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Many estate plans were built around the old “stretch IRA” rules that allowed beneficiaries to take withdrawals over their lifetimes. However, under the SECURE Act, most non-spouse beneficiaries must now withdraw the entire balance of an inherited IRA within 10 years of the original owner’s death. While the 10% early withdrawal penalty does not apply to inherited IRA distributions, the withdrawals are still taxed as ordinary income. For many beneficiaries—especially children, partners, or other non-spouse heirs—this can mean taking large taxable distributions during their highest earning years. In some cases, beneficiaries may also be required to take annual distributions during years one through nine if the original owner had already begun required minimum distributions (RMDs). Either way, the account must

It’s human nature, of course. We complain about our weight while in the line at the ice-cream stand. We complain about being tired, then stay up late playing the latest game on our smart devices. Humans are funny and contradictory animals. Have you ever noticed that when you’re in a conversation, people are quick to complain about their taxes? Many people who complain about their tax bill are actually paying very little compared to most folks. However, some people pay a lot of unintended or surprise taxes. An example we see a great deal are self-employed folks. They will tell us “I pay too much in federal or state income taxes,” but on review of their 1040, they actually paid no

Have you ever had a “light bulb” moment?  I have been driving for many years. I’ve driven at least a million miles and I own a few cars (I collect certain types), and when driving my spouse’s car or one from the collection that I haven’t driven in a while, inevitably it’s time to gas up. I pull up to a pump and get out and realize that the gas cap is on the other side, back up the car, turn it around with a sigh and fill it up. Then this year the “light bulb” moment. While trying to figure out the dashboard “iPhone” charger fuse location, I happened to be looking at the diagram of the fuel gauge in the manual from

Don’t let your stockbroker off the hook when it comes to tax planning. Many people work with brokers when they buy and sell stocks. Many people now, because of the internet, also have become their own stockbrokers, doing their own research and trading on various platforms. Whether you use a professional or do your trades yourself, you still need to hold your stockbroker accountable. What do I mean? If a broker is helping you buy and sell, they had to take a Series license of some kind. Sometimes, an RIA (Registered Investment Advisor) has taken a Series 65 exam. If it’s a representative of a broker/dealer, perhaps they’ve taken a Series 6 or a Series 7 exam. There are other possibilities, but the point is, these exams are

Many of our clients are business owners and we often have conversations with them in and around the value of their business. It’s easy to pin a value number on a business based on emotion; after all if you have built a business from scratch or bought somebody else’s business and made it your own, it becomes your baby. Of course, family is worth more to you than anything on earth, but your business ends up coming in a close second. But your emotional value doesn’t have any bearing on the actual value, and when dealing with banks, insurance companies, and the various other people that help your business grow and operate, they often need a number based on a