There are tax-free limits on what you can gift in a year and during your lifetime. While it may feel better to give than to receive, the former may carry federal tax consequences, which dampens the cheer associated with bestowing a financial gift to a loved one or friend. But not all financial gifts incur
A volatile year in the financial markets can create opportunities for reducing your taxable income. Many investors use the closing months of the year to review their portfolios and assess their winning and losing investments. It’s also a good time to do tax planning for the upcoming filing season; decisions you make before year-end can
You can be generous with your loved ones during the gift-giving season without running afoul of the rules. One way many individuals try to avoid estate and inheritance taxes is to give money away during their lifetime, effectively reducing the wealth that will be subject to federal taxes when it’s passed on to heirs. This
What should you do with the money? A look at some choices. Each year, about 70% of taxpayers receive a federal tax refund. The average IRS refund is substantial—$2,800. What could you do with a tax refund sent to you? You could invest that money. It could go into your workplace retirement plan, an Individual
How much can you gift in a year, and a lifetime? Federal tax rules allow you to give away millions of dollars during your lifetime. You can make five-figure gifts of money or property to other individuals in any given year. These gifts may be made without tax consequences … as long as they fall
A few astute moves could help promote a better after-tax return. As you weigh risk vs. return, you may risk taking an eye off taxes. A focus on tax efficiency could help you improve the effective yield of your portfolio. You can try to cut or delay taxes linked to investing. Consider placing the most
Tax filing day has passed us by for another year (unless you are on extension). Most people don’t start planning for their taxes until they start receiving documents. At this point your accountant is a glorified scorekeeper showing you what you owe or what you are getting back. Now is the time to start planning
If you have a large estate with adjusted gross value coming to a minimum of $5.34 million starting 2014, a big chunk of it will be gobbled by the federal estate taxes. Although there is no state inheritance tax in Arizona, any trusts and estates exceeding state exemption will result in you paying income taxes.