Retirement Watch Weekly
Now Is the Optimum Time to Plan Your 2023 Charitable Gifts
Don’t wait until late in the year to plan your charitable gifts. Maximize the benefits to both the charity and you by considering contribution strategies throughout the year and implementing them well before December 31. When most people think of the benefits of charitable gifts, they think of tax deductions. But many giving strategies provide […]
The Legacy IRA: The New $50,000 QCD for IRAs
The SECURE Act 2.0, enacted at the end of 2022, created a new type of qualified charitable distribution (QCD) that generally is being called the Legacy IRA. I’ve discussed QCDs in the past and consider them the best way for most people age 70½ or older to make charitable contributions. When you are 70½ or […]
Establish Your Two-and-a-Half-Year Plan to Slash Taxes
Time is running out. You need to develop and execute a two-and-a-half year plan to avoid the major tax changes that are likely to come. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, enacted in 2017, reduced taxes significantly. But to comply with congressional budgeting law, many of the law’s provisions automatically expire at the end of […]
Your Financial Power of Attorney Might Need Upgrades
The financial power of attorney (POA) could be the most important document in your estate plan. Yet, many people don’t have one, and a high percentage of those with POAs have inadequate documents. Adverse results happen when you don’t have a POA or have a less-than-optimum document. The consequences can range from bills not being […]
Bob’s Journal for 6/1/23
Mutual Funds Still Lead the Pack Exchange-traded funds have grown rapidly since their inception, and they generate a lot more headlines than traditional open-end mutual funds, but mutual funds still dominate the market. At the end of 2022, U.S.-based open-end mutual funds held $22.1 trillion dollars. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) held $6.5 trillion, according to the […]
More Ways To Increase Your After-Tax Investment Returns
Last week’s Retirement Watch Weekly covered ways to increase your after-tax investment returns. Let’s pick up where we left off. When your investment strategy says it’s time to sell an investment, don’t hold it for months hoping it will mature to a long-term capital gain. It might make sense to wait if it will mature […]
Bob’s Journal for 5/25/23
Bankruptcies Are Accumulating A few bankruptcies of big-name firms drew media attention in recent weeks. But the big names are only part of the growing number of bankruptcies. Indeed, bankruptcies were expected to increase after the Federal Reserve’s rapid tightening of the money supply began about a year ago. Once money becomes tight and interest […]
20 Retirement Secrets That Will Change All Your Plans in 2023
20 Retirement Secrets That Will Change All Your Plans in 2023
