Articles

The Highest Taxed Money in America

How the lottery preys on Americans If you were told to voluntarily pay 75% of your wages to government-sponsored programs for the rare chance of getting everyone else’s remaining 25%, would you do it? Most everyone enjoys dreaming of winning it big in the lottery. Large pots of money are publicized on the evening news and lucky multi-million-dollar winners are always given the media spotlight. Little do most people know, federal and state governments are quietly

It’s Time to Prioritize Inventory Management

Extraordinarily low interest rates and a rapidly evolving business climate has made inventory management a lost art. Other business initiatives may seem to be more urgent and impactful, but in reality, mastering inventory levels is a key to most successful and growing businesses. Here are reasons why prioritizing your inventory management is a must: Less shrink. Shrinkage represents cash that goes to waste because inventory is damaged or past sell date. It is a sign of

There’s Still Time to Fund Your IRA

There is still time to make a contribution to a traditional IRA or Roth IRA for the 2019 tax year. The annual contribution limit is $6,000 or $7,000 if you are age 50 or over. Prior to making a contribution, if you (or your spouse) are an active participant in an employer’s qualified retirement plan (a 401(k), for example), you will need to make sure your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) does not exceed certain thresholds.

Make Your Cash Worth More

Banking tips to help you cash in Your cash is parked. Do you know if it’s making or losing you money? For instance, letting it sit in a non-interest-bearing account is a waste of earnings potential. It’s actually losing money if you factor in inflation! Here are some ideas to help you make the most of your banked cash: Understand your bank accounts. Not all bank accounts are created equal. Interest rates, monthly fees, minimum balances, direct

January 2020

This month: January 1 – New Year’s Day January 15 – 4th Quarter Estimated Payments Due January 20 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day Start tax planning for the new year – Adjust withholdings – Organize filing records – Schedule tax consultation – Rebalance investment portfolio Welcome 2020. A new year calls for a fresh look at your financial strategies. Consider how to make the most of your savings accounts — and don’t forget you

Avoid these mistakes when setting up a trust

When setting up a revocable trust, you need to be diligent about asset transfers, beneficiary designations and funding formulas. Failure to complete certain steps can prevent the trust from acting as you intended, creating additional cost and unintended consequences for your estate. Common issues include the following: Failure to transfer assets Setting up a trust is just the first step. You must accurately transfer assets into the trust in order for its proper function to take

Setting up a medical ID on your phone

You may already be familiar with the idea of setting an “in case of emergency” contact that displays on the lock screen of your phone to let emergency personnel know whom to call if you’re found alone unconscious or unable to speak. Smartphone providers now offer enhanced options that let you provide even more emergency information, such as medical conditions and allergies. Newer iPhones make it easy with their integrated Health app, but there are ways

Naming a guardian for your children

Resist the urge to avoid naming a guardian as part of your estate plan simply because it’s not easy to imagine someone else raising your children. If you don’t, you leave the guardianship of your children up to the courts if you pass away. Think about who, starting with your family members, would be the best choice. Remember that the guardian you choose doesn’t also have to handle money for your children. Assuming you have life

Life insurance trusts: fund or collapse?

An Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) has long been a fundamental tool for managing federal estate tax liabilities. But with a sizable increase in the federal estate tax exclusion, some families are wondering if their ILIT is even relevant anymore. An ILIT owns your life insurance policy for you, essentially removing it from your estate. ILITs were popular for their ability to shelter life insurance proceeds from estate taxes. They also give the grantor the ability

Passage of SECURE Act anticipated by year-end

Estate planners have been watching Congress closely, waiting to see what will happen with the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act. The legislation, designed to boost Americans’ retirement savings, has implications for individual savers and for those planning to pass an inheritance to the next generation. The SECURE Act passed the House of Representatives in May with a nearly unanimous margin of 417-3. The bill is considered to have strong bipartisan support and

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