What are the advantages of a Deferred Sales Trust (DST)? The Deferred Sales Trust, or DST, provides a unique exit strategy for an appreciated business or piece of real property. A component of the DST is the use of an installment sale strategy to defer and manage the tax obligations that come with the sale of an appreciated asset. Some of the negative features of the traditional way an … [Read more...]
What are the Differences Between a Deferred Sales Trust (DST) and a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT)?
There are perfectly legal ways to defer capital gains tax and reduce your overall tax burden. Those of you who own highly appreciated assets such as homes, businesses, commercial and residential real estate, even high value collectibles, are often reluctant to sell that asset because of the capital gains tax and depreciation recapture costs associated with the sale. There are perfectly legal … [Read more...]
The Practicality of Estate Planning
The Practicality of Estate Planning You work hard to provide for your family, pay for your child's college tuition, and ensure your family lives a good life. Wouldn't you want to make sure that still happens when you're no longer there? A well-thought-out estate plan can help accomplish that goal. Estate planning seems like a huge undertaking, but it's quite manageable if you seek … [Read more...]
Retirement Account Catch-Up Contributions Can Add Up
Are you age 50 or older? If so, you can currently make extra "catch-up" contributions to certain types of tax-favored retirement accounts. Over time, these contributions can make a significant difference in your retirement-age wealth. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of this retirement savings bonus. Here's what you need to know to reap the benefits. The Basics Eligible … [Read more...]
Tax Cut Law: Mostly Good News for Employers and Employees
The most immediate concrete change the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) will bring about for employers is new payroll tax withholding rates. Here's the latest word from the IRS: "We anticipate issuing the initial withholding guidance in January reflecting the new legislation, which would allow taxpayers to begin seeing the benefits of the change as early as February. The IRS will be working closely … [Read more...]
Is Social Media Activity Putting You or Your Clients at Risk?
Winter can be a busy time for travel. Snowbirds try to escape the cold. Grandparents long to visit loved ones in distant cities. Jetsetters want to ring in the New Year in a memorable locale. Regardless of the season, travel brings photo opportunities that are prime for posting on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media platforms. But fraud-savvy people think twice before engaging in … [Read more...]
Landmark Tax Reform Bill Passes
The new tax reform law — commonly referred to as the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" (TCJA) — is the most significant tax legislation in decades. Now businesses and individuals are trying to digest the details and evaluate how the changes will impact their tax situation. Fortunately, your tax advisors can help you figure things out. Let's start with a basic overview of what's covered in the new law. … [Read more...]
How Might the New Tax Reform Law Affect You?
President Trump and Republican members of Congress say the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) will bring $3.2 trillion in tax cuts. Now that the bill has passed, everyone wants to know how much they'll save. Unfortunately, the tax bill won't be good news for everyone. Here's a comparison of how tax results for a typical family of four might be affected by the tax law changes, which generally are … [Read more...]
Keep Tax Reform Proposals in Mind When Making Last-Minute Year-End Moves
As 2017 winds down, it's time to consider making some moves to lower your federal income tax bill and position yourself for tax savings in future years. This year, the big unknown factor is whether major tax reform proposals will be enacted. Even if all goes according to the GOP timeline, the changes generally won't take effect until next year at the earliest. So your 2017 return will follow the … [Read more...]
IRS Increases Annual Gift Tax Exclusion for 2018
The IRS has announced that the annual gift tax exclusion is increasing next year due to inflation. After five years of being stuck at $14,000, the exclusion will be $15,000 per recipient for 2018 — its highest point ever. Section 529 Plans: Make Five Years of Gifts in a Year Normally, a gift made directly to a family member to pay for college education costs would be … [Read more...]
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