tax benefits
When Protection Matters: Consider a QTIP Trust
Several years ago, Jack’s father died. Jack grieved not only for his father’s passing, but also for his widowed mother who had been married to Jack’s father for 35 years. In due course, Jack’s mother remarried. However, when she eventually passed away, Jack suffered a double loss: Jack not only lost his mother, but also…
Read MoreHealth Savings Accounts: Get to Know These Versatile Savings Tools
The number of Americans covered by high-deductible health plans (HDHPs)/health savings accounts (HSAs) rose to about 19.7 million in 2015 — up from 17.4 million in 2014. On average, enrollment in HDHPs/HSAs has risen nearly 22% over the past two years.1 If you are new to HSAs and eager to take advantage of all the…
Read MoreTurning the Page: 5 Things Baby Boomers Need to Know About RMDs
The times they are a changin’ for baby boomers. The generation that lived through and influenced the revolution in the retirement industry is now poised to begin withdrawing money from their retirement-saving vehicles — namely IRAs and/or employer-sponsored retirement plans. If you were born in the first half of 1946 — you are among the…
Read MoreWealth Transfer in a Low-rate Environment
For those fortunate few individuals whose personal wealth exceeds the current estate-tax exemption threshold — $5.43 million for 2015 rising to $5.45 million for 2016 — today’s historically low interest rate environment offers potentially powerful wealth transfer opportunities. Recent low rates of interest have affected two important factors used to value wealth transfers involving trusts…
Read MoreFew Cost of Living Adjustments for Retirement and Health Plans for 2016
The IRS has released the cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) affecting dollar limitations for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), defined contribution and other retirement-related items for tax year 2016. In general, most limits will remain unchanged for 2016 because the increase in the cost-of-living index did not meet the threshold that would trigger their adjustment. The table below…
Read MoreCalculating Taxes on Mutual Funds
For mutual fund investors, earnings come from two sources: fund distributions — dividends or capital gains — and the sale of fund shares.1 Income from these sources may be taxable. Fund companies typically send year-end statements to shareholders that summarize the information used to report investment gains or losses to the IRS. Here’s a look…
Read MoreBrush Up on Your IRA Facts
If you are opening an IRA for the first time or need a refresher course on the specifics of IRA ownership, here are some facts for your consideration. IRAs in America IRAs continue to play an increasingly prominent role in the retirement saving strategies of Americans. According to the Investment Company Institute (ICI), the U.S.…
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