Tax Tips
Tax documents are arriving and it’s time to get organized. This is the first year that incorporates changes from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in December 2017. These are some of the biggest changes to the tax code in 30 years. (more…)
Using Investment Losses to Reduce Your Tax Bill
Tax-loss harvesting is a strategy used to produce tax savings where an investment that has declined in value is sold at a loss, and a similar investment is purchased simultaneously to maintain the portfolio’s investment mix – risk and expected return. To use the loss for tax purposes, i.e., avoid a wash sale, there is a waiting period of at least 30 days before the original investment can be repurchased. Since buys and sells in retirement accounts are not taxable, tax-loss harvesting is implemented in non-retirement accounts.
The losses realized through tax-loss harvesting can be used to reduce an investor’s taxes in the following scenarios: (more…)
How to Sell Investments Tax-Free
Gain harvesting is where investors can sell taxable investments with long-term capital gains and not owe capital gains taxes. For 2018, you must have taxable income below $38,600 if single, $77,200 if married filing jointly and $51,700 if head of household to not owe taxes on long-term capital gains and qualified dividends. Any long-term capital gains above this taxable income threshold will be subject to the regular 15% tax on long-term capital gains, while the gains below the threshold are tax-free. Income is often much lower in retirement, especially before taking the required minimum distributions from retirement accounts at age 70.5, so many retirees have room to realize gains without tax consequences. (more…)
What’s Left for Itemized Deductions After the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act?
With the doubling of the standard deduction and elimination or reduction of several itemized deductions, you might think there aren’t many opportunities left to itemize. That isn’t the case at all, depending on your circumstances. With the recent tax reform, it’s never been a better time to figure out what you can still itemize in 2018 and in future tax years. To keep track of these deductible expenses, it’s important to be organized and maintain a box or folder to store your receipts throughout the year. This level of organization is necessary whether you work with a tax professional or prepare your own taxes.
Deductions fall into these categories:
- Medical and dental expenses
- Taxes you paid
- Interest you paid
- Gifts to charity
- Casualty and theft losses
- Other miscellaneous deductions
Certain categories, including medical and dental expenses, casualty and theft losses, are subject to a floor that only permits you to deduct expenses above certain thresholds, such as 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI – IRS Form 1040, line 38). Your AGI is your total amount of income from all sources after subtracting certain deductions, such as alimony paid, HSA contributions, the deductible part of self-employment taxes, etc. For example, if your AGI is $100,000 and the threshold for medical expenses is 7.5%, then any qualifying expenses above $7,500 can be included and deducted. (more…)
Read This Before You File Your Taxes!
Before filing your tax return, take a few moments to consider the extra ways you can reduce your tax bill and maximize your retirement savings at the same time. Certain retirement account contributions provide tax-deductions or opportunities for future tax planning.
To qualify to contribute to any of the following accounts, you or your spouse must have earned income in 2017. You must open and fund these accounts before the normal tax filing deadline of Monday, April 16, 2018. With one exception, for the SEP IRA, filing for an extension does not extend the time you have to make contributions. (more…)
