Taxes are among the most common concern for people in retirement. You might be wondering how to start thinking about your tax strategy so you aren’t taxed more than you need to be. These three mistakes can help start the conversation about what a comprehensive tax strategy might look like for you. Taking Too Much Income When you start to approach retirement, you’ll have to start thinking about transitioning from the wealth accumulation stage to the [...]
You’ll likely have several sources of income in retirement that can be taxed, such as IRA distributions and Social Security benefits. But, do you have any after-tax “buckets” that you can use strategically in retirement to help reduce your tax bill? There may be a few options available to you, so know how they work. How is a Roth IRA Different from a Traditional IRA? Many people contribute pre-tax dollars to a traditional IRA during their [...]
Taxes could be one of your biggest expenses in retirement. But once you have an estimate for your tax burden in retirement, you can consider ways to minimize it. The first step towards creating a tax minimization strategy in retirement is looking at how your different sources of income will be taxed. Pensions If you have a private pension, your pensions payments could be taxed at ordinary income rates. They could also be subject to state [...]
Tax Day is April 18th this year, due to the Emancipation Day holiday in Washington D.C. on the 15th. This is a good time of year to review your finances and think about your long-term tax strategy. Tax Day will be here before you know it, so know these important tax terms and start thinking about how you’ll work to lower your tax bill. Tax Credits A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar benefit. It’s an amount [...]
Before you know it, Tax Day will be here, so it’s best to start getting ready now. Beyond your tax bill this year, don’t forget about your tax bill in the future, even in retirement. Taxes don’t stop when you stop receiving a paycheck, and they could be one of your biggest expenses in retirement. You should understand how different types of income are taxed and create a plan that works to lower your taxes throughout [...]
Here come the holidays and everything that goes with them – traveling, cooking, buying gifts, and of course, spending time with the people we love. Even though it’s a busy time of year when finances can end up taking a back seat to decorating and wrapping presents, it’s important to take the time to review where 2021 has left you and prepare for 2022. Here are three things about your taxes that may have changed. The [...]
Retirees may no longer receive taxable income from an employer, but they will likely receive income from other sources which can be taxed. And while we know what the tax rates are now, we don’t know what they’ll be in 10 or 20 years – or even one year from now. This is why it's important to plan for the tax rates of the future when it comes to taxes. Now vs. Tomorrow Right now, many [...]
The Social Security trust fund is now expected to be depleted by 2034, according to a recent report from the Social Security and Medicare trustees.[1] That’s one year earlier than they reported last year, and the pandemic is to blame. Less was collected in payroll taxes when unemployment was high, and more people claimed benefits. Although this information may seem like a death sentence for the program, the truth regarding the future of Social Security, Medicare, and [...]
The Biden administration has already spent $1.9 trillion on COVID relief and has plans to spend trillions more on infrastructure projects, Medicaid expansion, education, and climate investments. In order to fund these projects, the administration has proposed several tax-increasing measures on corporations and individuals. You may think you won’t have to worry as much about your tax burden in retirement, but you could be wrong. You may need to prepare for taxes on your retirement accounts. [...]
Tax season is the perfect time to take stock of your overall finances and how they may have changed in the last year. And luckily for you, tax season is extended until May 17th this year, so you have even more time to do that! As you go through important documents, make sure to review your investment plan, estate plan, long-term tax minimization strategies, and overall retirement plan during this extended tax season. What’s Your Investment [...]