How Are My Investments Taxed?
Feb 7, 2024
It’s nice to own stocks, bonds, and other investments. Nice, that is, until it’s time to fill out your federal income tax return. At that point, you may be left scratching your head. Just how do you report your investments and how are they taxed?Tags: Personal Finance, Tax Advantages, Tax Deductions, tax guide, Tax Planning, taxes
Mutual Fund Distributions
Feb 5, 2024
This time of year as you prepare for taxes, you might glance at documents and see some capital gains taxes you may have overlooked.
Many mutual funds in December pay shareholders capital gains distributions that they have accumulated throughout the year.1
Typically, mutual fund companies start making estimates about distributions as early as November and most finalize the payment by mid-December. Unfortunately for us, this can cause undesirable tax consequences. (more…)
Tags: Certified Financial Planner Charlotte NC, financial advisor charlotte nc, Investment Planning, Investment Portfolio, Tax Advantages, tax guide, taxes
Market Update – As Goes January, So Goes the Year
Feb 2, 2024
After a relatively slow start, the S&P 500 rallied during the back half of January and closed out the month with a gain of 1.6%. Buying pressure was relatively narrow, as declining shares on the index modestly outpaced advancers. Similar to 2023, a few mega-caps did most of the heavy lifting. Shares of NVIDIA (NVDA), Microsoft (MSFT), and Meta (META) contributed 80% of the S&P 500’s total return during the month.
Tags: Current Events, Personal Finance
Heirs, Value and Family Wealth
Jan 31, 2024
Some high net worth individuals are reluctant to talk to their kids about family wealth. Perhaps they are afraid of what their heirs may do with it.
If a child comes from money and grows up knowing they can expect a sizable inheritance, that child may look at family wealth like water from a free-flowing spigot with no drought in sight. Your child may rely upon your wealth if nothing works out; or simply to whims born of boredom. The perception that family wealth is a fallback rather than a responsibility can contribute to the erosion of family assets. Factor in a parental reluctance to say “no” often enough, throw in a penchant for racking up debt, and the stage is set for wealth to dissipate.
How might a family plan to prevent this? It starts with values. From those values; you can begin to define goals and purpose. (more…)
Tags: Family Wealth, Financial Planner Charlotte NC
Income Tax Planning and 529 Plans
Jan 29, 2024
The income tax benefits offered by 529 plans make these plans attractive to parents (and others) who are saving for college or K-12 tuition. Qualified withdrawals from a 529 plan are tax free at the federal level, and some states also offer tax breaks to their residents. It’s important to evaluate the federal and state tax consequences of plan withdrawals and contributions before you invest in a 529 plan.Tags: Tax Advantages, Tax Deductions, taxes
Tax Planning Tips: Life Insurance
Jan 26, 2024
Understanding the importance of life insurance is one thing. Understanding the tax rules is quite another. As insurance products have evolved and become more sophisticated, the line separating insurance vehicles from investment vehicles has grown blurry. To differentiate between the two, a mix of complex rules and exceptions now governs the taxation of insurance products. If you have neither the time nor the inclination to decipher the IRS regulations, here are some life insurance tax tips and background information to help you make sense of it all.
Tags: Certified Financial Planner Charlotte NC, Insurance, Investing, Retirement Tax Savings, Tax Advantages, taxes
Personal Deduction Planning
Jan 22, 2024
Taxes, like death, are inevitable. But why pay more than you have to? The trick to minimizing your federal income tax liability is to understand the rules and make the most of your tax planning opportunities. Personal deduction planning is one aspect of tax planning. Here, your goals are to use your deductions in the most efficient manner and take all deductions to which you’re entitled.Tags: Tax Advantages, Tax Deductions, tax guide, taxes
Social Security Survivor Benefits
Jan 17, 2024
When you think of Social Security, you probably think of retirement. However, Social Security can also provide much-needed income to your family members when you die, making their financial lives easier.Your family members may be eligible to receive survivor benefits if you worked, paid Social Security taxes, and earned enough work credits. The number of credits you need depends on your age when you die. The younger you are when you die, the fewer credits you’ll need for survivor benefits. However, no one needs more than 40 credits (10 years of work) to be “fully insured” for benefits. And under a special rule, if you’re only “currently insured” at the time of your death (i.e., you have 6 credits in the 13 quarters prior to your death), your children and your spouse who is caring for them can still receive benefits.
Tags: Certified Financial Planner Charlotte NC, Family Wealth, financial advisor charlotte nc, Financial Help, Financial Planner Charlotte NC
Wills: The Cornerstone of Your Estate Plan
Jan 8, 2024
If you care about what happens to your money, home, and other property after you die, you need to do some estate planning. There are many tools you can use to achieve your estate planning goals, but a will is probably the most vital. Even if you’re young or your estate is modest, you should always have a legally valid and up-to-date will. This is especially important if you have minor children because, in many states, your will is the only legal way you can name a guardian for them. Although a will doesn’t have to be drafted by an attorney to be valid, seeking an attorney’s help can ensure that your will accomplishes what you intend.
Tags: Certified Financial Advisor Charlotte NC, Certified Financial Planner Charlotte NC, Estate Planning, Retirement Planning, Retirement Tax Savings, tax guide, Wealth Building
Chapters of Retirement
Jan 5, 2024
The journey to and through retirement occurs gradually, like successive chapters in a book. Each chapter has its own things to consider. (more…)
Tags: Investment Planning, retirement, Retirement Planning
More Insights
Apr 4, 2025
April showers came a month early as stocks fell in March. Tariffs were the primary cause of the market jitters, although that uncertainty became too much for markets to shrug off once economic data started to weaken.
Apr 2, 2025
A successful investor maximizes gain and minimizes loss. Though there can be no guarantee that any investment strategy will be successful and all investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal, here are six basic principles that may help you invest more successfully.
Mar 31, 2025
Losing a spouse is a stressful transition. And the added pressure of having to settle the estate and organize finances can be overwhelming. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to make dealing with these matters less difficult.
Mar 28, 2025
Families are one of the great joys in life, and part of the love you show to your family is making sure that their basic needs are met. While that’s only to be expected from birth through the high school years, many households are helping their adult children well into their twenties and beyond at … Continue reading “Retirement and Adult Children”
Mar 26, 2025
Life insurance can be an excellent tool for charitable giving. Not only does life insurance allow you to make a substantial gift to charity at relatively little cost to you, but you may also benefit from tax rules that apply to gifts of life insurance.
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