The passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act late last year had a marked impact on Roth IRAs: to wit, taxpayers who wish to convert a pretax traditional IRA into a post-tax Roth IRA can no longer “re-characterize” (that is, reverse) the conversion for 2018 and later years. The IRS recently clarified in FAQs [...]
For some people, Roth IRAs can offer income and estate tax benefits that are preferable to those offered by traditional IRAs. However, it’s important to take note of just what the distinctive features of Roth IRA are before making the choice. Traditional vs. Roth The biggest difference between traditional and Roth IRAs is how taxes [...]
As a business owner, you may have most of your money tied up in your company – making saving for retirement especially challenging. If you haven’t already set up a tax-advantaged retirement plan, think about setting one up this year. Keep in mind that, if you have employees, they generally must be allowed to participate [...]
Wouldn’t it be great if your employees worked as if they owned the company? An employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) could make that a reality. Under an ESOP, employee participants take part ownership of the business through a retirement savings arrangement. Meanwhile, the business and its existing owner(s) can benefit from some tax breaks, an [...]
It’s not uncommon for parents, grandparents and others to make financial gifts to minors and young adults. Perhaps you want to transfer some appreciated stock to a child or grandchild to start them on their journey toward successful wealth management. Or maybe you simply want to remove some assets from your taxable estate or shift [...]
Mutual funds are so common these days that many people overlook the tax considerations involved. Here are some tips on how to be tax-smart with these investment vehicles. Avoid Year-End Investments Typically, mutual funds distribute accumulated dividends and capital gains toward the end of the year. It’s generally wise to avoid investing in a fund [...]