One of the most critical decisions you can make regarding your retirement is when you choose to claim Social Security. Deciding when to claim Social Security can make a difference in your monthly bottom line. Before You Retire Your monthly Social Security Benefit amount is calculated based on the number of years you have worked… Read More Social Security: Choosing When to Claim
The best tax-sheltered investment vehicles depend on your financial goals, income level, and tax situation. Here are some of the most effective options: Retirement Accounts (Tax-Deferred or Tax-Free Growth) Health & Education Accounts Insurance-Based Vehicles Real Estate & Alternative Investments Business & Trust Structures Each of these vehicles has specific rules, contribution limits, and tax… Read More The Best Tax Shelters
The role of a financial planner is to help you and your family figure out how to best save earnings, retain value, grow holdings and meet long-term financial goals. Planners should provide short- and long-term expectations with the same portfolio, which can be quite an undertaking. The value of the planner is that he or… Read More 6 Questions You Should Be Asking When Hiring a New Financial Planner
1. Review Realized Gains & Income to Date Understanding your earnings from work is usually straightforward, but tracking what’s happening in your investment portfolio can be more complex, especially for busy professionals. Ideally, it’s wise to monitor your portfolio throughout the year to stay on top of potential tax liabilities and determine if estimated taxes… Read More 5 Year-End Tax Planning Strategies for High Income Earners
As a small business owner, you care about the future well-being of your employees. And just as you keep them safe in the workplace, you want to be sure you’re helping protect their future retirement as well. In doing so, it’s likely you’ve searched for effective avenues in helping employees (and yourself) contribute to their… Read More Top 5 Things Business Owners Should Know About a SEP IRA
Working with a trusted financial professional is important when it comes to strategizing and preparing to meet your financial goals. But as most of us handle money on a daily basis, it’s important to have an in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of financial literacy. Below we’ve identified five financial basics everyone should know. Understanding these… Read More Do You Have These 5 Financial Basics Down?
Many of you already have estate documents, probably executed many years ago. You need an estate attorney to look over your documents every 10 years or so. Here are a dozen points to review. 1 Do you have a will and powers of attorney for health care and property? These are part of every complete… Read More 12 Estate Planning Must-Dos
Compared with other forms of compensation, incentive stock options (ISOs) can provide executives and other employees with substantial tax breaks. If held for a certain period of time, shares purchased as ISOs may escape all taxes other than the relatively low long-term gains rate of 15%. But as many “paper millionaires” discovered during the most… Read More Exercise Caution When Exercising Incentive Stock Options
Keith Weiss CFP® 