Wealth Management Center
Preserving and enhancing wealth for the future with financial-planning experts Bill Cass and Chris Hennessey
Families can super-size college savings with a year-end gift
December 11, 2019
Consider giving the gift of education this year with several strategies, including a super-size contribution, to a 529 college savings plan.
ADVISOR-ONLY WEBCAST SERIES
November 5, 2019
Year-end planning strategies
Bill Cass, CFP®, Director Wealth Management Programs at Putnam
Chris Hennessey, Lawyer and CPA, Putnam Business Advisory Group
Medicare participants may need to bear more costs in 2020
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has published changes to 2020 premiums and deductibles.
When donating to charity, investors may want to explore this IRA strategy
Investors may want to consider using an IRA strategy to direct donations to charity and receive a tax advantage.
Proposed RMD changes could help retirees keep more of their savings
The federal government wants to update the life expectancy projections that investors use to calculate an RMD from retirement accounts.
Three key changes for Social Security in 2020
Some key changes for Social Security are planned for 2020 and will impact millions of retirees as well as current workers paying into the system.
Gauge your tax bracket to drive tax planning at year-end
There is one important number for investors to know that can drive tax planning strategies at year-end: their marginal tax bracket.
At year-end, consider lumping charitable gifts
With new limits to tax deductions under tax reform, investors may consider lumping charitable gifts into one year to achieve a tax deduction.
Year-end deadline approaches for opportunity zone tax break
Under a program created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, investors can receive a tax break on capital gains if they invest those gains in an opportunity zone.
Captive insurance may be a useful tool for business owners
A captive insurance program can help a business manage risk by establishing its own insurance company to address certain known risks.
Open enrollment presents opportunity to change Medicare options
Open enrollment provides an opportunity to talk about health-care cost planning with investors as they consider Medicare options.
Retirement plans may not be out of reach for small businesses
Many small business owners may not realize that Internal Revenue Service offers a tax credit for the costs of establishing workplace retirement plans.
Planning strategies to prepare if taxes move higher
As the federal budget deficit rises, it is likely that investors will see taxes move higher in the future.
Last two years of high school are crunch time to prepare for college
Families with college-bound students focus more intently on the future when their child enters the last two years of high school.
Planning for college can begin as early as freshman year in high school
Even for students just settling in to high school, it is not too early to start planning for college.
A 529 college savings plan can be flexible as situations change
A 529 college savings plan is flexible and the account owner can make changes to investments and beneficiaries over time.
Packing for college? Remember the legal documents
Parents of college-bound children may want to consider preparing certain legal documents before their child leaves for school.
Back to school: Time to spend or save?
Families will spend record levels as their children head back to school this year. But the school season may also be a time to focus on saving.
Proposed bill represents landmark changes to retirement savings
The Senate is considering a bill that represents the most comprehensive changes to retirement savings since the Pension Protection Act of 2006.
The IRS is revising Form 1040 again
Less than a year after restructuring tax Form 1040, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is changing the document again.
Create a checklist for when a family member passes away
Most families do not want to think about losing a loved one. But creating a checklist for family members may help them navigate a difficult situation.
Certain trusts may help lift the weight of a state tax burden
With tax deductions limited under tax reform, taxpayers in high-tax states may consider using incomplete non-grantor trusts to plan for state income taxes.
Strategies to preserve step-up in cost basis under new tax landscape
The focus in estate planning has shifted to income taxes, including strategies for the step-up cost basis, a planning consideration to manage capital gains.
Retirement planning for the end of the year
The fourth quarter is an opportune time to take inventory of retirement accounts and review actions such as required minimum distributions and planning strategies before year-end.
Prepare clients for year-end planning
Gifting, required retirement distributions, and charitable donations are among many planning actions that need attention by the end of the year.
There's still time to implement tax-smart strategies
Determining an individual's tax bracket will drive which tax-smart strategies to implement, including managing income, capital gains and losses.
Some estate-planning benefits may be lost if not used
Investors may want to explore gifting and other estate-planning strategies to take advantage of tax benefits that may be limited.
Debt ceiling debate and federal budget on Capitol Hill agenda
As Congress faces a December deadline for the federal budget, the debt ceiling debate was moved up sooner than expected.
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.