Tag: Retirement

Year-End Tax Planning 2025

The countdown to year-end will begin soon. With nearly four (4) months remaining in 2025, consider the following Year-End Tax Planning Checklist.*  Several of these items, if addressed now, could make a meaningful difference come tax filing season AND add to savings.

  1. How are you doing on maxing out your 401k? Many people do not know they can temporarily increase their 401k contributions through December 31st to reach the $23,500 maximum contribution (higher max for those age 50, and even higher for those age 60-63).
        • Lots of 401k or 403b plans allow participants to contribute 25-30% of pay – or even 100% of pay (100% can be a temporary measure in order to max out for 2025).
        • These 401k contributions can be tax-deductible, unless you are contributing to a Roth 401k. It is not too late!

Continue reading “Year-End Tax Planning 2025”

Critical Mid-Year Tax-Related Ideas

Mid-Year is an important time to review several significant saving and spending decisions, possibly affecting taxes too. With just under 6 months remaining in the tax year – there’s still time to make a meaningful difference. Consider:

  • Confirming amounts being deferred pre- or post-tax into 401k and other retirement accounts (and whether to max out?)
  • Evaluating savings goals versus reality
  • If not begun yet, giving savings goals a jump start
  • Quantifying college savings account contributions
  • Creating and funding Trusts

These and other important decisions can be evaluated or adjusted – think of the process as forming goals or “mini-goals”.

Continue reading “Critical Mid-Year Tax-Related Ideas”

Top of Mind Issues in US Presidential Transition

Today’s edition could be a risky one to write, as anything related to the recent US Presidential election can stir up division. BUT – there are a healthy handful of issues that unite all Americans. These issues, ironically, are similar to those facing the 2016 version of President-Elect Trump.

Below are excerpts (in italics) from a November 2016 edition of TGIF 2 Minutes with thoughts on updates for 2024 (in bold) –

Continue reading “Top of Mind Issues in US Presidential Transition”

Key Upcoming Changes to 401k & IRA Rules

There are a bunch – almost too many to count – of important details that a valued financial adviser can obsess over, so clients do not have to. One of those details is the 2022 SECURE Act 2.0 which continues to unfold, in two short months starting on January 1, 2025.

A number of the changes affect rules around two items:

  • 401k saving
  • RMDs (required minimum distributions) from Inherited IRAs.

Changes to both will also have present and future tax consequences.

 

Continue reading “Key Upcoming Changes to 401k & IRA Rules”

Part 2 – Tax & 401k Info for ALL Ages

Part 2 of “under the radar” tax law changes. These changes lead to a needed discussion of current, related tax topics applying to ALL ages of savers with 401k accounts – and possibly IRA accounts too. There is still a decent amount of time remaining in 2023 to make a difference in 401k saving.

Remember that Roth 401k plans have slightly different income requirements than Roth IRA accounts:

  • Roth 401k accounts (which run alongside regular 401k accounts) have NO income limits.
  • Roth IRA accounts DO have income limits.
Roth 401k monies have NO RMDs under current tax law. Traditional, pre-tax 401k monies have RMDs and create taxable income in the future.

Continue reading “Part 2 – Tax & 401k Info for ALL Ages”

Looking Back On… The Luck Factor

Despite all of the calculations involved in investing, there is still an element of luck involved. A specific term for this luck is, “Sequence of Returns.” What on earth is that? Answer: it is a risk and may be the most important concept in the world if a saver or investor ever wishes to spend their savings – and have those savings last.

The topic became relevant recently when a client asked me for assistance in defining what their “concerns” should be for the long-term now that they had accumulated a decent amount of savings and investments. The desire was to continue to accumulate savings and, more important, have the monies last at least long enough to see their plan to fruition for themselves and their kids.

There are ways to plan around both good and bad luck! 

Continue reading “Looking Back On… The Luck Factor”

Looking Back On… Money & Therapy

Money and Therapy: two things that people may love or hate thinking about. However, among other things in life, money and therapy help. 

About five years ago I read a must-read book for young and old, wealthy, or building wealth, married or single. Anyone who wants to have a “life” someday… or even have a life NOW. The book is called The Number* and was written by Lee Eisenberg nearly 15 years ago but reads like he wrote it yesterday.

Here are several of the chapters:

  • “Welcome To Numberland”
  • “Debt Warp”
  • “Alone At Sea”
  • “Covering Your Assets” (nice play on words)
  • “Night Sweats”
  • “Deep Breathing”
  • “Bottom Lines”

All of these topics could be covered in conversations with friends, or by reading The Number, explored in a therapy session… or all 3! I recommend all three (and the therapy session could be with your financial adviser – because a real financial adviser makes this conversation mandatory.)

Continue reading “Looking Back On… Money & Therapy”

Murphy’s Law & YOLO Can Be Expensive

One of the most critical factors of long-term personal financial success is… guess:

  • The markets
  • Spending
  • Interest rates
  • Stock selection
  • Income level

And the answer is…. SPENDING. This fact is why a truly competent financial planner will spend the most time on discussing spending, both today and future projected, along with GOALS. (Goals are what people spend money on.)

Holding an amount of cash – un-invested cash savings – is key to surviving Murphy’s Law events.

Continue reading “Murphy’s Law & YOLO Can Be Expensive”

A Little More on Caring For Mom (or Dad)

A short one today, and “Semper Fi” to a very special group of friends.

Last week’s edition of TGIF 2 Minutes titled, “Alexa, Remind Mom to…” led to a number of real-life responses and more resources regarding finding care for a parent or loved one. So here goes:

  • Good morning. FYI, I had a terrible experience with “A Place for Mom.” It was an aggressive marketing machine and I felt like I was buying a time share.

Continue reading “A Little More on Caring For Mom (or Dad)”

Double-Edged Sword of Aging

Clearly another topic with multiple sequels, aging has its positives and not-so-positives. Recently a slight positive – from the IRS.

Its Life Expectancy Tables, otherwise known as the “IRS Uniform Life Tables I, II and III”, have adjusted the American life expectancy UP by approximately two more years. That means that RMD amounts, or required minimum distributions, from IRA, 401k and other retirement accounts will be slightly lower when calculated. These RMDs count as taxable income so even a small break will be welcome!

Increasing longevity is a compelling reason to develop or maintain a well-laid out long-term savings plan.

Continue reading “Double-Edged Sword of Aging”