When it comes to financial advisors and tax strategies, they often sound like old fishermen telling the story of “the one that got away,” except the stories are about ultra-obscure tax strategies that they have never used. This tendency to tell stories about the tax strategies that got away is so prolific that anytime an advisor approaches me about a tax scenario, I immediately ask for the name of the client to ensure we are talking about real life versus tax fantasyland.
CONTINUE READINGWhen Congress changes federal tax law, it always dominates the headlines, but the IRS' portion of a taxpayer’s income is only part of the story. Every state has their own unique set of tax rules, and it is not enough for financial advisors to be versed in the rules of their home state. Eight states have no individual income tax. For the other states, there are 42 different sets of rules on what type of income is taxed, how it is taxed, at what rate it is taxed and whether where you work or where you live is more important. Then one could wade into local taxes, with nearly 5,000 jurisdictions in 17 states imposing a local income tax, which can treat nonresidents differently than residents.
CONTINUE READINGThis article is the 4th in a series of the 7 most common mistakes financial advisors make on tax planning with clients
CONTINUE READINGThis article is the 3rd in a series of the 7 most common mistakes financial advisors make on tax planning with clients
CONTINUE READINGThis article is the 2nd in a series of the 7 most common mistakes financial advisors make on tax planning with clients
CONTINUE READINGThis article is the 1st in a series of the 7 most common mistakes financial advisors make on tax planning with clients
CONTINUE READINGUnlike income from working a job or operating a business, which is subject to tax as it is earned, capital gains and losses are unique in that taxpayers can choose when to recognize a taxable transaction.
CONTINUE READINGFor some taxpayers, so-called “backdoor” Roth contributions can be a great way to fill an investment bucket that will grow tax free. Tax free is everyone’s favorite kind of money but the […]
CONTINUE READINGWords matter. At times distinctions may seem trivial, but how we think about certain topics can influence the action we take. When it comes to being the beneficiary of an […]
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