Tag: tax guide

Can You Use Life Insurance for Charitable Giving?

Feb 19, 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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Choosing an Income Tax Filing Status

Dec 2, 2024

How should you file?

Selecting a filing status is one of the first decisions you’ll make when you fill out your federal income tax return, so it’s important to know the rules. And because you may have more than one option, you need to know the advantages and disadvantages of each. Making the right decision about your filing status can save money and prevent problems with the IRS down the road. Oftentimes going into a new year already having made this decision will help you when you ultimately file.

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Retirement Plans for Small Businesses

Jul 17, 2024

As a business owner, you should carefully consider the advantages of establishing an employer-sponsored retirement plan. Generally, you’re allowed certain tax benefits for establishing an employer-sponsored retirement plan, including a tax credit for establishing the plan and a deduction for contributions you make. In return, however, you’re required to include certain employees in the plan, and to give a portion of the contributions you make to those participating employees. Nevertheless, a retirement plan can provide you with a tax-advantaged method to save funds for your own retirement, while providing your employees with a powerful and appreciated benefit.

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What Are Personal Tax Credits?

Feb 28, 2024

Tax Written on Paper
Deductions you do not want to miss

Have you ever thought that you’re paying too much income tax? You may be, if you’re not claiming all of the tax credits for which you are eligible when you file your federal tax return. These credits may significantly reduce your tax liability.

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Tax Planning for Income

Feb 21, 2024

How should you file?
You don’t want to pay more in federal income tax than you have to. With that in mind, here are five things to consider when it comes to keeping more of your income.

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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?

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Mutual Fund Distributions

Feb 5, 2024

Capital Gains Tax Sticky Note
Watch your December Statements.

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…)

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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.

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Wills: The Cornerstone of Your Estate Plan

Jan 8, 2024

male hand with pen on paper
A convenient move that could ward off probate on your accounts.

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.

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Retirement Preparation Mistakes

Jan 31, 2022

Hand writing Time to Retire concept with red marker on transparent wipe board.

Much is out there about the classic financial mistakes that plague start-ups, family businesses, corporations, and charities. Aside from these blunders, some classic financial missteps during retirement preparation.

Calling them “mistakes” may be a bit harsh, as not all of them represent errors in judgment. Yet whether they result from ignorance or fate, we need to be aware of them as we prepare for and enter retirement. (more…)

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More Insights

Mar 17, 2025

Income tax basis can be an important factor in deciding whether to make gifts during your lifetime or transfer property at your death. This is because the income tax basis for the person receiving the property depends on whether the transfer is by gift or at death. This, in turn, affects the amount of taxable … Continue reading “Basis: Carryover or Stepped-Up Cost Basis?”

Mar 14, 2025

Risk is a factor in any investment decision that you make. Your tolerance for risk is something that you will want to consider when you make decisions alongside your trusted financial advisor in Charlotte NC. Your risk tolerance is balanced against your time horizon, meaning the time between now and your anticipated retirement date.

Mar 12, 2025

Market volatility has arrived in force. The slowdown in the economy and more policy-driven volatility was the consensus expectation coming into 2025. What was not expected, however, was how much the Trump administration would lean into tariffs. During President Trump’s first term, in most instances, investors observed the administration delaying, reducing, or even removing tariffs … Continue reading “Market Update – Navigating Volatility”

Mar 10, 2025

When you lose a spouse, partner, or parent, the grief can be overwhelming. In the midst of that grief, life goes on. There are arrangements to be made, things to be taken care of – and in recognition of this reality, here is a checklist that you may find useful at such a time. If … Continue reading “Estate Planning Checklist for When a Spouse or Parent Passes”

Mar 7, 2025

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 … Continue reading “Social Security Survivor Benefits”

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