Tax Day in 2025

Changes for Tax Year 2024

We’ve gathered a few notable tax changes below for you to consider. Additionally, you can visit the IRS’s page regarding the tax changes for 2024.

Inflation Adjustment

The IRS has adjusted marginal tax brackets and the standard deduction for 2024 in response to inflation. Because of this, you might see an increase in your paychecks, depending on your withholding. Another change includes increases to the allowed contribution amounts for tax-advantaged retirement savings accounts.

Income Tax Brackets Change

With new tax brackets in 2024, some taxpayers may find that their tax bill is lower than expected. Here’s a look at the tax brackets for 2024:

Standard Deduction Increase

The standard deductions provided by the IRS are popular for their simplicity. Standard deductions are set amounts by which taxpayers can use to lower their taxable income based on their filing status.

Here’s a table that breaks down standard deduction changes between 2023 and 2024:

Capital Gains Tax Thresholds Change

For the 2024 tax year, individual tax filers will not have to pay any capital gains tax if their total taxable income is $47,025 or less. The capital gains tax rate jumps to 15% if your income is $47,026 to $518,900. If your income is higher than that, you’ll pay 20% in capital gains.

Earned Income Tax Credit Rises

This is a refundable tax credit designed for qualifying earners. It may or may not apply to your scenario. Workers who earn a low to moderate income may be able to reduce their tax liability through the earned income tax credit.

Here are the earned income tax credit requirements for 2024:

There are other rules that might qualify or disqualify you from receiving the earned income tax credit. If you’re not certain if you qualify for the credit, please contact us.

Gift Limit Goes Up

For tax year 2024, you can now give gifts up to $18,000 per person without having to filing a gift tax return. This is an annual limit to be able to exclude certain gifts. Other rules may apply, depending on the gift.

If you are planning to give gifts and want to plan in advance, please contact us.

Other Changes That May Apply to You

The IRS has made a variety of other changes that may affect your tax liability for tax year 2024.

We Are Here to Help

Please keep in mind that the rules for these options and changes can be more complicated, depending on your tax scenario. Have a question? Reach out anytime. As always, we look forward to helping you with your tax returns and helping you to plan your future.

– The Financial 1 Team

This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax, legal or investment planning advice as individual situations will vary. For specific advice about your situation, please consult with a lawyer or financial professional. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The views stated in this letter are not necessarily the opinion of Tatyana Bunich (CEP) (RFC) or Financial 1 and should not be construed, directly or indirectly, as an offer to buy or sell any securities mentioned herein. Information is based on sources believed to be reliable; however, their accuracy or completeness cannot be guaranteed. Please note that statements made in this article may be subject to change depending on any revisions to the tax code or any additional changes in government policy. Please note that individual situations can vary. Unless certain criteria are met, Roth IRA owners must be 59½ or older and have held the IRA for five years before tax-free withdrawals are permitted. Additionally, each converted amount is subject to its own five-year holding period. Investors should consult a tax advisor before deciding to do a conversion.

The post What’s New – 2025 Tax Changes (Tax Year 2024) appeared first on Financial 1 Tax.

Tax Day 2024

Seven Big Changes for Tax Year 2023

Before we skip ahead to this year, everything you need to know about tax year 2022, and filing your taxes in April is here in this blog “Proactive Year-end Tax Planning for 2022 and Beyond”.

Inflation Adjustment

Last October 2022, an inflation adjustment was announced by the IRS for tax year 2023. The increase is around 7%, which will affect your federal tax bracket and other amounts. The adjustment is a bigger jump than what we see each year, and will help some people stay in a lower bracket. That’s a helpful change.

Income Tax Brackets Change

The seven tax brackets for income tax stayed the same in 2022. For 2023, the IRS has notably changed the income thresholds. Compare the changes below for those seven tax rates.

Click your scenario below to expand and compare the rates between tax years 2022 and 2023:

Standard Deduction Increase

For the 2023 tax year, the deduction is going up at $900 to $1,800 depending on your tax scenario. If you take the standard deduction to lower the income you can taxed on, this is a nice plus. For single filers (and married filing separately), the deduction increases $900. For married couples, it’s up $1,800. For heads of households, it’s up $1,400.

For those over 65 or blind, this deduction is up $1,500. For the additional scenario of being unmarried (and not a surviving spouse), it’s $1,850 higher.

Capital Gains Tax Thresholds Change

For 2023, the income thresholds are going up for long-term gains. Short-term gains are still taxed as ordinary income. This impacts tax on the profits during the sale of an asset, like a stock transaction. This includes sales of cryptocurrency, too.

Earned Income Tax Credit Rises

This is a refundable tax credit designed for qualifying earners. It may or may not apply to your scenario, but the refundable credit is going up. Depending on your income and number of children, the earned income credit (EIC) is $560 to $6,935 for tax year 2022.

For 2023, the max is increased to $7,430. For that maximum, you must be qualify and have 3 children or more.

Side note: you may still qualify for the EIC if you do not have children, though the EIC requirements still apply. If you have questions, please contact us.

Gift Limit Goes Up

For tax year 2023, you can now give gifts up to $17,000 per person without having to filing a gift tax return. This is an annual limit to be able to exclude certain gifts. Other rules may apply, depending on the gift.

If you are planning to give gifts and want to plan in advance, please contact us.

Other Changes That May Apply to You

Quick notes on adoption, estate tax and FSAs, below:

We Are Here to Help

Please keep in mind that the rules for these options and changes can be more complicated, depending on your tax scenario. Have a question? Reach out anytime. As always, we look forward to helping you with your tax returns and helping you to plan your future.

– The Financial 1 Team

This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax, legal or investment planning advice as individual situations will vary. For specific advice about your situation, please consult with a lawyer or financial professional. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The views stated in this letter are not necessarily the opinion of Tatyana Bunich (CEP) (RFC) or Financial 1 and should not be construed, directly or indirectly, as an offer to buy or sell any securities mentioned herein. Information is based on sources believed to be reliable; however, their accuracy or completeness cannot be guaranteed. Please note that statements made in this article may be subject to change depending on any revisions to the tax code or any additional changes in government policy. Please note that individual situations can vary. Unless certain criteria are met, Roth IRA owners must be 59½ or older and have held the IRA for five years before tax-free withdrawals are permitted. Additionally, each converted amount is subject to its own five-year holding period. Investors should consult a tax advisor before deciding to do a conversion.

The post What’s New in 2024 (Tax Year 2023) appeared first on Financial 1 Tax.

One of our main goals as holistic financial professionals is to help our clients recognize tax reduction opportunities within their investment portfolios and overall financial planning strategies. Staying current on the ever-changing tax environment is a key component to help our clients benefit from potential tax reduction strategies.

Other than some IRS inflation adjustments, calendar year 2022 has brought limited changes in tax laws for individuals. Many of the provisions that were passed in bills like, The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, affected corporations, such as the corporate minimum tax of 15% for corporations with adjusted federal income over $1 billion dollars. While President Biden has offered some personal income tax and estate planning tax changes in his proposed 2022 budget and tax plans, many experts feel that it is very unlikely that any changes, if approved, will take affect this calendar year. This report focuses on information that could be helpful for individuals in conjunction with tax planning for calendar year 2022. It also has a section that shares some key details from President Biden’s suggested American Families Plan and some noteworthy proposals included in the budget and green book from Biden’s recent 2022 Budget Plan.

Remember, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) enacted in 2017 brought many changes to the tax code. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act included many provisions for individuals that took effect in 2018 but are currently set to expire after 2025. One big uncertainty for all taxpayers is what will happen to the tax code after 2025.

As financial professionals, we try to be proactive when it makes sense. The objective of this report is to share strategies that could be effective if considered and implemented before year-end. Please note that this report is not a substitute for using a tax professional. In addition, many states do not follow the same rules and computations as the federal income tax rules. Make sure you check with your tax preparer to see what tax rates and rules apply for your particular state.

Income Tax Rates for 2022

For 2022 there are still seven tax rates. They are 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%. Under current law this seven-rate structure will phase out on January 1, 2026.

Year-end Tax Planning for 2022

One of our primary goals is to help our clients try to optimize their tax situations. This report offers many suggestions and reviews strategies that can be useful to achieve this goal.

Everyone’s situation is unique but it is wise for every taxpayer to begin their final year-end planning now! Choosing the appropriate tactics will depend on your income as well as a number of other personal circumstances. As you read through this report it could be helpful to note those strategies that you feel may apply to your situation so you can discuss them with your tax preparer.

Some items to consider include:

Evaluate the use of itemized deductions versus the standard deduction.

For 2022 tax returns, the standard deduction amounts will increase to $12,950 for individuals and married couples filing separately, $19,400 for heads of household, and $25,900 for married couples filing jointly and surviving spouses.

As a reminder, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act roughly doubled the standard deduction. Its goal was to decrease tax payments for many of those who typically claim this standard deduction. Although personal exemption deductions are no longer available, the larger standard deduction, combined with lower tax rates and an increased child tax credit, could result in less tax. You should consider running the numbers to assess the impact on your situation before deciding to take itemized deductions.

The TCJA still eliminates or limits many of the previous laws concerning itemized deductions. An example is the state and local tax deduction (SALT), which is still currently capped at $10,000 per year, or $5,000 for a married taxpayer filing separately.

Consider bunching charitable contributions or using a donor-advised fund.

For those taxpayers who are charitably inclined it makes sense to think about a plan. One way to utilize the tax advantages of charitable contributions is through a strategy referred to as “bunching”. Bunching is the consolidation of donations and other deductions into targeted years so that in those years, the deduction amount will exceed the standard deduction amount.

Another strategy is to consider using a donor-advised fund. A donor-advised fund, or DAF, is a philanthropic vehicle established at a public charity. It allows donors to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax benefit and then recommend grants from the fund over time. Taxpayers can take advantage of the charitable deduction when they’re at a higher marginal tax rate while actual payouts from the fund can be deferred until later. It can be a win-win situation. ​If you are charitably inclined and need some guidance, please call us and we can assist you.

Review your home equity debt interest.

For mortgages taken out after October 13, 1987, and before December 16, 2017 (i.e., enters into a binding contract by that date), mortgage interest is fully deductible up to the first $1,000,000 of mortgage debt incurred to acquire or improve a qualified residence. The TCJA lowered the threshold to $750,000 or $375,000 (married filing separately) for homes purchased after December 15, 2017, but before January 1, 2026. All interest paid on any mortgage taken out before October 13, 1987, is fully deductible regardless of your mortgage amount (“grandfathered debt”). Many mortgage holders refinanced for lower rates or to cash out in the last few years, so remember, to the extent debt increases the interest might not be deductible.

Interest on home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and cash-out refinancings may be deductible as well if the funds were used to improve the home that secures the loan (or if the proceeds were invested). Please share with your tax preparer how the proceeds of your home equity loan were used. If you used the cash to pay off credit cards or other personal debts, the interest isn’t deductible, but that may change when the TCJA sunsets at the end of 2025.

Revisit the use of qualified tuition plans.

Qualified tuition plans, also named 529 plans, are a great way to tax efficiently plan the financial burden of paying tuition for children or grandchildren to attend elementary or secondary schools. Earnings in a 529 plan originally could be withdrawn tax-free only when used for qualified higher education at colleges, universities, vocational schools or other post-secondary schools. However, they changed that so 529 plans can now be used to pay for tuition at an elementary or secondary public, private or religious school, up to $10,000 per year. Unlike IRAs, there are no annual contribution limits for 529 plans. Instead, there are maximum aggregate limits, which vary by plan. Under federal law, 529 plan balances cannot exceed the expected cost of the beneficiary’s qualified higher education expenses. Limits vary by state. Some states even offer a state tax credit or deduction up to a certain amount.

Contributions to a 529 plan are considered completed gifts for federal tax purposes, and in 2022 up to $16,000 per donor, per beneficiary, qualifies for the annual gift tax exclusion. Excess contributions above $16,000 must be reported on IRS Form 709 and will count against the taxpayer’s lifetime estate and gift tax exemption amount ($12.06 million in 2022).

There is also an option to make a larger tax-free 529 plan contribution, if the contribution is treated as if it were spread evenly over a 5-year period. For example, a $80,000 lump sum contribution to a 529 plan can be applied as though it were $16,000 per year, as long as no other gifts are made to the same beneficiary over the next 5 years. Grandparents sometimes use this 5-year gift-tax averaging as an estate planning strategy. ​If you want to explore setting up a 529 plan, call us and we would be happy to assist you.

Maximize your qualified business income deduction (if applicable).

One of the most talked about changes from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act enacted in 2017 is the qualified business income deduction under Section 199A. Current proposals want to change this deduction, but for 2022, taxpayers who own interests in a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or S corporation may be able to deduct up to 20% of their qualified business income. Please be careful because this deduction is subject to various rules and limitations.

There are planning strategies to consider for business owners. For example, business owners can adjust their business’s W-2 wages to maximize the deduction. Also, it may be beneficial for business owners to convert their independent contractors to employees where possible, but before doing so, please make sure the benefit of the deduction outweighs the increased payroll tax burden and cost of providing employee benefits. Other planning strategies can include investing in short-lived depreciable assets, restructuring the business, and leasing or selling property between businesses. ​This piece of the tax code is complicated and would take an entire report to discuss, so we recommend that if you are a business owner, you should talk with a qualified tax professional about how this new Section 199A could potentially work for you.

Consider All of Your Retirement Savings Options for 2022

If you have earned income or are working, you should consider contributing to retirement plans. This is an ideal time to make sure you maximize your intended use of retirement plans for 2022 and start thinking about your strategy for 2023. For many investors, retirement contributions represent one of the smarter tax moves that they can make. Here are some retirement plan strategies we’d like to highlight.

401(k) contribution limits increased. The elective deferral (contribution) limit for employees under the age of 50 who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan is $20,500. The catch-up contribution limit for employees aged 50 and over who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan remains the same at $6,500 ($27,000 total). As a reminder, these contributions must be made in 2022.

IRA contribution limits unchanged.​ ​The limit on annual contributions to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) remains at $6,000 for 2022. The additional catch-up contribution limit for individuals aged 50 and over is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains $1,000 (for a total of $7,000). IRA contributions for 2022 can be made all the way up to the April 17, 2023, filing deadline.

Higher IRA income limits. The deduction for taxpayers making contributions to a traditional IRA is phased out for singles and heads of household who are covered by a workplace retirement plan and have modified adjusted gross incomes (MAGI) of $68,000 and $78,000 for 2022. For married couples filing jointly, in which the spouse who makes the IRA contribution is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the income phase-out range is $109,000 to $129,000. For an IRA contributor who is not covered by a workplace retirement plan and is married to someone who is covered, the deduction is phased out in 2022 as the couple’s income reaches $204,000 and completely at $214,000. For a married individual filing a separate return who is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range remains at $0 to $10,000 for 2022. Please keep in mind, if your earned income is less than your eligible contribution amount, your maximum contribution amount equals your earned income.

Increased Roth IRA income cutoffs.​ The MAGI phase-out range for taxpayers making contributions to a Roth IRA is $204,000 – $214,000 for married couples filing jointly in 2022. For singles and heads of household, the income phase-out range is $129,000 – $144,000. For a married individual filing a separate return, the phase-out range remains at $0 to $10,000. Please keep in mind, if your earned income is less than your eligible contribution amount, your maximum contribution amount equals your earned income.

Larger saver’s credit threshold. The MAGI limit for the saver’s credit (also known as the Retirement Savings Contribution Credit) for low- and moderate-income workers is $68,000 for married couples filing jointly in 2022, $51,000 for heads of household and $34,000 for all other filers.

Be careful of the IRA one rollover rule.Investors are limited to only one rollover from all of their IRAs to another in any 12-month period. A second IRA-to-IRA rollover in a single year could result in income tax becoming due on the rollover, a 10% early withdrawal penalty, and a 6% per year excess contributions tax as long as that rollover remains in the IRA. Individuals can only make one IRA rollover during any 1-year period, but there is no limit on trustee-to-trustee transfers. Multiple trustee-to-trustee transfers between IRAs and conversions from traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs are allowed in the same year. If you are rolling over an IRA or have any questions on IRAs, please call us.

Roth IRA Conversions

In 2022, some IRA owners may want to consider converting part or all of their traditional IRAs to a Roth IRA. This is never a simple or easy decision. Roth IRA conversions can be helpful, but they can also create immediate tax consequences and can bring additional rules and potential penalties. Under the current laws, you can no longer unwind a Roth conversion by re-characterizing it. It is best to run the numbers with a qualified professional and calculate the most appropriate strategy for your situation. ​Call us if you would like to review your Roth IRA conversion options.

Capital Gains and Losses

Looking at your investment portfolio can reveal a number of different tax saving opportunities. Start by reviewing the various sales you have realized so far this year on stocks, bonds and other investments. Then review what’s left and determine whether these investments have an unrealized gain or loss. (Unrealized means you still own the investment, versus realized, which means you’ve actually sold the investment.)

Know your basis. In order to determine if you have unrealized gains or losses, you must know the tax basis of your investments, which is usually the cost of the investment when you bought it. However, it gets trickier with investments that allow you to reinvest your dividends and/or capital gain distributions. We will be glad to help you calculate your cost basis.

Consider loss harvesting. If your capital gains are larger than your losses, you might want to do some “loss harvesting.” This means selling certain investments that will generate a loss. You can use an unlimited amount of capital losses to offset capital gains. However, you are limited to only $3,000 ($1,500 if married filing separately) of net capital losses that can offset other income, such as wages, interest and dividends. Any remaining unused capital losses can be carried forward into future years indefinitely.

Be aware of the “wash sale” rule. ​If you sell an investment at a loss and then buy it right back, the IRS disallows the deduction. The “wash sale” rule says you must wait at least 30 days before buying back the same security in order to be able to claim the original loss as a deduction. The deduction is also disallowed if you bought the same security within 30 days before the sale. However, while you cannot immediately buy a substantially identical security to replace the one you sold, you can buy a similar security, perhaps a different stock, in the same sector. This strategy allows you to maintain your general market position while utilizing a tax break.

Always double-check brokerage firm reports. If you sold a security in 2022, the brokerage firm reports the basis on an IRS Form 1099-B in early 2023. Unfortunately, sometimes there could be problems when reporting your information, so we suggest you double-check these numbers to make sure that the basis is calculated correctly and does not result in a higher amount of tax than you need to pay.

Long-term Capital Gains Tax Rates

Tax rates on long-term capital gains and qualified dividends changed for 2022. You may qualify for a 0% capital gains tax rate for some or all of your long-term capital gains realized in 2022. In 2022, the 0% rate applies for individual taxpayers with taxable income up to $41,675 on single returns, $55,800 for head-of-household filers and $83,350 for joint returns. If this is the case, then the strategy is to figure out how much long-term capital gains you might be able to recognize to take advantage of this tax break.

The 3.8% surtax on net investment income stays the same for 2022. It starts for single people with modified AGI over $200,000 and for joint filers with modified AGI over $250,000.

NOTE​: The 0%, 15% and 20% long-term capital gains tax rates only apply to “capital assets” (such as marketable securities) held longer than one year. Anything held one year or less is considered a “short-term capital gain” and those are taxed at ordinary income tax rates.

Some Notable and Continuing Tax Changes for 2022

Some previous itemized deductions are still affected in 2022 under the tax laws. They include:

The floor for deductible medical expenses is still at 7.5%. The 2022 threshold for deducting medical expenses on Schedule A is 7.5% of your 2022 adjusted gross income (AGI). The IRS on IRS.gov provides a long list of expenses that qualify as “medical expenses,” so it can be a good idea to keep keeping track of yours if you think you may qualify.

State and local income, sales, and real and personal property taxes (SALT)​ ​are still limited to $10,000.

The deduction for casualty and theft losses​ ​is currently allowed only for presidentially declared disaster areas.

Alimony deductions.​ For divorce and separation instruments executed or modified after December 31, 2018, alimony and separate maintenance payments are not deductible by the payor-spouse, nor includible in the income of the payee-spouse.

Education Planning

Education benefits.​ The student loan interest deduction, education credits, exclusion for savings bond interest, tuition waivers for graduate students, and the educational assistance fringe benefit are all still available in 2022. 529 plan funds can be used to pay for fees, books, supplies and equipment for certain apprenticeship programs. In addition, up to $10,000 in total (not annually) can now be withdrawn from 529 plans to pay off student loans.

The 2022 lifetime learning credit, allows you to claim 20% of your out-of-pocket costs for tuition, fees and books, for a total of $2,000 as a tax credit. It phases out for couples from $118,00 to $138,00 and from $59,000 to $69,000 for singles.

Charitable Giving

This is a great time of year to clean your garage or house and give your items to charity. Please remember that you can only write off donations to a charitable organization if you itemize your deductions. Sometimes your donations can be difficult to value. You can find estimated values for your donated items through a value guide offered by Goodwill.

Send cash donations to your favorite charity by December 31, 2022. Be sure to hold on to your canceled check or credit card receipt as proof of your donation. If you contribute $250 or more, you also need a written acknowledgement from the charity. If you plan to make a significant gift to charity this year, consider gifting appreciated stocks or other investments that you have owned for more than one year. Doing so boosts the savings on your tax returns. Your charitable contribution deduction is the fair market value of the securities on the date of the gift, not the amount you paid for the asset and therefore you avoid having to pay taxes on the profit.

Do not donate investments that have lost value. It is best to sell the asset with the loss first and then donate the proceeds, allowing you to take both the charitable contribution deduction and the capital loss. Also remember, if you give appreciated property to charity, the unrealized gain must be long-term capital gains in order for the entire fair market value to be deductible. (The amount of the charitable deduction must be reduced by any unrealized ordinary income, depreciation recapture and/or short-term gain.)

The law allowing taxpayers age 70½ and older to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) in the form of a direct transfer of up to $100,000 directly from their IRA over to a charity, including all or part of the required minimum distribution (RMD) was made permanent in 2015. If you meet the qualifications to utilize this strategy, the funds must come out of your IRA by December 31, 2022. Please call us if this is a strategy you are interested in considering.

Additional Year-end Tax Strategies and Ideas

Make use of the annual gift tax exclusion. ​You may gift up to $16,000 tax-free to each donee in 2022. These “annual exclusion gifts” do not reduce your $12.06 million lifetime gift tax exemption. This annual exclusion gift is doubled to $32,000 per donee for gifts made by married couples of jointly held property or when one spouse consents to “gift-splitting” for gifts made by the other spouse.

Help someone with medical or education expenses. ​There are opportunities to give unlimited tax-free gifts when you pay the provider of the services directly. The medical expenses must meet the definition of deductible medical expenses. Qualified education expenses are tuition, books, fees, and related expenses, but not room and board. You can find the detailed qualifications in IRS Publications 950 and the instructions for IRS Form 709 on the IRS website.

Make gifts to trusts. ​These gifts often qualify as annual exclusion gifts ($16,000 in 2022) if the gift is direct and immediate. A gift that meets all the requirements removes the property from your estate. The annual exclusion gift can be contributed for each beneficiary of a trust. We are happy to review the details with your estate planning attorney.

Estate, Gift, and Generation-Skipping Tax Changes

Exemption amounts for gift, estate, and generation-skipping taxes are another issue that proposals are trying to change. For 2022 the limits are at $12.06 million ($24.12 million for married couples) and the income tax basis step up/down to fair market value at death is in place. Any amount over that is subject to 40% Federal taxes. This high amount provides high net worth individuals a significant planning window to make gifts and set up irrevocable trusts.

As a reminder, as of now, in 2026, the estate tax exclusion is due to revert to pre-2018 levels (adjusted for inflation, which we project will be $6-7 million under current law).

In 2019, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service issued final regulations under IR-2019-189 confirming that individuals who take advantage of the increased gift tax exclusion or portability amounts in effect from 2018 to 2025 will not be adversely impacted when TCJA sunsets on January 1, 2026. Claiming the portable exemption will remain an important discussion topic for descendants with large estates. For those who have large estates, please call us to discuss your situation.

Tax Law Proposals

On March 28, 2022, the Biden Administration released the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget, and the “General Explanations of the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2023 Revenue Proposals,” which is commonly referred to as the “Green Book.” The Green Book summarizes the Administration’s tax proposals contained in the Budget. The Green Book is not a proposed legislation and each of the proposals will have to be introduced and passed by Congress.

Some of the Green Book’s Significant Proposed Changes to Current Law:

Business taxation

• Increase the corporate income tax rate from 21% to 28%

Individual taxation

• Impose a 20% minimum tax on individuals who have more than $100 million in assets – A taxpayer subject to the minimum tax would make two calculations: Their “normal” tax liability under our current realization system, and the “minimum” tax under the proposal. Tax would be paid on the greater of the two.
• Treat death as a realization event

Taxation of investments in real property

• Restrict deferral of gain for like-kind exchanges under section 1031
• Treat 100% of depreciation recapture on the sale of section 1250 property as ordinary income

Cryptocurrency taxation

• Apply securities loan rules to digital assets
• Apply the mark-to-market rules to digital asset dealers and traders
• Require information reporting for digital asset transactions

Passing legislation takes time and even if any legislation is passed, it’s very likely that all proposed changes will not take effect for 2022. Retroactive tax increases are very rare and unusual. However, it’s wise to be informed of potential changes. Also as mentioned earlier in this report, many tax laws are set to sunset on December 31, 2025, and change for 2026, even if no legislation is passed.

Our goal is to keep clients updated when tax laws change so that they can proactively plan. If you would like to discuss any of these potential tax law changes with us, please feel free to contact us and we’d be happy to assess your unique financial situation.

Conclusion

One of our primary goals is to keep clients aware of tax law changes and updates. This report is not a substitute for using a tax professional. Please note that many states do not follow the same rules and computations as the federal income tax rules. Make sure you check with your tax preparer to see what tax rates and rules apply for your particular state.

There are many other additional tax reduction strategies that will vary depending on your financial picture. We encourage you to come in so that we can review your particular situation and hopefully take advantage of those tax rules that apply to you. We will try to monitor impactful changes and as always, we appreciate the opportunity to assist you in addressing your financial matters and look forward to seeing you soon!

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Have a friend, family member, or colleague that would benefit from this financial advice? Please share this report or give our office a call at our Florida office (954) 892-6020 or Maryland office (410) 908-9293.

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Registered Representative offering securities and advisory services through Independent Financial Group, LLC (IFG), a registered broker-dealer and investment advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. Financial 1 Wealth Management Group and IFG are unaffiliated entities. Economic forecasts set forth may not develop as predicted and there can be no guarantee that strategies promoted will be successful. This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax, legal or investment planning advice as individual situations will vary. For specific advice about your situation, please consult with a lawyer or financial professional. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Note: The views stated in this letter are not necessarily the opinion of Tatyana Bunich (CEP) (RFC) or Financial 1 and should not be construed, directly or indirectly, as an offer to buy or sell any securities mentioned herein. Information is based on sources believed to be reliable; however, their accuracy or completeness cannot be guaranteed. Please note that statements made in this newsletter may be subject to change depending on any revisions to the tax code or any additional changes in government policy. Please note that individual situations can vary. Unless certain criteria are met, Roth IRA owners must be 59½ or older and have held the IRA for five years before tax-free withdrawals are permitted. Additionally, each converted amount is subject to its own five-year holding period. Investors should consult a tax advisor before deciding to do a conversion.

Rules and laws governing 529 plans are varied and subject to change. As with other investments, there are generally fees and expenses associated with participation in a 529 plan. There is also a risk that these plans may lose money or not perform well enough to cover college costs as anticipated. Most states offer their own 529 programs, which may provide advantages and benefits exclusively for their residents. Investors should consider, before investing, whether the investor’s or the designated beneficiary’s home state offers any tax or other benefits that are only available for investment in such state’s 529 college savings plan. Such benefits include financial aid, scholarship funds, and protection from creditors. The tax implications can vary significantly from state to state. Tax laws and provisions may change at any time. Death of the contributor prior to the end of the five-year period may result in a portion of the contribution to be included in the contributor’s estate. Please consult a qualified tax professional to discuss tax matters. Source: irs.gov. Contents provided by the Academy of Preferred Financial Advisors, Inc. Reviewed by Keebler & Associates. © Academy of Preferred Financial Advisors, Inc. 2022.

The post Proactive Year-end Tax Planning for 2022 and Beyond appeared first on Financial 1 Tax.

Your current financial strategy could be destroying your retirement income… and taxes are likely the culprit. Discover tax reduction strategies and protect your money from Uncle Sam now! We are hosting four FREE workshops in Florida, March 1st and 3rd. RSVP by phone at 954-892-6020. Get details and the full flyer below!

VIEW EVENT INVITATION (PDF)

Attend One Of Our Free Workshops!

Call now, seating is limited! 954-892-6020

The post Join Us for Our Financial Strategy Workshop March 2022 appeared first on Financial 1 Tax.

One of our main goals as holistic financial professionals is to help our clients recognize tax reduction opportunities within their investment portfolios and overall financial planning strategies. Staying current on the ever-changing tax environment is a key component to help our clients benefit from potential tax reduction strategies.

2021 has been an unusual year and there is still major legislation being discussed that could have an effect on your taxes. It is the first year of a new administration, so investors should consider taking into consideration the impact of possible future tax strategies. This report includes information on possible tax law changes and some notable changes proposed in the Build Back Better Act that you should be aware of. The main focus of this report is on what individual taxpayers can do to potentially save money on their 2021 taxes.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) enacted in 2017 brought many changes to the tax code. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act included many provisions for individuals that took effect in 2018 but are currently set to expire after 2025. One big uncertainty for all taxpayers is what will happen to the tax code after 2025.

As financial professionals, we try to be proactive when it makes sense. The objective of this report is to share strategies that could be effective if considered and implemented before year-end. Please note that this report is not a substitute for using a tax professional. In addition, many states do not follow the same rules and computations as the federal income tax rules. Make sure you check with your tax preparer to see what tax rates and rules apply for your particular state.

Income Tax Rates for 2021

For 2021 there are still seven tax rates. They are 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%.
Under current law this seven-rate structure will phase out on January 1, 2026.

Year-end Tax Planning for 2021

One of our primary goals is to help our clients try to optimize their tax situations. This report offers many suggestions and reviews strategies that can be useful to achieve this goal.

Everyone’s situation is unique but it is wise for every taxpayer to begin their final year-end planning now! Choosing the appropriate tactics will depend on your income as well as a number of other personal circumstances. As you read through this report it could be helpful to note those strategies that you feel may apply to your situation so you can discuss them with your tax preparer.

Some items to consider include:

Evaluate the use of itemized deductions versus the standard deduction.

For 2021 tax returns, the standard deduction amounts will increase to $12,550 for individuals and married couples filing separately, $18,800 for heads of household, and $25,100 for married couples filing jointly and surviving spouses.

As a reminder, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act roughly doubled the standard deduction. Its goal was to decrease tax payments for many of those who typically claim this standard deduction. Although personal exemption deductions are no longer available, the larger standard deduction, combined with lower tax rates and an increased child tax credit, could result in less tax. You should consider running the numbers to assess the impact on your situation before deciding to take itemized deductions.

The TCJA still eliminates or limits many of the previous laws concerning itemized deductions. An example is the state and local tax deduction (SALT), which is still currently capped at $10,000 per year, or $5,000 for a married taxpayer filing separately.

Consider bunching charitable contributions or using a donor-advised fund.

For those taxpayers who are charitably inclined it makes sense to think about a plan. One way to utilize the tax advantages of charitable contributions is through a strategy referred to as “bunching”. Bunching is the consolidation of donations and other deductions into targeted years so that in those years, the deduction amount will exceed the standard deduction amount.

Another strategy is to consider using a donor-advised fund. A donor-advised fund, or DAF, is a philanthropic vehicle established at a public charity. It allows donors to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax benefit and then recommend grants from the fund over time. Taxpayers can take advantage of the charitable deduction when they’re at a higher marginal tax rate while actual payouts from the fund can be deferred until later. It can be a win-win situation. ​If you are charitably inclined and need some guidance, please call us and we can assist you.

Review your home equity debt interest.

For mortgages taken out after October 13, 1987, and before December 16, 2017 (i.e. enters into a binding contract by that date), mortgage interest is fully deductible up to the first $1,000,000 of mortgage debt. The threshold has been lowered to the first $750,000 or $375,000 (married filing separately) on homes purchased after December 15, 2017. All interest paid on any mortgage taken out before October 13, 1987 is fully deductible regardless of your mortgage amount (called “grandfathered debt”). This change under the TCJA law applies to all tax years between 2018 and 2025. Many mortgage holders refinanced for lower rates in the last few years so remember for larger mortgages, that could change your situation.

Home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) are deductible as well, but only if the funds were used to buy or substantially improve the home that secures the loan. Please share with your tax preparer how the proceeds of your home equity loan were used. If you used the cash to pay off credit card or other personal debts, then the interest isn’t deductible.

Revisit the use of qualified tuition plans.

Qualified tuition plans, also named 529 plans, are a great way to tax efficiently plan the financial burden of paying tuition for children or grandchildren to attend elementary or secondary schools. Earnings in a 529 plan originally could be withdrawn tax-free only when used for qualified higher education at colleges, universities, vocational schools or other post-secondary schools. However, they changed that so 529 plans can now be used to pay for tuition at an elementary or secondary public, private or religious school, up to $10,000 per year. Unlike IRAs, there are no annual contribution limits for 529 plans. Instead, there are maximum aggregate limits, which vary by plan. Under federal law, 529 plan balances cannot exceed the expected cost of the beneficiary’s qualified higher education expenses. Limits vary by state, ranging from $235,000 to $529,000. Some states even offer a state tax credit or deduction up to a certain amount.

Contributions to a 529 plan are considered completed gifts for federal tax purposes, and in 2021 up to $15,000 per donor, per beneficiary, qualifies for the annual gift tax exclusion. Excess contributions above $15,000 must be reported on IRS Form 709 and will count against the taxpayer’s lifetime estate and gift tax exemption amount ($11.7 million in 2021).

There is also an option to make a larger tax-free 529 plan contribution, if the contribution is treated as if it were spread evenly over a 5-year period. For example, a $75,000 lump sum contribution to a 529 plan can be applied as though it were $15,000 per year, as long as no other gifts are made to the same beneficiary over the next 5 years. Grandparents sometimes use this 5-year gift-tax averaging as an estate planning strategy. ​If you want to explore setting up a 529 plan, call us and we would be happy to assist you.

Maximize your qualified business income deduction (if applicable).

One of the most talked about changes from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act enacted in 2017 is the qualified business income deduction under Section 199A. Current proposals want to change this deduction, but for 2021, taxpayers who own interests in a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or S corporation may be able to deduct up to 20% of their qualified business income. Please be careful because this deduction is subject to various rules and limitations.

There are planning strategies to consider for business owners. For example, business owners can adjust their business’s W-2 wages to maximize the deduction. Also, it may be beneficial for business owners to convert their independent contractors to employees where possible, but before doing so, please make sure the benefit of the deduction outweighs the increased payroll tax burden and cost of providing employee benefits. Other planning strategies can include investing in short-lived depreciable assets, restructuring the business, and leasing or selling property between businesses. ​This piece of tax legislation is complicated and would take an entire report to discuss, so we recommend that if you are a business owner, you should talk with a qualified tax professional about how this new Section 199A could potentially work for you.

Consider All of Your Retirement Savings Options for 2021

If you have earned income or are working, you should consider contributing to retirement plans. This is an ideal time to make sure you maximize your intended use of retirement plans for 2021 and start thinking about your strategy for 2022. For many investors, retirement contributions represent one of the smarter tax moves that they can make. Here are some retirement plan strategies we’d like to highlight.

401(k) contribution limits unchanged. ​The elective deferral (contribution) limit for employees under the age of 50 who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan is $19,500. The catch-up contribution limit for employees aged 50 and over who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan increases also to an additional $6,500 ($26,000 total). As a reminder, these contributions must be made in 2021.

IRA contribution limits unchanged.​ ​The limit on annual contributions to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) which was increased in 2019, remains at $6,000 for 2021. The additional catch-up contribution limit for individuals aged 50 and over is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains $1,000 (for a total of $7,000). IRA contributions for 2021 can be made all the way up to the April 15, 2022, filing deadline.

Higher IRA income limits. ​The deduction for taxpayers making contributions to a traditional IRA is phased out for singles and heads of household who are covered by a workplace retirement plan and have modified adjusted gross incomes (MAGI) of $66,000 and $76,000 for 2021. For married couples filing jointly, in which the spouse who makes the IRA contribution is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the income phase-out range is $105,000 to $125,000. For an IRA contributor who is not covered by a workplace retirement plan and is married to someone who is covered, the deduction is phased out in 2021 as the couple’s income reaches $198,000 and completely at $208,000. For a married individual filing a separate return who is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range remains at $0 to $10,000 for 2021. Please keep in mind, if your earned income is less than your eligible contribution amount, your maximum contribution amount equals your earned income.

Increased Roth IRA income cutoffs.​ The MAGI phase-out range for taxpayers making contributions to a Roth IRA is $198,000 – $208,000 for married couples filing jointly in 2021. For singles and heads of household, the income phase-out range is $125,000 – $140,000. For a married individual filing a separate return, the phase-out range remains at $0 to $10,000. Please keep in mind, if your earned income is less than your eligible contribution amount, your maximum contribution amount equals your earned income.

Larger saver’s credit threshold. ​The MAGI limit for the saver’s credit (also known as the Retirement Savings Contribution Credit) for low- and moderate-income workers is $66,000 for married couples filing jointly in 2021, $49,500 for heads of household and $33,000 for all other filers.

Be careful of the IRA one rollover rule. ​Investors are limited to only one rollover from all of their IRAs to another in any 12-month period. A second IRA-to-IRA rollover in a single year could result in income tax becoming due on the rollover, a 10% early withdrawal penalty, and a 6% per year excess contributions tax as long as that rollover remains in the IRA. Individuals can only make one IRA rollover during any 1-year period, but there is no limit on trustee-to-trustee transfers. Multiple trustee-to-trustee transfers between IRAs and conversions from traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs are allowed in the same year. If you are rolling over an IRA or have any questions on IRAs, please call us.

Roth IRA Conversions

There are some rule change proposals that are discussed later in this report for Roth IRA conversions, but in 2021, some IRA owners may want to consider converting part or all of their traditional IRAs to a Roth IRA. This is never a simple or easy decision. Roth IRA conversions can be helpful, but they can also create immediate tax consequences and can bring additional rules and potential penalties. Under the current laws, you can no longer unwind a Roth conversion by re-characterizing it. It is best to run the numbers with a qualified professional and calculate the most appropriate strategy for your situation. ​Call us if you would like to review your Roth IRA conversion options.

Capital Gains and Losses

Looking at your investment portfolio can reveal a number of different tax saving opportunities. Start by reviewing the various sales you have realized so far this year on stocks, bonds and other investments. Then review what’s left and determine whether these investments have an unrealized gain or loss. (Unrealized means you still own the investment, versus realized, which means you’ve actually sold the investment.)

Know your basis. ​In order to determine if you have unrealized gains or losses, you must know the tax basis of your investments, which is usually the cost of the investment when you bought it. However, it gets trickier with investments that allow you to reinvest your dividends and/or capital gain distributions. We will be glad to help you calculate your cost basis.

Consider loss harvesting. ​If your capital gains are larger than your losses, you might want to do some “loss harvesting.” This means selling certain investments that will generate a loss. You can use an unlimited amount of capital losses to offset capital gains. However, you are limited to only $3,000 ($1,500 if married filing separately) of net capital losses that can offset other income, such as wages, interest and dividends. Any remaining unused capital losses can be carried forward into future years indefinitely.

Be aware of the “wash sale” rule. ​If you sell an investment at a loss and then buy it right back, the IRS disallows the deduction. The “wash sale” rule says you must wait at least 30 days before buying back the same security in order to be able to claim the original loss as a deduction. The deduction is also disallowed if you bought the same security within 30 days before the sale. However, while you cannot immediately buy a substantially identical security to replace the one you sold, you can buy a similar security, perhaps a different stock, in the same sector. This strategy allows you to maintain your general market position while utilizing a tax break.

Always double-check brokerage firm reports. ​If you sold a security in 2021, the brokerage firm reports the basis on an IRS Form 1099-B in early 2022. Unfortunately, sometimes there could be problems when reporting your information, so we suggest you double-check these numbers to make sure that the basis is calculated correctly and does not result in a higher amount of tax than you need to pay.

Long-term Capital Gains Tax Rates

Tax rates on long-term capital gains and qualified dividends did not change for 2021. You may qualify for a 0% capital gains tax rate for some or all of your long-term capital gains realized in 2021. In 2021, the 0% rate applies for individual taxpayers with taxable income up to $40,400 on single returns, $54,100 for head-of-household filers and $80,800 for joint returns. If this is the case, then the strategy is to figure out how much long-term capital gains you might be able to recognize to take advantage of this tax break.

The 3.8% surtax on net investment income stays the same for 2021. It starts for single people with modified AGI over $200,000 and for joint filers with modified AGI over $250,000.

NOTE​: The 0%, 15% and 20% long-term capital gains tax rates only apply to “capital assets” (such as marketable securities) held longer than one year. Anything held one year or less is considered a “short-term capital gain” and those are taxed at ordinary income tax rates.

Some Notable and Continuing Tax Changes for 2021

Some previous itemized deductions are still affected in 2021 under the tax laws. They include:

The floor for deductible medical expenses is still at 7.5%. ​The 2021 threshold for deducting medical expenses on Schedule A is 7.5% of your 2021 adjusted gross income (AGI). The IRS on IRS.gov provides a long list of expenses that qualify as “medical expenses,” so it can be a good idea to keep keeping track of yours if you think you may qualify.

State and local income, sales, and real and personal property taxes (SALT)​ ​are still limited to $10,000.

The deduction for casualty and theft losses​ ​is currently allowed only for presidentially declared disaster areas.

Alimony deductions.​ ​For divorce and separation instruments executed or modified after December 31, 2018, alimony and separate maintenance payments are not deductible by the payor-spouse, nor includible in the income of the payee-spouse.

Education Planning

Education benefits.​ The student loan interest deduction, education credits, exclusion for savings bond interest, tuition waivers for graduate students, and the educational assistance fringe benefit are all still available in 2021. 529 plan funds can be used to pay for fees, books, supplies and equipment for certain apprenticeship programs. In addition, up to $10,000 in total (not annually) can now be withdrawn from 529 plans to pay off student loans.

The 2020 lifetime learning credit, which allows you to claim 20% of your out-of-pocket costs for tuition, fees and books, for a total of $2,500, phases out for couples at $160,001 and $180,000. The AGI range for singles is $80,001 and $90,000.

Charitable Giving

This is a great time of year to clean your garage or house and give your items to charity. Please remember that you can only write off donations to a charitable organization if you itemize your deductions. Sometimes your donations can be difficult to value. You can find estimated values for your donated items through a value guide offered by Goodwill.

Send cash donations to your favorite charity by December 31, 2021 and be sure to hold on to your canceled check or credit card receipt as proof of your donation. If you contribute $250 or more, you also need a written acknowledgement from the charity. If you plan to make a significant gift to charity this year, consider gifting appreciated stocks or other investments that you have owned for more than one year. Doing so boosts the savings on your tax returns. Your charitable contribution deduction is the fair market value of the securities on the date of the gift, not the amount you paid for the asset and therefore you avoid having to pay taxes on the profit.

Do not donate investments that have lost value. It is best to sell the asset with the loss first and then donate the proceeds, allowing you to take both the charitable contribution deduction and the capital loss. Also remember, if you give appreciated property to charity, the unrealized gain must be long-term capital gains in order for the entire fair market value to be deductible. (The amount of the charitable deduction must be reduced by any unrealized ordinary income, depreciation recapture and/or short-term gain.)

The law allowing taxpayers age 70½ and older to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) in the form of a direct transfer of up to $100,000 directly from their IRA over to a charity, including all or part of the required minimum distribution (RMD) was made permanent in 2015. If you meet the qualifications to utilize this strategy, the funds must come out of your IRA by December 31, 2021. Please call us if this is a strategy you are interested in considering.

Additional Year-end Tax Strategies and Ideas

Make use of the annual gift tax exclusion. ​You may gift up to $15,000 tax-free to each donee in 2021. These “annual exclusion gifts” do not reduce your $11,700,000 lifetime gift tax exemption. This annual exclusion gift is doubled to $30,000 per donee for gifts made by married couples of jointly held property or when one spouse consents to “gift-splitting” for gifts made by the other spouse.

Help someone with medical or education expenses. ​There are opportunities to give unlimited tax-free gifts when you pay the provider of the services directly. The medical expenses must meet the definition of deductible medical expenses. Qualified education expenses are tuition, books, fees, and related expenses, but not room and board. You can find the detailed qualifications in IRS Publications 950 and the instructions for IRS Form 709 on the IRS website​.

Make gifts to trusts. ​These gifts often qualify as annual exclusion gifts ($15,000 in 2021) if the gift is direct and immediate. A gift that meets all the requirements removes the property from your estate. The annual exclusion gift can be contributed for each beneficiary of a trust. We are happy to review the details with your estate planning attorney.

Estate, Gift, and Generation-Skipping Tax Changes

Exemption amounts for gift, estate, and generation-skipping taxes are another issue that proposals are trying to change. For 2021 the limits are at $11.7 million ($23.4 million for married couples), up from $11.58 million in 2020 and the income tax basis step up/down to fair market value at death is in place. Any amount over that is subject to 40% Federal taxes. This high amount provides high net worth individuals a significant planning window to make gifts and set up irrevocable trusts.

As a reminder, as of now, in 2026, the estate tax exclusion is due to revert to pre- 2018 levels of $5 million (adjusted for inflation).

On November 26, 2019, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service issued final regulations under IR-2019-189 confirming that individuals who take advantage of the increased gift tax exclusion or portability amounts in effect from 2018 to 2025 will not be adversely impacted when TCJA sunsets on January 1, 2026. Claiming the portable exemption will remain an important discussion topic for descendants with large estates. For those who have large estates, please call us to discuss your situation.

Tax Law Proposals

As of the early November writing of this report, tax law changes were still not finalized. Some of the noteworthy proposals as they were proposed by either President Biden or the House Ways and Means Committee in September are currently no longer being discussed. These include the restoration of the 39.6% top tax bracket and a retroactive increase of the 20% capital gains rate to 25% for individuals earning over $400,000 and married filing jointly taxpayers earning more than $450,000.

Other proposals that are currently not being pursued include changes to RothIRA conversion rules and the termination of the temporary increase in the Unified Credit (replacing the current $11.7 million estate and gift tax exemption with an exemption of approximately $6 million per person starting in 2022).

As of November 3, several proposals were still being considered starting in 2022. They include:

• Expansion of 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT): The proposal calls for the expansion of the 3.8% tax to apply to net income derived in the ordinary course of trade or business for taxpayers with a taxable income of more than $500,000 for joint filers and $400,000 for single filers.
• A new surtax on high income earners: The current proposal calls for a new additional tax on individuals with a modified adjusted gross income of over $10,000,000 that increases for those with AGI’s over $25,000,000. Please note this does not include state taxes.

Another noteworthy item being discussed is the possible changing of the SALT tax limitations starting as early as 2021. Please remember it is uncertain as of early November writing of which tax changes, if any, will be passed into law. We only include this section in an attempt to make clients aware of any potential key proposals for tax planning purposes.

Our goal is to keep clients updated when tax laws change so that they can proactively plan. If you would like to discuss any of these potential tax law changes with us, please feel free to contact us and we’d be happy to assess your unique financial situation.

Conclusion

One of our primary goals is to keep clients aware of tax law changes and updates. This report is not a substitute for using a tax professional. Please note that many states do not follow the same rules and computations as the federal income tax rules. Make sure you check with your tax preparer to see what tax rates and rules apply for your particular state.

There are many other additional tax reduction strategies that will vary depending on your financial picture. We encourage you to come in so that we can review your particular situation and hopefully take advantage of those tax rules that apply to you. We will try to monitor impactful changes and as always, we appreciate the opportunity to assist you in addressing your financial matters and look forward to seeing you soon!

Registered Representative offering securities and advisory services through Independent Financial Group, LLC (IFG), registered investment advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. Financial 1 Wealth Management Group and IFG are unaffiliated entities. This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax, legal or investment planning advice as individual situations will vary. For specific advice about your situation, please consult with a lawyer or financial professional. Sources: Forbes, Fortune, MarketWatch, Wall Street Journal, Oppenheimer Funds, Investopedia, Barron’s.

Note: The views stated in this letter are not necessarily the opinion of Independent Financial Group, LLC (IFG) and should not be construed, directly or indirectly, as an offer to buy or sell any securities mentioned herein. Information is based on sources believed to be reliable; however, their accuracy or completeness cannot be guaranteed. Please note that statements made in this newsletter may be subject to change depending on any revisions to the tax code or any additional changes in government policy. Please note that individual situations can vary. Unless certain criteria are met, Roth IRA owners must be 59½ or older and have held the IRA for five years before tax-free withdrawals are permitted. Additionally, each converted amount is subject to its own five-year holding period. Investors should consult a tax advisor before deciding to do a conversion.

Rules and laws governing 529 plans are varied and subject to change. As with other investments, there are generally fees and expenses associated with participation in a 529 plan. There is also a risk that these plans may lose money or not perform well enough to cover college costs as anticipated. Most states offer their own 529 programs, which may provide advantages and benefits exclusively for their residents. Investors should consider, before investing, whether the investor’s or the designated beneficiary’s home state offers any tax or other benefits that are only available for investment in such state’s 529 college savings plan. Such benefits include financial aid, scholarship funds, and protection from creditors. The tax implications can vary significantly from state to state. Tax laws and provisions may change at any time. Please consult a qualified tax professional to discuss tax matters. Source: irs.gov. Contents provided by the Academy of Preferred Financial Advisors, Inc. Reviewed by Keebler & Associates. © Academy of Preferred Financial Advisors, Inc. 2021.

The post Proactive Year-end Tax Planning for 2021 and Beyond appeared first on Financial 1 Tax.

Your current financial strategy could be destroying your retirement income… and taxes are likely the culprit. Discover tax-smart retirement planning and protect your money from Uncle Sam now! We are hosting four FREE workshops in Florida, April 20th and 22nd. RSVP by phone at 954-892-6020. Get details and the full flyer below!

VIEW EVENT INVITATION (PDF)

Attend One Of Our Free Workshops!

Call now, seating is limited! 954-892-6020

The post Join Us for Our Financial Strategy Workshop appeared first on Financial 1 Tax.

At Financial 1, we offer practical strategies to help grow your assets and build wealth. We believe in thinking “out of the box” and we are not afraid to challenge conventional wisdom in our approach to accounting, tax planning and preserving wealth. Below are useful strategies to help you get started.

Watch These Videos:

Each one is less than 3 minutes!

The post Videos: Tax Tips and Strategies appeared first on Financial 1 Tax.

One of our main goals as holistic financial professionals is to help our clients recognize tax reduction opportunities within their investment portfolios and overall financial planning strategies. Staying current on the ever-changing tax environment is a key component to help our clients benefit from potential tax reduction strategies.

2020 was an unusual year that had several major legislative bills passed that could have an impact on your taxes. It is also a presidential election year, so investors might want to think about potential future tax strategies. Although it will take more than a change in president to enact tax laws changes, it is always wise to educate yourself in advance. This report includes sections on possible tax law changes if there is a change in administration (based on the current proposals) and notable CARES Act and SECURE Act changes that you should be aware of. The main focus of this report is on what individual taxpayers can do to potentially save money on their 2020 taxes.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) enacted in 2017 brought many changes to the tax code. One big uncertainty for all taxpayers is what will happen to the Tax Code after 2025. The way the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is set up, the changes to the corporate side of the tax code are permanent while many provisions for individuals that took effect in 2018 are currently set to expire after 2025.

The objective of this report is to share strategies that could be effective if considered and implemented before year-end. Please note that this report is not a substitute for using a tax professional. In addition, many states do not follow the same rules and computations as the federal income tax rules. Make sure you check with your tax preparer to see what tax rates and rules apply for your particular state.

Income Tax Rates for 2020

For 2020 there are still seven tax rates. They are 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%.
Under current law this seven-rate structure will phase out on January 1, 2026.

Year-end Tax Planning for 2020

2020 is the third year for the new tax laws and new tax forms that were created by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). One of our primary goals is to help our clients try to optimize their tax situations. This report offers many suggestions and reviews strategies that can be useful to achieve this goal.

Everyone’s situation is unique but it is wise for every taxpayer to begin their final year-end planning now! Choosing the appropriate tactics will depend on your income as well as a number of other personal circumstances. As you read through this report it could be helpful to note those strategies that you feel may apply to your situation so you can discuss them with your tax preparer.

Some items to consider include:

Evaluate the use of itemized deductions versus the standard deduction.

For 2020, the standard deduction amounts will increase to $12,400 for individuals and married couples filing separately, $18,650 for heads of household, and $24,800 for married couples filing jointly and surviving spouses.

As a reminder, in 2018, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act roughly doubled the standard deduction. It’s reported that this helped decrease tax payments for many of those who typically claim this standard deduction. Although personal exemption deductions are no longer available, the larger standard deduction, combined with lower tax rates and an increased child tax credit, could result in less tax. You should consider running the numbers to assess the impact on your situation before deciding to take itemized deductions.

The TCJA still eliminates or limits many of the previous laws concerning itemized deductions. An example is the state and local tax deduction (SALT), which is now capped at $10,000 per year, or $5,000 for a married taxpayer filing separately.

Consider bunching charitable contributions or using a donor-advised fund.

For many taxpayers, the larger standard deduction and changes to key itemized deductions resulted in them no longer itemizing. It was estimated that about 15 million filers used the charitable contribution write-off in 2018, a sharp decline from the 36 million who utilized it in 2017. For those taxpayers who are charitably inclined it makes sense to think about a plan. One way to utilize the tax advantages of charitable contributions is through a strategy referred to as “bunching”. Bunching is the consolidation of donations and other deductions into targeted years so that in those years, the deduction amount will exceed the standard deduction amount.​ (wsj.com 2/15/2019)

Another strategy is to consider using a donor-advised fund. A donor-advised fund, or DAF, is a philanthropic vehicle established at a public charity. It allows donors to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax benefit and then recommend grants from the fund over time. Taxpayers can take advantage of the charitable deduction when they’re at a higher marginal tax rate while actual payouts from the fund can be deferred until later. It can be a win-win situation. ​If you are charitably inclined and need some guidance, please call us and we can assist you.

Review your home equity debt interest.

For mortgages taken out after October 13, 1987, and before December 16, 2017, mortgage interest is fully deductible up to the first $1,000,000 of mortgage debt. The threshold has been lowered to the first $750,000 or $375,000 (married filing separately) on homes purchased after December 15, 2017. All interest paid on any mortgage taken out before October 13, 1987 is fully deductible regardless of your mortgage amount (called “grandfathered debt”). This change under the TCJA law applies to all tax years between 2018 and 2025. Many mortgage holders refinanced for lower rates in the last few years so remember for larger mortgages, that could change your situation.

Home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) are deductible as well, but only if the funds were used to buy or substantially improve the home that secures the loan. Please share with your tax preparer how the proceeds of your home equity loan were used. If you used the cash to pay off credit card or other personal debts, then the interest isn’t deductible​.

Revisit the use of qualified tuition plans.

Qualified tuition plans, also named 529 plans, are a great way to tax efficiently plan the financial burden of paying tuition for children or grandchildren to attend elementary or secondary schools. Earnings in a 529 plan originally could be withdrawn tax-free only when used for qualified higher education at colleges, universities, vocational schools or other post-secondary schools. However, they changed that so 529 plans can now be used to pay for tuition at an elementary or secondary public, private or religious school, up to $10,000 per year. Unlike IRAs, there are no annual contribution limits for 529 plans. Instead, there are maximum aggregate limits, which vary by plan. Under federal law, 529 plan balances cannot exceed the expected cost of the beneficiary’s qualified higher education expenses. Limits vary by state, ranging from $235,000 to $529,000. Some states even offer a state tax credit or deduction up to a certain amount.

Contributions to a 529 plan are considered completed gifts for federal tax purposes, and in 2020 up to $15,000 per donor, per beneficiary, qualifies for the annual gift tax exclusion. Excess contributions above $15,000 must be reported on IRS Form 709 and will count against the taxpayer’s lifetime estate and gift tax exemption amount ($11.58 million in 2020).

There is also an option to make a larger tax-free 529 plan contribution, if the contribution is treated as if it were spread evenly over a 5-year period. For example, a $75,000 lump sum contribution to a 529 plan can be applied as though it were $15,000 per year, as long as no other gifts are made to the same beneficiary over the next 5 years. Grandparents sometimes use this 5-year gift-tax averaging as an estate planning strategy. ​If you want to explore setting up a 529 plan, call us and we would be happy to assist you.

Maximize your qualified business income deduction (if applicable).

One of the most talked about changes from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is still the qualified business income deduction under Section 199A. Taxpayers who own interests in a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or S corporation may be able to deduct up to 20 percent of their qualified business income. Please be careful because this deduction is subject to various rules and limitations.

There are planning strategies to consider for business owners. For example, business owners can adjust their business’s W-2 wages to maximize the deduction. Also, it may be beneficial for business owners to convert their independent contractors to employees where possible, but before doing so, please make sure the benefit of the deduction outweighs the increased payroll tax burden and cost of providing employee benefits. Other planning strategies can include investing in short-lived depreciable assets, restructuring the business, and leasing or selling property between businesses. ​This piece of tax legislation would take an entire report to discuss, so we recommend that if you are a business owner, you should talk with a qualified tax professional about how this new Section 199A could potentially work for you.

Consider All of Your Retirement Savings Options for 2020

If you have earned income or are working, you should consider contributing to retirement plans. This is an ideal time to make sure you maximize your intended use of retirement plans for 2020 and start thinking about your strategy for 2021. For many investors, retirement contributions represent one of the smarter tax moves that they can make. Here are some retirement plan strategies we’d like to highlight.

401(k) contribution limits increased. ​The elective deferral (contribution) limit for employees under the age of 50 who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan is $19,500, up from $19,000. The catch-up contribution limit for employees aged 50 and over who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan increases also to an additional $6,500 ($26,000 total). ​As a reminder, these contributions must be made in 2020.

IRA contribution limits unchanged.​ ​The limit on annual contributions to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) which was increased in 2019, remains at $6,000 for 2020. The additional catch-up contribution limit for individuals aged 50 and over is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains $1,000 (for a total of $7,000). ​IRA contributions for 2020 can be made all the way up to the April 15, 2021 filing deadline.

Higher IRA income limits. ​The deduction for taxpayers making contributions to a traditional IRA is phased out for singles and heads of household who are covered by a workplace retirement plan and have modified adjusted gross incomes (MAGI) of $65,000 and $75,000 for 2020. For married couples filing jointly, in which the spouse who makes the IRA contribution is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the income phase-out range is $104,000 to $124,000. For an IRA contributor who is not covered by a workplace retirement plan and is married to someone who is covered, the deduction is phased out in 2020 as the couple’s income reaches $196,000 and completely at $206,000. For a married individual filing a separate return who is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range remains at $0 to $10,000 for 2020. ​Please keep in mind, if your earned income is less than your eligible contribution amount, your maximum contribution amount equals your earned income.

Increased Roth IRA income cutoffs.​ ​The MAGI phase-out range for taxpayers making contributions to a Roth IRA is $196,000 – $206,000 for married couples filing jointly in 2020. For singles and heads of household, the income phase-out range is $124,000 – $139,000. For a married individual filing a separate return, the phase-out range remains at $0 to $10,000. ​Please keep in mind, if your earned income is less than your eligible contribution amount, your maximum contribution amount equals your earned income.

Larger saver’s credit threshold. ​The MAGI limit for the saver’s credit (also known as the Retirement Savings Contribution Credit) for low- and moderate-income workers is $65,000 for married couples filing jointly in 2020, $48,700 for heads of household and $32,500 for all other filers.

Be careful of the IRA one rollover rule. ​Investors are limited to only one rollover from ​all ​of their IRAs to another in any 12-month period. A second IRA-to-IRA rollover in a single year could result in income tax becoming due on the rollover, a 10% early withdrawal penalty, and a 6% per year excess contributions tax as long as that rollover remains in the IRA. Individuals can only make one IRA rollover during any 1-year period, but there is no limit on trustee-to-trustee transfers. Multiple trustee-to-trustee transfers between IRAs and conversions from traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs are allowed in the same year​. The CARES Act allowed you to not take your Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) in 2020. If you took an RMD in 2020, you had till August 31, 2020 to roll that distribution back into your IRA and this roll back was not subject to the 60 day or one per year rule. If you are rolling over an IRA or have any questions on IRAs, please call us.

Roth IRA Conversions

Some IRA owners may want to consider converting part or all of their traditional IRAs to a Roth IRA. This is never a simple or easy decision. Roth IRA conversions can be helpful, but they can also create immediate tax consequences and can bring additional rules and potential penalties. Under the new laws, you can no longer unwind a Roth conversion by re-characterizing it. It is best to run the numbers with a qualified professional and calculate the most appropriate strategy for your situation. ​Call us if you would like to review your Roth IRA conversion options.

Capital Gains and Losses

Looking at your investment portfolio can reveal a number of different tax saving opportunities. Start by reviewing the various sales you have realized so far this year on stocks, bonds and other investments. Then review what’s left and determine whether these investments have an unrealized gain or loss. (Unrealized means you still own the investment, versus realized, which means you’ve actually sold the investment.)

Know your basis. ​In order to determine if you have unrealized gains or losses, you must know the tax basis of your investments, which is usually the cost of the investment when you bought it. However, it gets trickier with investments that allow you to reinvest your dividends and/or capital gain distributions. We will be glad to help you calculate your cost basis.

Consider loss harvesting. ​If your capital gains are larger than your losses, you might want to do some “loss harvesting.” This means selling certain investments that will generate a loss. You can use an unlimited amount of capital losses to offset capital gains. However, you are limited to only $3,000 ($1,500 if married filing separately) of net capital losses that can offset other income, such as wages, interest and dividends. Any remaining unused capital losses can be carried forward into future years indefinitely.

Be aware of the “wash sale” rule. ​If you sell an investment at a loss and then buy it right back, the IRS disallows the deduction. The “wash sale” rule says you must wait at least 30 days before buying back the same security in order to be able to claim the original loss as a deduction. The deduction is also disallowed if you bought the same security within 30 days before the sale. However, while you cannot immediately buy a substantially identical security to replace the one you sold, you can buy a similar security, perhaps a different stock, in the same sector. This strategy allows you to maintain your general market position while utilizing a tax break.

Always double-check brokerage firm reports. ​If you sold a security in 2020, the brokerage firm reports the basis on an IRS Form 1099-B in early 2021. Unfortunately, sometimes there could be problems when reporting your information, so we suggest you double-check these numbers to make sure that the basis is calculated correctly and does not result in a higher amount of tax than you need to pay.

Long-term Capital Gains Tax Rates

Tax rates on long-term capital gains and qualified dividends did not change for 2020, but the income thresholds to qualify for the various rates did go up. You may qualify for a 0% capital gains tax rate for some or all of your long-term capital gains realized in 2020. In 2020, the 0% rate applies for individual taxpayers with taxable income up to $40,000 on single returns, $53,600 for head-of-household filers and $80,000 for joint returns. If this is the case, then the strategy is to figure out how much long-term capital gains you might be able to recognize to take advantage of this tax break.

The 3.8% surtax on net investment income stays the same for 2020. It starts for single people with modified AGI over $200,000 and for joint filers with modified AGI over $250,000.

NOTE​: The 0%, 15% and 20% long-term capital gains tax rates only apply to “capital assets” (such as marketable securities) held longer than one year. Anything held one year or less is considered a “short-term capital gain” and those are taxed at ordinary income
tax rates.

Some Notable and Continuing Tax Changes for 2020

Some previous itemized deductions are still affected in 2020 under the tax laws. They include:

The floor for deductible medical expenses is still at 7.5%. ​The 2020 threshold for deducting medical expenses on Schedule A is 7.5% of AGI. The adjusted-gross-income threshold was slated to jump from 7.5% to 10% after 2018, but the 2019 government funding law revived the 7.5% figure for 2019 and 2020. The IRS on IRS.gov provides a ​long list of expenses​ that qualify as “medical expenses,” so it can be a good idea to keep keeping track of yours if you think you may qualify.

State and local income, sales, and real and personal property taxes (SALT)​ ​are still limited to $10,000.

The deduction for casualty and theft losses​ ​is currently allowed only for presidentially declared disaster areas.

Alimony deductions.​ ​Under prior law, alimony and separate maintenance payments were deductible by the payor and includible in income by the payee. For divorce and separation instruments executed or modified after December 31, 2018, alimony and separate maintenance payments are not deductible by the payor-spouse, nor includible in the income of the payee-spouse.

Education Planning

Education benefits.​ The student loan interest deduction, education credits, exclusion for savings bond interest, tuition waivers for graduate students, and the educational assistance fringe benefit are all still available in 2020. Also, ​starting in 2020, ​529 plan funds can now be used to pay for fees, books, supplies and equipment for certain apprenticeship programs. In addition, up to $10,000 in total (not annually) can now be withdrawn from 529 plans to pay off student loans​.

The 2020 ​lifetime learning credit​, which allows you can claim 20% of your out-of-pocket costs for tuition, fees and books, up to $10,000, for a total of $2,000 phases out for couple at $118,000 to $138,000. The AGI range for singles is $59,000 to $69,000.

Charitable Giving

This is a great time of year to clean out your garage and give your items to charity. Please remember that you can only write off these donations to a charitable organization if you itemize your deductions. Sometimes your donations can be difficult to value. You can find estimated values for your donated items through a value guide offered by Goodwill.

Send cash donations to your favorite charity by December 31, 2020 and be sure to hold on to your cancelled check or credit card receipt as proof of your donation. If you contribute $250 or more, you also need a written acknowledgement from the charity. If you plan to make a significant gift to charity this year, consider gifting appreciated stocks or other investments that you have owned for more than one year. Doing so boosts the savings on your tax returns. Your charitable contribution deduction is the fair market value of the securities on the date of the gift, not the amount you paid for the asset and therefore you avoid having to pay taxes on the profit.

Do not donate investments that have lost value. It is best to sell the asset with the loss first and then donate the proceeds, allowing you to take both the charitable contribution deduction and the capital loss. Also remember, if you give appreciated property to charity, the unrealized gain must be long-term capital gains in order for the entire fair market value to be deductible. (The amount of the charitable deduction must be reduced by any unrealized ordinary income, depreciation recapture and/or short-term gain.)

The law allowing taxpayers age 70½ and older to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) in the form of a direct transfer of up to $100,000 directly from their IRA over to a charity, including all or part of the required minimum distribution (RMD) was made permanent in 2015. If you meet the qualifications to utilize this strategy, the funds must come out of your IRA by December 31, 2020.

Additional Year-end Tax Strategies and Ideas

Make use of the annual gift tax exclusion. ​You may gift up to $15,000 tax-free to each donee in 2020. These “annual exclusion gifts” do not reduce your $11,580,000 lifetime gift tax exemption. This annual exclusion gift is doubled to $30,000 per donee for gifts made by married couples of jointly held property or when one spouse consents to “gift-splitting” for gifts made by the other spouse.

Help someone with medical or education expenses. ​There are opportunities to give unlimited tax-free gifts when you pay the provider of the services directly. The medical expenses must meet the definition of deductible medical expenses. Qualified education expenses are tuition, books, fees, and related expenses, but not room and board. You can find the detailed qualifications in IRS Publications 950 and the instructions for IRS Form 709 on the IRS website​.

Make gifts to trusts. ​These gifts often qualify as annual exclusion gifts ($15,000 in 2020) if the gift is direct and immediate. A gift that meets all the requirements removes the property from your estate. The annual exclusion gift can be contributed for each beneficiary of a trust. We are happy to review the details with your estate planning attorney.

Estate, Gift, and Generation-Skipping Tax Changes

Exemption amounts for gift, estate, and generation-skipping taxes for 2020 is $11.58 million, up from $11.4 million in 2019 ($23.16 million for married couples), and the income tax basis step up/down to fair market value at death continues. These changes provide high net worth individuals a significant planning window to make gifts and set up irrevocable trusts.

As a reminder, as of now, in ​2026​, the ​estate tax exclusion​ will return to $5 million (adjusted for inflation). On November 26, 2019, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service issued final regulations under IR-2019-189 confirming that individuals who take advantage of the increased gift tax exclusion or portability amounts in effect from 2018 to 2025 will not be adversely impacted when TCJA sunsets on January 1, 2026. Claiming the portable exemption will remain an important discussion topic for decedents with large estates.

Some Notable Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act & SECURE Act Changes

The CARES Act and the SECURE Act (passed in December 2019) had provisions that could affect you in 2020. This section reviews some of the changes for informational purposes only. You should discuss your impact with a qualified tax professional.

Recovery Rebates

Under the ​Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) ​Act​, many Americans received direct economic recovery rebate payments of $1,200 ($2,400 for couples filing jointly), plus $500 more for each child under age 17. The payments started to phase out for joint filers with adjusted gross incomes above $150,000, head-of-household filers with adjusted gross incomes (AGIs) above $112,500, and single filers with AGIs above $75,000. Technically, the rebate is an advance payment of a special 2020 tax credit. You’ll reconcile your rebate on your 2020 return. If you received a rebate please alert your tax preparer!

Retirement Plan Changes

There were several changes for retirement plans in 2020 from the ​SECURE Act​, which was signed into law late in 2019. The ​CARES Act also included a few stipulations that affected retirement accounts. Both acts significantly impact required minimum distributions (RMDs). One notable change is that under the ​SECURE Act​, the beginning age for taking RMDs changes from 70½ to 72. (This change only applies to account owners who turn 70½ after 2019.) ​Reminder: ​The CARES Act allowed you to not take your RMDs in 2020. If you took an RMD in 2020, you had till August 31, 2020 to roll that distribution back into your IRA and this roll back was not subject to the 60 day or one per year rule.

The ​SECURE Act​ also provided that:

• People with earned income can make contributions to Traditional IRAs past the age of 70½ starting in 2020.
• Anyone having a baby or adopting a child can now take payouts from IRAs and 401(k)s of up to $5,000 without having to pay the 10% fine for pre-age-59½ withdrawals.
• Beginning in 2020, fellowships, stipends or similar payments to graduate or post-doctoral students are treated as compensation for purposes of making IRA contributions.

Perhaps one of the biggest changes from the SECURE ACT was that the rules for withdrawing money from inherited IRAs and workplace retirement accounts were tightened and now most inherited retirement accounts need to be fully distributed within 10 years of the death of the IRA owner or 401(k) participant. This new rule is somewhat complex and requires some planning. Also, there are some exceptions, so please call us or see a tax professional for details. (Please note: Inherited IRAs from individuals who died before 2020 aren’t affected by this change.)

In addition to the RMD suspension mentioned above, the ​CARES Act includes a few other key retirement-related tax breaks for 2020 including:

• Waiving the 10% penalty on pre-age-59½ payouts from retirement accounts for up to $100,000 of coronavirus-related payouts. A coronavirus-related distribution can also be included in income in equal installments over a three-year period, and you have three years to put the money back into your retirement account and undo the tax consequences of the distribution.
• Allowing eligible individuals to borrow more from workplace plans such as 401(k)s—up to the lesser of $100,000 or 100% of the account balance—until September 23, 2020. Repayments on retirement plan loans due in 2020 are also delayed for one year.

Possible​ ​Tax Changes if Joe Biden Wins

While the election has not been decided, ​Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden has released some possible law changes he would like to make if he unseats incumbent Republican Donald Trump for the presidency come November. While these would be future changes and have to be approved by Congress, to help you think about planning your future strategies here are some of the proposed changes to be aware of:

Increase Corporate Tax Rates. Under the TCJA, the peak marginal corporate tax rate was reduced from 35% to 21%. Under the Biden tax plan, the corporate tax rate ​would be increased to 28%​.

Increase the marginal tax rate for top earners. ​Biden’s tax plan would raise the top marginal income-tax bracket from 37% to 39.6% (please note that the TCJA ​lowered the top marginal bracket from 39.6% to 37% in 2018​).

Raise the capital gains tax on filers with incomes above $1 million. ​Biden’s tax proposal calls for filers with over $1 million in income to pay ordinary tax rates on their gains, no matter how long they’ve held an asset. This would imply 39.6%, plus the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT), for a total tax rate of over 43​%.

Limit itemized deductions. ​Biden’s tax plan includes a cap on itemized deductions of 28%. This means for each dollar of itemized tax deductions, including charitable contributions, a taxpayer or couple filing jointly would only receive a maximum benefit of $0.28. This 28% limit would hold true even if a filer is paying a higher marginal tax rate.

Phase out small business income deductions over $400,000. ​Biden’s tax plan aims to keep Qualified Business Income (QBI) QBI deductions in place for those with less than $400,000 in earnings but phasing out pass-through deductions for those with over $400,000 in earnings.

Eliminate step-up in basis​. ​Biden’s tax plan wants to put an end to the step-up in basis. A ​step-up in basis​ refers to the cost basis of assets or property transferrable to an heir upon death. If, as an example, an individual purchased a home for $300,000, but it was worth $600,000 at the time of their death, their heir would pay capital gains on anything over $600,000 if the home were ever sold. If Biden’s tax proposal were to become law, heirs would not “inherit” a stepped-up cost basis.

Reduce Estate Tax exemption. Biden’s tax plan wants to reduce estate tax exemptions back down to $3.5 million immediately. This means estates over that value would be taxed.

PROACTIVE TAX PLANNING — A “Proactive” approach to your tax planning instead of a “Reactive” approach could produce better results!

Registered Representative offering securities and advisory services through Independent Financial Group, LLC (IFG), registered investment advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. Financial 1 Wealth Management Group and IFG are unaffiliated entities. This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax, legal or investment planning advice as individual situations will vary. For specific advice about your situation, please consult with a lawyer or financial professional. Sources: Forbes, Fortune, MarketWatch, Wall Street Journal, Oppenheimer Funds, Investopedia, Barron’s.

Note: The views stated in this letter are not necessarily the opinion of Independent Financial Group, LLC (IFG). Information is based on sources believed to be reliable; however, their accuracy or completeness cannot be guaranteed. Please note that statements made in this newsletter may be subject to change depending on any revisions to the tax code or any additional changes in government policy. Unless certain criteria are met, Roth IRA owners must be 59½ or older and have held the IRA for five years before tax-free withdrawals are permitted. Additionally, each converted amount is subject to its own five-year holding period. Investors should consult a tax advisor before deciding to do a conversion.

Rules and laws governing 529 plans are varied and subject to change. As with other investments, there are generally fees and expenses associated with participation in a 529 plan. There is also a risk that these plans may lose money or not perform well enough to cover college costs as anticipated. Most states offer their own 529 programs, which may provide advantages and benefits exclusively for their residents. Investors should consider, before investing, whether the investor’s or the designated beneficiary’s home state offers any tax or other benefits that are only available for investment in such state’s 529 college savings plan. Such benefits include financial aid, scholarship funds, and protection from creditors. The tax implications can vary significantly from state to state. Tax laws and provisions may change at any time. Please consult a qualified tax professional to discuss tax matters. Contents provided by the Academy of Preferred Financial Advisors, Inc. Reviewed by Keebler & Associates. © Academy of Preferred Financial Advisors, Inc. 2020.

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Proactive Retirement Planning Using the New SECURE Act

Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement

An Overview of Some Key SECURE Act Changes That May Affect Your Retirement Strategy
Law enacted on December 20, 2019

On December 20, 2019, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act was signed into law. This new legislation made major changes to a number of tax rules that govern retirement savings. Many of these changes started in 2020 and some of the details are still being finalized.

Making retirement plans more available to Americans and encouraging retirement savings was the driving force behind the creation and enactment of the SECURE Act. It includes significant changes that all retirement savers should be aware of for retirement and tax planning purposes.

Familiarizing yourself with how the SECURE Act may impact your current retirement plan and discussing it with a knowledgeable financial professional can help you proactively and properly amend your strategy to adjust to the SECURE Act changes.

Proactive Tax Planning with the SECURE Act

Here are some of the changes that may affect retirement savers and their tax strategies:

• The Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) age was raised from 70 ½ to 72.
• The age limit for traditional IRA contributions was eliminated.
• A new 10-year rule essentially requires (there are some exceptions) all inherited IRAs, Roth IRAs, and qualified plans to be distributed within 10-years of death.
• There are new 529 Education Fund Rules.
• There is a 10% retirement account penalty exception for both births and adoptions.

For informational purposes only: this information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax, legal or investment planning advice as individual situations will vary. For specific advice about your situation, please consult with a lawyer or tax professional.

The policy behind the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) rule is to ensure that individuals spend their retirement savings during their lifetime and not use their retirement plans for estate planning purposes to transfer wealth to beneficiaries.

Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDS) are a potential strategy for retirement savers.

While they are not new or changed by the SECURE Act, under today’s tax laws and with more taxpayers using standard deductions, Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) of up to $100,000 are available to an IRA owner over 70 ½ years old. They are many times used as a proactive tax planning strategy for anyone over 72 taking a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD). An amount directly given to an eligible charity processed as a QCD counts toward your RMD requirement and reduces the taxable amount of your IRA distribution. This QCD lowers both your adjusted gross income and taxable income, resulting in a lower overall tax liability. It also lowers your income for purposes of calculating if your social security is taxable. By using, or preparing to use, a QCD, you can potentially meet your RMD requirements and satisfy your charitable intents, all while reducing your taxes.

Please note, for tax return filings, your IRA custodian is not required to specially identify the QCD on your annual 1099-R form. The responsibility is on you to inform your tax preparer that you used a QCD. If you do not let your preparer know, they could report this transaction as fully taxable, which would negate the benefit of your smart planning. Also, the distribution must be made directly to a qualified charity.

This is a specific area where a financial professional can offer some suggestions and strategies. We would be happy discuss with you whether or not this tax saving strategy may beneficial to your specific situation.

Potential New 10-Year Rule Strategies

Potential New 10-Year Strategies: Roth IRA Conversions

The new 10–Year rule reminds us that a proactive approach could potentially reap rewards. To maximize your situation under the new 10-year rule, you may want to consider Roth conversions and possibly spreading distributions over many years and lower brackets. Unlike distributions from regular IRAs, Roth IRA qualified distributions are not taxed.

Roth IRA Conversion Considerations

Your personal critical decision factors include your:

• Tax rate differential (tax in year of conversion vs. tax rate in withdrawal years).
• Use of “outside funds” to pay the income tax liability.
• Need for IRA funds to meet annual living expenses.
• RMD considerations (remember these begin at age 72 for non-Roth IRAs).
• Time horizon (how old are you and how long can you defer taxes).
• Estate tax considerations.
• Ten-year Rule.

Potential Benefits of a Roth IRA Conversion

• They could lower overall taxable income long-term.
• ROTH IRAs enjoy tax-free compounding.
• ROTH IRAs have no RMDs (at age 72).
• ROTH IRAS allow tax-free withdrawals for beneficiaries.

Each case can present different opportunities and it is best to talk with us or your tax professional about your specific situation.

We understand this decision can be complex and these are not easy choices. We are here to help you review your personal situation and recommend the best course of action.

Family Tax Bracket Management©

A critical area to review due to the SECURE Act is what we refer to as overall Family Tax Bracket Management©. Mathematically speaking, if you are in a higher tax bracket than your beneficiaries, it might make sense to let them take distributions in their tax bracket rather than you in yours. However, if your beneficiaries are in a higher tax bracket, it might make sense to take distributions in your bracket, convert these accounts to Roth IRAs and leave them an account that still has to be taken out in 10 years, but can grow tax free.

Something to Consider: even if NO changes are made to tax rates, in 2026 current law states that tax brackets will return to the older higher rates.

One strategy we can help with is to review you and your beneficiary’s marginal tax rate(s) each year.

Should I leave my beneficiaries a Traditional or Roth IRA?

Over your lifetime, you may accumulate assets in tax deferred retirement accounts like 401(k) plans and traditional IRAs. When thinking about the assets you have accumulated in your retirement accounts, a key issue is tax efficiency. Accumulating assets in a tax efficient way is only one part of the strategy, the other complex part is withdrawing those assets while attempting to minimize taxation. A common goal is to try to proactively plan withdrawals from retirement accounts to minimize your tax liability.

The SECURE Act creates an opportunity to review your retirement plan with an eye for tax planning. Determining the most efficient ways to either withdraw or pass to your beneficiaries your accumulated wealth is always an important decision. Our goal is to remain aware of changes that affect our clients and then share those changes with them. We want to provide proactive tax planning ideas when possible.

If you would like to discuss your retirement plan and withdrawal strategy, please call us. Our goal is to understand our clients’ needs and to monitor their wealth. We can discuss your specific situation at your next review meeting or you can call to schedule an appointment. As always, we appreciate the opportunity to assist you in addressing your financial issues.

Could it get worse, or will it get better? How long will this last?

We know these are many investors primary questions. A large part of the answers will depend on when the growth rate of Covid-19 cases stabilizes and how quickly a cure can be developed and distributed. It will also depend on whether or not fiscal and monetary emergency measures are enough to help ease the economic crisis. While we are not clairvoyant, we are making our best efforts to stay aware of changes that could affect your personal situation. Our objective is to try to offer the most educated guidance to help keep you on track with your financial goals. We realize that this is a very emotionally straining time and we want to make sure you know we are here for you. Call us with any questions or help with any concerns you may have.

Panic and bad choices can cause more harm for investors than a virus or market downturn!

Help us grow!

This year, one of our goals is to offer our services to several other people just like you! Many of our best relationships have come from introductions from our clients. Do you know someone who could benefit from our services?

We would be honored if you would:

  Add a name to our mailing list, Bring a guest to a workshop, or Have someone come in for a complimentary financial checkup.

  Please call Financial 1 at 410-908-9293 and we would be happy to assist you!

If you are currently not a client of Financial 1 Wealth Management Group, we would like to offer you a complimentary, one- hour, consultation with one of our professionals. Please call 410.908.9293.

Registered Representative offering securities and advisory services through Independent Financial Group, LLC (IFG), a registered broker dealer and a registered investment adviser. Member FINRA/SIPC. Financial 1 Wealth Management Group and IFG are unaffiliated entities. Note: The views stated in this letter are not necessarily the opinion of Independent Financial Group, and should not be construed, directly or indirectly, as an offer to buy or sell any securities mentioned herein. Investors should be aware that there are risks inherent in all investments, such as fluctuations in investment principal. With any investment vehicle, past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Material discussed herewith is meant for general illustration and/or informational purposes only, please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, the information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. This material contains forward looking statements and projections. There are no guarantees that these results will be achieved.

All indices referenced are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly. Unmanaged index returns do not reflect fees, expenses, or sales charges. Index performance is not indicative of the performance of any investment. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index of 500 widely held stocks that is generally considered representative of the U.S. Stock market. Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), commonly known as “The Dow” is an index representing 30 stock of companies maintained and reviewed by the editors of the Wall Street Journal.

Diversification is used to help manage investment risk; it does not guarantee a profit or protect against investment loss. Rebalancing a portfolio may cause investors to incur tax liabilities and/or transaction costs and does not assure a profit or protect against a loss. Contents provided by the Academy of Preferred Financial Advisors, Inc.

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