September 3, 2014 | By Kevin Smith, CFA
If you make significant gifts to your children or someone else’s children, or if someone else makes gifts to your children, there are a number of things for you to consider. Transfers that are not taxable gifts There are a…Read More