Bob Carlson of Retirement Watch on how to manage your taxes and planning strategies to pay less
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The solo 401(k) is a valuable retirement savings tool that is underused by many who are eligible for it. The solo 401(k) is available to the self-employed. Those looking to reduce current income taxes while increasing retirement savings can use a traditional solo 401(k). Those who aren’t too worried about current taxes and want to […]
The estimated tax payment requirement and the penalty for failing to meet it are among the Stealth Taxes imposed on retirees, and they’re becoming more onerous. A few years back, Congress tightened the requirements for estimated taxes, and the IRS put more resources into identifying and penalizing taxpayers who didn’t meet the requirements. The result, […]
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provides substantial tax breaks for homeowners who navigate the rules. Most of the breaks start late in 2023 or in early 2024 and last through 2032. The tax breaks are designed to en- courage people to make their homes more energy efficient and reduce use of fossil fuels. Most […]
The migration from high-tax states to lower-tax states accelerated during the pandemic and continues today. The high-tax states never took the population shift lightly, but now they take it very seriously. A number of high-tax states have aggressive pro- grams in which they identify people who moved out of their borders and seek to continue […]
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Savvy investors who sell less than the entire position of a stock or mutual fund in a taxable account have some control over the amount of capital gains taxes they pay. The strategies are particularly im- portant to retired investors who often sell a portion of their holdings each year to pay expenses. The capital […]
Most investors overlook the best ways to increase net investment returns. These methods don’t depend on market performance and are more reliable than new investment techniques. The easiest way to raise investment returns is to reduce income taxes on your income and capital gains. In other words, increase your after-tax rate of return by reducing […]

There’s no such thing as “divorce benefits” in the Social Security law, but divorced spouses are eligible to receive benefits based on an ex-spouse’s earnings record. Spousal benefits are often available to ex-spouses and on fairly liberal terms. Divorced spouses sometimes have better options and more flexibility than current spouses. But a small difference in […]
Married couples in or near retirement should know that the solo years, the period after one spouse passed away, usually are the most difficult period in retirement both financially and emotionally. As I say in Chapter 17 of my book, “Retirement Watch: The Essential Guide to ‘Retiring in the 2020s’” the solo years are when […]
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