Taxes in Retirement
Bob Carlson of Retirement Watch on how to manage your taxes and planning strategies to pay less
Found 456 Articles.
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New Tax Law Affects Pensions, Charities
In late July, Congress passed the most comprehensive changes in decades to retirement plans and also made it easier to make charitable gifts with retirement accounts. Most of the law is directed at the old-style defined benefit plans that pay a guaranteed income for life. Congress became concerned that too many employers were not properly […]
IRS Pursues Non-Filers of Estate and Gift Tax Returns
The IRS believes that nonfilers of estate and gift tax returns are a major cause of the “tax gap” between taxes legally owed and those actually paid. From 1995 to 2000, estate tax returns filed increased from 86,000 to over 123,000. In 2004, only 74,000 estate tax returns were filed. The IRS is undertaking a […]
How To Avoid Costly IRA Mistakes
Though set up to help regular people save, IRAs are fraught with complicated tax rules. Missteps can be made without the owner knowing it until it is too late to correct the problem. The result often is higher taxes and penalties. Sometimes the result is reduced IRA options. Here are some little-known but very common […]
Tax Cuts and Tax Increases
A new tax law passed Congress just before Memorial Day. It contains important tax breaks and tax increases for investors and others. We gave the highlights last month. In this month’s visit we will delve into more details of the newly-enacted law, known as Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2006. The major provision […]
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How to Beat the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)
The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) is trapping more taxpayers than ever. Created to ensure that the wealthiest taxpayers pay some income tax regardless of the tax breaks they use, the AMT now ensnares many middle class taxpayers. A taxpayer first computes regular taxable income, then adds back a number of tax breaks. After subtracting an […]
How Planned Disclaimers Can Improve an Estate Plan
A key to successful Estate Planning these days is flexibility. Scheduled changes in the federal estate tax, and the possibility of additional changes, make flexibility essential. In past visits we have discussed language that can be included in wills to increase flexibility. Another tool to make available to your heirs is the disclaimer. Normally, disclaimers […]
Get Set for the New Medicare Surtax
Medicare beneficiaries are used to annual premium increases to go along with the rising cost of medical care. But in 2007 many will be surprised by the new means-tested premiums. Higher income beneficiaries will pay higher premiums. The amount of the increase in premiums will depend on the beneficiary’s income. The higher premium is called […]
TopReasons for Buying Real Estate for College
The room at college doesn’t have to be an expense. It can be a tax break, with the potential for income and capital gains. It also might be a way for parents or grandparents to acquire a retirement home or second home. You can get these benefits by purchasing a place for your grandchild or […]
