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Donating Appropriate Stock
Darryl Owens will report an AGI of $100,000 for this year on his federal income tax return. Darryl would like to make a gift to the local hospital of some stock. He would like to donate the stock that will provide the greatest income tax deduction for this year. Which of the following stocks should…
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Specialized Long-Term Care Insurance for Middle-Income Americans
Good to Know Long-term care costs can consume hundreds of thousands of dollars regardless of an individual’s wealth but the risk is often managed differently by wealth demographic. The uber-wealthy may self-insure, the desperately poor may rely on Medicaid, and middle-income Americans may buy LTC insurance. This blog will illustrate a powerful long-term care insurance…
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Revocable versus Grantor Trusts
Course: Estate PlanningLesson 9: Income Taxation of Trusts and Estates Student Question: Can you refer me to a comparison (or just write a few notes) on how a grantor trust differs from a revocable trust and how a non-grantor trust differs from an irrevocable trust? They seem synonymous respectively to each other. Thank you! Thanks…
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Tax Saving Strategies
Dan and Karen Burles have 2 children, Coy (age 12, student) and Roger (age 21, student). Dan and Karen own a security equipment sales and installation business, an LLC. Dan and Karen are in the highest income tax bracket. They have a portfolio with $130,000 of municipal bonds (annual income $5,200), $80,000 of corporate bonds…
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Total CFP® Professionals Approaches 90,000
CFP® Board Updates Updated demographics from the CFP Board reveals there are now nearly 90,000 CFP® Professionals. With the CFP Board exam in July, we will no doubt cross over that mark and head towards 100,000. An impressive number when you consider there were just over 60,000 just a few years ago. These numbers are…
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Solving for Annual Equivalent Rate
Course: Retirement PlanningLesson 3: Employee Protections and Employer Responsibilities in Qualified Plans Student Question: I am confused as to how to get the correct answer for question number 4: Jackie invests her bonus at the beginning of this calendar year. If she earns 7% compounded monthly, what is the annual equivalent rate? Round your answer to…
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Sale of Home by Surviving Spouse
April’s husband Jay died 5 years ago when their home was worth $600,000. Due to the soft real estate market, April kept the house until the housing market recovered. She finally sold the home this year for $950,000. What is the amount of April’s taxable gain or loss if she bought the home jointly with…
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What You Don’t Know About Social Security Can Hurt You
Good to Know Social Security benefits are key to most Americans’ quality of financial life during retirement. Yet, an alarming number of those approaching retirement do not have a basic understanding of Social Security benefits. Twelve basic questions were posed to 1,5001 pre-retirees to gauge their Social Security knowledge. Take the quick quiz below to…
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401(K) Deferral Example
Course: Retirement PlanningLesson 3: Employee Protections and Employer Responsibilities in Qualified Plans Student Question: I failed to understand how $11,600 would be the correct answer to the question below. Can you go through the actual calculation? Belinda Bigbux (age 40) earns $1,000,000 annually as a test pilot. She wishes to defer 10% of her compensation…
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