Wealth Management Center
Preserving and enhancing wealth for the future with financial-planning experts Bill Cass and Chris Hennessey
Most recent post
Facing rising costs, college students seek varied pathways to meet goals
May 18, 2022 | College Savings
A number of trends are emerging as college students seek a variety of ways to earn their degrees amid rising costs.
Tax outlook and planning considerations
- Understanding charitable giving strategies (pdf)
- 10 Roth IRA strategies
- Converting a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA (pdf)
- Apply a net operating loss to a Roth IRA conversion (pdf)
- Top questions from advisors about taxes
- Direction of estate taxes among top advisor concerns
- Client seminar – Tax strategies for the current landscape (ppt)
Resources
More resources to address all aspects of financial planning
- College Savings
- Estate and Wealth Transfer
- Insurance/Risk Management
- Investments
- Retirement/Income
- Taxes
Latest content
About this blog
Financial-planning experts Bill Cass and Chris Hennessey weigh in each week with a range of insights about complex financial planning needs.
William Cass, CFP®, CPWA®
Director of Wealth Management Programs for Putnam.
Chris Hennessey
Lawyer and CPA, Faculty Director, Babson College School of Executive Education, is a member of the Putnam Business Advisory Group.
ADVISOR-ONLY WEBCAST SERIES
March 8, 2022
Ideas to engage clients during tax season
Bill Cass, CFP®, CPWA®, Director Wealth Management Programs at Putnam
Chris Hennessey, Lawyer and CPA, Putnam Business Advisory Group

Facing rising costs, college students seek varied pathways to meet goals
A number of trends are emerging as college students seek a variety of ways to earn their degrees amid rising costs.

For retirement reform, the next stop is the Senate
Following House passage of the retirement reform bill known as SECURE 2.0, the next stop to advance this comprehensive bill will be in the Senate.

Saving still a priority as student loan forgiveness is debated
The future of student loan forgiveness proposals is still under debate highlighting the need to save for college.

Looking beyond the basics of RMDs
While many retirees know the basics of RMDs there are many aspects of the process that may not be fully understood.

How to be smart about taxes in the year ahead
With the 2021 tax filing deadline over, it may be time to think about planning strategies for taxes for the rest of the year.

Putting your tax refund to work
With an average tax refund of more than $3,000 many taxpayers are planning to save the funds this year and pay down debt or save for the future.

Potential new taxes could drive businesses to change structure
Lawmakers are considering potential new taxes that could lead businesses to consider changing their structure from an S-Corp to a C-Corp.

SECURE 2.0 clears a key hurdle
The House passed SECURE 2.0 that expands on landmark retirement legislation enacted in 2019.

How business owners may maximize a valuable tax benefit
For some businesses, one of the most valuable tax benefits available is the deduction for qualified business income.

Leading tax topics on the minds of financial advisors
SECURE Act regulations, the SALT deduction, and Roth IRA strategies were among the leading tax topics raised by financial advisors at a recent webcast.

Four estate planning ideas for 2022
Consider these estate planning ideas this year that may help lessen the tax burden in the future.

Changes to the 10-year rule could surprise retirement account heirs
The IRS is proposing new rules for retirement account distributions including changes to the requirements of the 10-year rule for heirs.

Some business owners may bypass the SALT deduction cap
Many states are passing laws that allow certain business owners to bypass the SALT cap when filing their federal income tax return.

New child tax credit form coming for the 2021 filing
Many taxpayers are receiving a new child tax credit form from the IRS to complete for their 2021 filing.

Don't leave digital assets behind in the cloud
When estate planning, people often focus on tangible possessions and may leave valuable digital assets behind.

Planning ideas with potential higher rates on the horizon
With the prospect of higher rates on the horizon here are some strategies for investors to consider now.

Saving for retirement is one step, generating income is another
Saving for retirement may be challenging but planning for retirement income can be even more complex.

Required distributions on inherited retirement accounts reduced in 2022
New life expectancy table mean RMDs on inherited accounts will be reduced this year.

Retirees may keep more savings under new guidelines
The Treasury Department updated the life expectancy projections used to calculate RMDs which may allow retirees to keep more savings longer.

Key tax figures for 2022
While most key tax figures for 2022 had only slight changes, there are areas where individuals may want to consider revisions to their tax strategy.

Reach out to families as they prepare for holiday gatherings
Consider reminding parents that having everyone together at holiday gatherings can be a good time to address some key planning topics.

Year-end planning review checklist
A checklist can help investors assess personal finances for a year-end planning review to determine if action is needed.
Tax season planning under the TCJA
A new perspective on tax deductions
Optimize the small-business tax deduction
Estate planning considerations before the law sunsets
New strategies emerge for Roth conversions
Tax rates lowered, deductions limited in tax law
The tax reform law lowers tax rates and imposes new limits on many deductions.
Many deductions changed in new tax law
The standard deduction doubles while some popular tax deductions are limited or eliminated by tax reform.
Estate planning remains vital
Despite higher exclusion levels for federal estate taxes, estate planning remains vital for taxpayers.
Tax reform creates new deduction for small businesses
Understanding the new 20% deduction for business income is key for small business owners.
New tax law influences individual planning
Individuals may consider various strategies for charitable giving and financial planning in the new tax environment.
$30T in wealth transfer creates opportunity
Advisors may consider expanding their value proposition and professional network to grow their business.
Top strategies for advisors when heirs inherit wealth
Learning about an investor's family can help advisors connect with the next generation.
Social strategies for meeting the next generation
Start with social media and expand to social events to reach out to the next generation of clients.
Use family meetings for more effective wealth transfer
Hosting a family meeting can help investors and their children focus on values, planning issues, and philanthropy.
College savings plans offer tax advantages
Explore tax-advantaged savings when planning for college.
Chris Hennessey is Professor Emeritus of Law at the Babson College School of Executive Education and member of the Putnam Investments Business Advisory Group. His opinions do not necessarily reflect those of Putnam Investments.