Market news, retirement advice & planning tips.
The estate tax is a tax on property that transfers to others upon your death. Estate taxes are assessed on the total value of your estate — your home, stocks,…
KenFebruary 13, 2014
The federal gift tax applies to gifts of property or money while the donor is living. The federal estate tax, on the other hand, applies to property conveyed to others…
KenFebruary 12, 2014
IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement plans are subject to annual contribution limits set by the federal government. The limits are periodically adjusted to compensate for inflation and increases in the cost…
KenFebruary 12, 2014
A required minimum distribution (RMD) is the annual amount that must be withdrawn from a traditional IRA or a qualified retirement plan (such as a 401(k), 403(b), and self-employed plans)…
KenFebruary 12, 2014
Americans give freely to support the causes they value, from churches, education, and the arts to medical research. Fortunately, current tax laws encourage and even reward philanthropy. Beyond the basic…
KenFebruary 12, 2014
Traditional IRAs and most employer-sponsored retirement plans are tax-deferred accounts, which means they are typically funded with pre-tax or tax-deductible dollars. As a result, taxes are not payable until funds…
KenFebruary 12, 2014
Withdrawing funds from a tax-deferred retirement account before age 59½ generally triggers a 10% federal income tax penalty; all distributions are subject to ordinary income tax. However, there are certain…
KenFebruary 12, 2014
“Tax deferral” is a method of postponing the payment of income tax on currently earned investment income until the investor withdraws funds from the account. Tax deferral is encouraged by…
KenFebruary 12, 2014
For many people, tax-advantaged investing is an excellent way to reduce their taxes. And while many of the traditional tax-advantaged strategies have been eliminated, there are still alternatives left that…
KenFebruary 12, 2014
Tax reform measures are enacted frequently by Congress, which makes it hard for U.S. taxpayers to know which deductions are currently available to help lower their tax liability. In fact,…
KenFebruary 12, 2014