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Irrevocable trusts can allow for the smooth, tax-advantaged transfer of wealth to family members. But there’s a drawback: When you set up an irrevocable trust, you must relinquish control of the assets placed in it. What you can control is who will eventually oversee distribution of assets after your death. However, sometimes — particularly when the trust creator isn’t completely confident that the trustee will carry out his or her...
Read moreThe explosive growth of influencer marketing has opened up new frontiers for entrepreneurship, but it has also exposed a significant knowledge gap – many influencers lack the financial literacy to manage their earnings and tax obligations effectively. This issue is particularly pronounced in the United States, home to a booming influencer industry. According to industry estimates, the influencer marketing sector in the US was worth over $4 billion in 2022,...
Read moreIf you operate a business, or you’re starting a new one, you know records of income and expenses need to be kept. Specifically, you should carefully record expenses to claim all the tax deductions to which you’re entitled. And you want to make sure you can defend the amounts reported on your tax returns in case you’re ever audited by the IRS. Be aware that there’s no one way to...
Read moreDoes your estate plan call for making gifts to your grandchildren or other loved ones more than one generation below you? Or, perhaps to you want to leave assets to nonrelatives who are decades younger than you? If so, your plan must address not only gift and estate taxes, but also the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax. What is the GST tax? The GST tax is one of the harshest in...
Read moreIf you have a tax-favored retirement account, including a traditional IRA, you’ll become exposed to the federal income tax required minimum distribution (RMD) rules after reaching a certain age. If you inherit a tax-favored retirement account, including a traditional or Roth IRA, you’ll also have to deal with these rules. Specifically, you’ll have to: 1) take annual withdrawals from the accounts and pay the resulting income tax and/or 2) reduce...
Read moreHere are some of the key tax-related deadlines that apply to businesses and other employers during the second quarter of 2024. Keep in mind that this list isn’t all-inclusive, so there may be additional deadlines that apply to you. Contact us to ensure you’re meeting all applicable deadlines and to learn more about the filing requirements. April 15 If you’re a calendar-year corporation, file a 2023 income tax return (Form...
Read moreFew things can derail your estate plan as quickly as unanticipated long-term care (LTC) expenses. Most people will need some form of LTC — such as a nursing home or an assisted living facility stay — at some point in their lives. And the cost of this care is steep. Contrary to popular belief, LTC expenses generally aren’t covered by traditional health insurance policies, Social Security or Medicare. So, to...
Read moreThe April 15 tax filing deadline is right around the corner. However, you might not be ready to file. Sometimes, it’s not possible to gather your tax information by the due date. If you need more time, you should file for an extension on Form 4868. An extension will give you until October 15 to file and allows you to avoid “failure-to-file” penalties. However, it only provides extra time to...
Read moreIf you’re gathering documents to file your 2023 tax return and you’re concerned that your tax bill may be higher than you’d like, there might still be an opportunity to lower it. If you qualify, you can make a deductible contribution to a traditional IRA right up until the April 15, 2024, filing date and benefit from the tax savings on your 2023 return. Who is eligible? You can make...
Read moreEstate planning isn’t just about sharing wealth with the younger generation. For many people, it’s equally important to share one’s values and to encourage their children or other heirs to lead responsible, productive and fulfilling lives. One tool for achieving this goal is an incentive trust, which conditions distributions on certain behaviors or achievements that you wish to inspire. Incentive trusts can be effective, but they should be planned and...
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