What are appropriate checklists for year-end tax planning? Tax planners often develop checklists to guide taxpayers toward year-end strategies that might help reduce taxes. Typically, suggestions are grouped into several different categories, such as “Filing Status” or “Employee Matters,” for ease of reading. When year-end approaches, it might be wise to review each suggestion under the categories that may apply to you. Filing status and dependents If you’re married (or will be married by the end of the year), you should compare the tax liability for yourself and your spouse based on all filing statuses that you might select. Compare the results when you file jointly and when you file married separately. Determine which results in lower overall taxation. If you and several other people financially support someone but none of you individually qualifies to claim the individual as a dependent, you should consider making an agreement with all of the other parties to ensure that at least one of you can claim the individual as a dependent. Certain tax benefits may be available if you can claim an individual as a dependent. Family tax planning Determine whether you can shift income to family members who are in lower tax brackets in order to minimize overall taxes. However, under the kiddie tax rules, the unearned income of a child in excess of $2,300 (in 2022) is taxed at the parents’ tax rates. The kiddie tax rules apply to: (1) those under age 18, (2) those age 18 whose earned income doesn’t exceed one-half of their support, and (3) those age 19 to 23 who are full-time students and whose earned income doesn’t exceed one-half of their support. Consider making gifts

When it comes to medical or legal advice, the value of getting a second opinion is fairly well established and defined. What about financial decisions? At what point does it make sense to get a second (or a third) opinion on money matters? Here we discuss some benefits of seeking a second financial opinion, including a few situations in which a gut check may not just be useful but downright necessary. Many Eggs, Many Baskets As the adage goes, you never want to put all your eggs into one basket—and jumping headlong into a financial strategy recommended by one person does just that. What if their advice is outdated or does not fit your particular financial situation? What if the person providing the advice may actually be receiving a commission based on the products you select? By getting a second opinion, you will have a stronger strategy and a way to confirm that the initial advice you received was either on target or not suitable for you. Another benefit of a second financial opinion is that it can encourage you to reevaluate and reassess your goals. If your personal, employment, or financial situation has changed since the last time you reviewed your portfolio, it is an excellent time to make sure these changes are taken into account in future decisions. You may also need to reevaluate your investments or rebalance your asset allocation. Finally, by getting a second opinion, you will also have a chance to compare the costs and fees charged by different financial professionals. You may discover that you are happy to pay a higher fee for more tailored advice; on the other hand, you may decide that your financial situation does

More consumers are conducting financial transactions online and may become vulnerable to tracking, hacking, identity theft, phishing scams, and other cyberspace risks. While nothing can guarantee complete safety on the Internet, understanding how to protect your privacy can help mitigate your exposure to risk.   Here are some ways to help you safeguard your information:   Read privacy policies. Before conducting any financial transactions online, carefully read the privacy policies of each institution that you plan to do business with to find out how secure your financial information is. If you do not understand the legal jargon, email or call customer service to request a simplified explanation of the privacy policy.   Avoid using weak PINS and passwords. When deciding PINS, passwords, and other log-in information, avoid using your mother’s maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your Social Security number, or your phone number. Avoid other obvious choices, like a series of consecutive numbers or your home town. Also, do not use the same PINS and passwords on multiple sites.   Look for secured web pages. Use only secure browsers when shopping online to help safeguard your transactions during transmission. There are two general indicators of a secured web page. First, check that the web page url begins with “https.” Most urls begin with “http;” the “s” at the end indicates that the site password will be encrypted before being sent to a third-party server. Second, look for a “lock” icon in the window of the browser. (It will not be in the web page display area.) You can double-click on this icon to read details of the site’s security policy. Be cautious about providing your

No matter where you are in life, you may have at least a few financial goals. Perhaps you want to buy a house, save for your child’s college education, or retire early. Regardless of what your goals are, financial planning can help you work towards them. Let’s dive deeper into what financial planning is and how it may benefit you.   What is Financial Planning? Financial planning is examining your financial situation and designing a specific plan to help you pursue your goals. Financial planning involves multiple areas of finance, such as budgeting, debt management, savings, retirement planning, insurance, and estate planning. In addition, financial planning may include holistic planning, which focuses on addressing your life goals by properly managing your financial resources, health, and other aspects of life.   Why work with a financial professional? An experienced financial professional can help guide you through the financial planning process by providing advice in several areas of your financial life. They’ll examine your current income, savings, and investments, then make recommendations on improving your financial situation to manage your goals. While every financial professional has their distinct strengths and specialties, most can advise you on the following:   How you can get out of debt. What you can do differently to save money. How much to keep in your emergency fund. The types of retirement accounts that meet your situation. How much money you need to save to meet your retirement goals. Whether you should refinance your existing mortgage or work to pay it off early. If you have the appropriate type of insurance for your situation. How to improve your tax situation. How to adequately save for your child’s education.

Those turning 65 this year have a 7 in 10 chance of needing long-term care (LTC) at some point.1 With the cost of a private room in a nursing home now topping $100,000 per year, the thought of paying this — or for a loved one — can be staggering.2 However, the high cost of LTC is no reason to delay creating a care plan. It is important to think through the implications of LTC on retirement plans, the effect that paying for LTC may have on you or your spouse, and options that can defray these costs. Here you will find four steps to consider when thinking about LTC. Assess Your Likelihood of Needing Care As many as 70% of people may need LTC in their lives, which also means that 30% won’t. If you are among the minority, your plans may look different than those expecting to need LTC. How many loved ones have required LTC? What does family health history look like? Assessing the likelihood that you will need LTC at some point can inform the rest of the planning process. Evaluate LTC Costs LTC costs vary widely depending on location, local costs of living, the level of care needed, and the amenities offered. An apartment in an assisted-living community in Pella, Iowa, will likely cost less than a private room in a San Diego nursing home. Some instead opt to stay in their homes and hire private caregivers. By researching and evaluating costs in your area, you will have a better idea of what to expect in the location where you will receive LTC. Research Payment Options Ways to pay for LTC include: Private savings An LTC insurance policy An

For those approaching the age of 65, Medicare can be confusing, and you might also be wondering how it compares to your current health care coverage. This guide addresses your questions about Medicare and how you might deal with coverage gaps. Understanding Medicare Medicare is a government program that provides medical insurance for United States citizens or permanent legal residents ages 65 and older. It is also available to younger individuals with disabilities. It is not the same as Medicaid, which is a similar program for qualifying low-income people of all ages. Enrollment Before you consider Medicare, make sure you are enrolled in social security benefit collection. You can do so through the Social Security Administration website in the time period of three months before and after your 65th birthday. Original Medicare Once you begin receiving your social security benefits at age 65, you are automatically enrolled in Medicare parts A and B (often called original Medicare). Medicare part A covers hospital costs and Medicare part B covers doctor visits. Prescription coverage, which is Medicare part D, is the only part you need to enroll in yourself as it is an optional add-on. Medicare Advantage You might be wondering, what about part C? This is where your options broaden. If you’re not satisfied with the coverage that parts A, B, and D provide, Medicare part C allows you to choose your benefits through a Medicare Advantage plan. Most standalone part C coverage has built-in prescription coverage, but if not, you can still supplement your coverage from part C with additional coverage in part D. Most part C plans offer extra benefits, such as vision, hearing, and dental, among others. So it is worth your

Matching your tolerance for risk with your investment objectives   Everyone wants a comfortable retirement, but the road you take there will depend on your specific situation. When you invest, you assume a certain level of risk (but like everyone you’re hoping that your holdings will increase in value). One of the most challenging aspects of investing involves matching your tolerance for risk with your investment objectives. Beyond Your 401(k) Have you taken the time to really project the amount of money you may need in retirement? While setting aside a percentage of your income in a 401(k) is an important step, chances are you will need more than current limitations may allow you to save. Most people supplement their employer-sponsored retirement benefits and Social Security income with personal investments. In order to develop a fitting plan, you need to have your goals in sight. In 2022, your elective deferral (contribution) limit for your 401(k) is $20,500. If you’re age 50 or older, you may save an additional $6,500. While the contribution often rises in upcoming years and your employer may match contributions above this limit, will your employer-sponsored plan allow you to save enough? Cast your net as far as possible—can you contribute to your 401(k) and afford to invest in other opportunities? Increasing your savings rate now may help you later. Asset Allocation and Diversification Are you an aggressive, moderate, or conservative investor? Your answer probably depends in large part on your stage in life and your financial resources, and will most likely change over time. Aggressive investors tend to have a longer time frame—as many as 35 years or more to save and invest until they reach

One of the main concerns about retirement is health care. As healthcare costs continue to rise, medical bills may quickly derail your retirement plan. The good news is when you turn 65, you will be able to apply for Medicare, which provides you with coverage for some of the larger bills you may face during your retirement. Though navigating Medicare is a little tricky, the following tips can make the process less daunting. 1. Watch Your Dates There are deadlines for Medicare. The first is the Initial Enrollment Period. If you sign up during this time, you can avoid a significant amount of hassle. This enrollment period starts three months before you turn 65 and extends until three months after. Failing to sign up on time may result in up to $6,500 more in premiums over 20 years. This occurs because you may be assessed a 10 percent penalty for each year that passes without enrollment.1 2. Find the Correct Doctor A change in insurance may mean you need to change physicians. Providers have the option of accepting the Medicare program in different ways or not accepting it at all. If your doctor is a participating provider, they agree to the Medicare fee and will take that as the entire covered portion, which means you will likely only be responsible for 20%. If your doctor is a non-participating provider, they will accept Medicare as a form of payment but may charge you up to 15% more, which you will have to pay out of pocket.1 You may also want to consider switching to a doctor that specializes in geriatrics so that they have more experience in issues that you may encounter as

Understanding the importance of life insurance is one thing. Understanding the tax rules is quite another. As insurance products have evolved and become more sophisticated, the line separating insurance vehicles from investment vehicles has grown blurry. To differentiate between the two, a mix of complex rules and exceptions now governs the taxation of insurance products. If you have neither the time nor the inclination to decipher the IRS regulations, here are some life insurance tax tips and background information to help you make sense of it all. Life insurance contracts must meet IRS requirements For federal income tax purposes, an insurance contract cannot be considered a life insurance contract–and qualify for favorable tax treatment–unless it meets state law requirements and satisfies the IRS’s statutory definitions of what is or is not a life insurance policy. The IRS considers the type of policy, date of issue, amount of the death benefit, and premiums paid. The IRS definitions are essentially tests to ensure that an insurance policy isn’t really an investment vehicle. The insurance company must comply with these rules and enforce the provisions. Keep in mind that you can’t deduct your premiums on your federal income tax return Because life insurance is considered a personal expense, you can’t deduct the premiums you pay for life insurance coverage. Employer-paid life insurance may have a tax cost The premium cost for the first $50,000 of life insurance coverage provided under an employer-provided group term life insurance plan does not have to be reported as income and is not taxed to you. However, amounts in excess of $50,000 paid for by your employer will trigger a taxable income for the “economic value” of the

You want to retire comfortably when the time comes. You also want to help your child go to college. So how do you juggle the two? The truth is, saving for your retirement and your child’s education at the same time can be a challenge. But take heart — you may be able to reach both goals if you make some smart choices now. Know what your financial needs are The first step is to determine your financial needs for each goal. Answering the following questions can help you get started: For retirement: How many years until you retire? Does your company offer an employer-sponsored retirement plan or a pension plan? Do you participate? If so, what’s your balance? Can you estimate what your balance will be when you retire? How much do you expect to receive in Social Security benefits? (One way to get an estimate of your future Social Security benefits is to use the benefit calculators available on the Social Security Administration’s website, ssa.gov. You can also sign up for a my Social Security account so that you can view your online Social Security Statement. Your statement contains a detailed record of your earnings, as well as estimates of retirement, survivor’s, and disability benefits.) What standard of living do you hope to have in retirement? For example, do you want to travel extensively, or will you be happy to stay in one place and live more simply? Do you or your spouse expect to work part-time in retirement? For college: How many years until your child starts college? Will your child attend a public or private college? What’s the expected cost? Do you have more than one