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Small Business Retirement Plans – SEP-IRA vs. Solo 401(k)

February 5, 2023 by 41 Comments
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One of the best tax deductions for a small business owner is funding a retirement plan. Beyond any tax deduction you are saving for your own retirement.  As a fellow small businessperson, I know how hard you work.  You deserve a comfortable retirement. If you don’t plan for your own retirement who will? Two popular small business retirement plans are the SEP-IRA and Solo 401(k).

Small Business Retirement Plans – SEP-IRA vs. Solo 401(k)

SEP-IRA vs. Solo 401(k)

SEP-IRA Solo 401(k)
Who can contribute? Employer contributions only. Employer contributions and employee deferrals.
Employer contribution limits The maximum for 2022 is $61,000, this has been increased to $66,000 for 2023. Contributions are deductible as a business expense and are not required every year. A SEP-IRA can be opened and funded up to your business tax filing date, including extensions. For 2023, the employer and employee combined contribution limit is a maximum of $66,000 and $73,500 for those who are 50 or over, respectively.  Employer profit sharing contributions are limited to a maximum of 25% of the employee’s compensation. They are deductible as a business expense and are not required every year.
Employee contribution limits A SEP-IRA only allows employer contributions. Employees can contribute to an IRA (Traditional or Roth, based upon their individual circumstances). Employee contribution limits are $22,500 for 2023. An additional $7,500 catch-up contribution is available for participants 50 and over. In no case can total employee contributions exceed 100% of their compensation.
Eligibility Typically, employees must be allowed to participate if they are over age 21, earn at least $600 annually, and have worked for the same employer in at least three of the past five years. No age or income restrictions. Business owners, partners and spouses working in the business are generally eligible to contribute. Common-law employees are not eligible.

Note the Solo 401(k) is also referred to as an Individual 401(k).

  • While a SEP-IRA can be used with employees in reality this can become an expensive proposition as you will need to contribute the same percentage for your employees as you defer for yourself. I generally consider this a plan for the self-employed.
  • Both plans allow for contributions up your tax filing date, including extensions for the prior tax year. Consult with your tax professional to determine when your employee contributions must be made. The Solo 401(k) plan must be established by the end of the calendar year.
  • The SEP-IRA contribution is calculated as a percentage of compensation. If your compensation is variable the amount that you can contribute year-to year will vary as well. Even if you have the cash to do so, your contribution will be limited by your income for a given year.
  • By contrast you can defer the lesser of $$22,500 and $30,000 (for those who are 50 or over) for 2023 into a Solo 401(k) plus the profit sharing contribution. This might be the better alternative for those with plenty of cash and a variable income.
  • Loans are possible from Solo 401(k)s, but not with SEP-IRAs.
  • A Roth feature is available for a Solo 401(k) if allowed by your plan document. Beginning in 2023 the ability to open and fund a Roth SEP-IRA is available as part of the recently passed Secure 2.0 rules. There will likely be some additional guidance on Roth SEPs from the IRS to come.
  • Both plans require minimal administrative work, though once the balance in your Solo 401(k) account tops $250,000, the level of annual government paperwork increases a bit.
  • Both plans can be opened at custodians such as Charles Schwab, Fidelity, Vanguard, T. Rowe Price, and others. For the Solo 401(k) you will generally use a prototype plan. If you want to contribute to a Roth account, for example, ensure that this is possible through the custodian you choose.
  • Investment options for both plans generally run the full gamut of typical investment options available at your custodian such as mutual funds, individual stocks, ETFs, bonds, closed-end funds, etc. There are some statutory restrictions so check with your custodian.
  • For those wishing to invest in alternative assets inside of their SEP or solo 401(k), a number of self-directed retirement plan custodians offer this option.

Both plans can offer a great way for you to save for retirement and to realize some tax savings in the process. Whether you go this route or with some other option I urge to start saving for your retirement today.  

Self-employed? You need to start a retirement plan today.

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Approaching retirement and want another opinion on where you stand? Not sure if your investments are right for your situation? Need help getting on track? Check out my Financial Review/Second Opinion for Individuals service for detailed guidance and advice about your situation.

FINANCIAL WRITING. Check out my freelance financial writing services including my ghostwriting services for financial advisors.

NEW SERVICE – Financial Coaching. Check out this new service to see if it’s right for you. Financial coaching focuses on providing education and mentoring on the financial transition to retirement.

Please contact me with any thoughts or suggestions about anything you’ve read here at The Chicago Financial Planner. Don’t miss any future posts, please subscribe via email. Check out our resources page for links to some other great sites and some outstanding products that you might find useful.

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Five Things to do During a Stock Market Correction

June 13, 2022 by 5 Comments
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After a strong finish in 2020 and very solid returns in 2021, we’ve seen a lot of market volatility so far in 2022. The S&P 500 index was down about 17.6% on a year-to-date basis as of Friday’s close. The combination of higher inflation, higher interest rates and the situation in Ukraine are all fueling this market volatility. Nobody can predict how long this will last. Regardless, here are five things you should do during a stock market correction.

Do nothing

Assuming that you have a financial plan with an investment strategy in place there is really nothing to do at this point. Ideally you’ve been rebalancing your portfolio along the way and your asset allocation is largely in line with your plan and your risk tolerance.  You should continue to monitor your portfolio and make these types of adjustments as needed. Making moves in reaction to a stock market correction (official or otherwise) is rarely a good idea.  At the very least wait until the dust settles.  As Aaron Rodgers told the fans in Green Bay after the Packers bad start in 2016, relax. They went on to win their division before losing in the NFC title game.  Sound advice for fans of the greatest team on the planet and investors as well.

Review your mutual fund holdings

I always look at rough market periods as a good time to take a look at the various mutual funds and ETFs in a portfolio. What I’m looking for is how did they hold up compared to their peers during the market downturn. For example during the 2008-2009 market debacle I looked at funds to see how they did in both the down market of 2008 and the up market of 2009. If a fund did worse than the majority of its peers in 2008 I would expect to see better than average performance in the up market of 2009. If there was under performance during both periods to me this was a huge red flag.

Don’t get caught up in the media hype

If you watch CNBC long enough you will find some expert to support just about any opinion about the stock market during any type of market situation. This can be especially dangerous for investors who might already feel a sense of fear when the markets are tanking.  I’m not discounting the great information CNBC and the rest of the financial media provides, but you need to take much of this with a grain of salt. This is a good time to lean on your financial plan and your investment strategy and use these tools as a guide.

Focus on risk

Use stock market corrections and downturns to assess your portfolio’s risk and more importantly your risk tolerance. Assess whether your portfolio has held up in line with your expectations. If not perhaps you are taking more risk than you had planned.  Also assess your feelings about your portfolio’s performance. If you find yourself feeling unduly fearful about what is going on perhaps it is time to revisit your allocation and your financial plan once things settle down.

Look for bargains

If you had your eye on a particular stock, ETF, or mutual fund before the market dropped perhaps this is the time to make an investment. I don’t advocate market timing but buying a good long-term investment is even more attractive when it’s on sale so to speak.

Markets will always correct at some point.  Smart investors factor this into their plans and don’t overreact. Be a smart investor.

Approaching retirement and want another opinion on where you stand? Not sure if your investments are right for your situation? Need help getting on track? Check out my Financial Review/Second Opinion for Individuals service for detailed guidance and advice about your situation.

NEW SERVICE – Financial Coaching. Check out this new service to see if it’s right for you. Financial coaching focuses on providing education and mentoring on the financial transition to retirement.

FINANCIAL WRITING. Check out my freelance financial writing services including my ghostwriting services for financial advisors.

Please contact me with any thoughts or suggestions about anything you’ve read here at The Chicago Financial Planner. Don’t miss any future posts, please subscribe via email. Check out our resources page for links to some other great sites and some outstanding products that you might find useful.

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4 Steps to Make Your 401(k) Work as Hard as You Do

February 6, 2022 by 4 Comments
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Whether you work as an employee or you are self-employed you work hard for your money. In spite of what was said on PBS Frontline The Retirement Gamble and elsewhere in the press, in my opinion 401(k) plans are one of the best retirement savings vehicles available. Here are 4 steps to make sure that your 401(k) plan is working hard for your retirement.

Get started 

This might seem basic, but you can’t benefit from your employer’s 401(k) plan unless you are participating. If you haven’t started deferring a portion of your salary into the plan this is great time to start. Look at your budget, determine how much you can afford to defer each pay period and get started. You may be able to do everything online, otherwise contact the plan administrator at your company.

Are you self-employed? There are a number of retirement plan options to consider. If you don’t have a retirement plan in place for yourself, do this today.  You work way too hard not to be putting something away for retirement.

Increase your contributions 

This is a great time to review the amount of your salary deferral and look to increase it if you are not already maxing out your contributions.  For 2022 the maximum contribution is $20,500 if you are under 50 and $27,000 if are 50 or over at any point during the year. For those 50 and over you can still make the full $6,500 catch-up contribution even if your contributions are otherwise limited to an amount below the maximum due to your plan failing its testing. This situation can occur for highly compensated employees and often occurs with smaller plans.

If you were enrolled into your employer’s plan under an automatic enrollment scenario the amount you are deferring is likely inadequate to meet your retirement needs, you need to revisit this and take affirmative step both in terms of the amount deferred and the investment options to which those salary deferrals are directed.

It’s often popular to urge 401(k) participants to contribute at least enough to receive the full amount of any company match. I agree that it makes sense to go for the full match, but the key words here are at least. The quality of each plan is different, but if your plan offers a solid investment menu and reasonable expenses, consider increasing your contributions beyond the minimum required to receive the full company match. Automatic salary deferrals are an easy, painless way to invest and simplicity in saving for your retirement should not be pooh-poohed.

Take charge of your investments, don’t just default 

Target Date Funds are offered by many 401(k) plans and are often the default option for those participants who do not make an investment election. While TDFs may be fine for younger participants, I’m not a huge fan for those of you within say 15-20 years of retirement. If you are in this situation, look at an allocation that is more tailored to your overall situation. At the very least if you are going to use the Target Date Fund option offered by your plan take a hard look at how the fund will invest your money, how this fits with investments you may have outside of the plan, and the fund’s expenses.

Plan for your retirement 

While contributing to your 401(k) plan is a great step, it is just that, a step. Your 401(k) is an important tool in planning for retirement, but the keyword is planning.  Many 401(k) plan providers offer retirement planning tools on their websites.  They may also offer advice in some format.  Consider taking advantage.

If you work with a financial advisor make sure that they consider your 401(k) and all investments when helping you plan for your retirement.  I find it amazing every time that I hear of some brokerage firm that forbids its registered reps from providing clients advice on investing their 401(k) account because the plan is not offered by their firm.

Approaching retirement and want another opinion on where you stand? Not sure if your investments are right for your situation? Need help getting on track? Check out my Financial Review/Second Opinion for Individuals service for detailed guidance and advice about your situation.

NEW SERVICE – Financial Coaching. Check out this new service to see if it’s right for you. Financial coaching focuses on providing education and mentoring on the financial transition to retirement.

FINANCIAL WRITING. Check out my freelance financial writing services including my ghostwriting services for financial advisors.

Please contact me with any thoughts or suggestions about anything you’ve read here at The Chicago Financial Planner. Don’t miss any future posts, please subscribe via email. Check out our resources page for links to some other great sites and some outstanding products that you might find useful.

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Annuities: The Wonder Drug for Your Retirement?

January 17, 2022 by 12 Comments
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Annuities: The Wonder Drug for Your Retirement?

Annuities are often touted as the “cure” for all that ails your retirement.  Baby Boomers and retirees are the prime target market for the annuity sales types. You’ve undoubtedly heard many of these pitches in person or as advertisements. The pitches frequently pander to the fears that many investors still feel after the last stock market decline. After all, what’s not to like about guaranteed income?

What is an annuity?

I’ll let the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) explain this in a quote from their website:

“An annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company that is designed to meet retirement and other long-range goals, under which you make a lump-sum payment or series of payments. In return, the insurer agrees to make periodic payments to you beginning immediately or at some future date.

Annuities typically offer tax-deferred growth of earnings and may include a death benefit that will pay your beneficiary a specified minimum amount, such as your total purchase payments. While tax is deferred on earnings growth, when withdrawals are taken from the annuity, gains are taxed at ordinary income rates, and not capital gains rates. If you withdraw your money early from an annuity, you may pay substantial surrender charges to the insurance company, as well as tax penalties.

There are generally three types of annuities — fixed, indexed, and variable. In a fixed annuity, the insurance company agrees to pay you no less than a specified rate of interest during the time that your account is growing. The insurance company also agrees that the periodic payments will be a specified amount per dollar in your account. These periodic payments may last for a definite period, such as 20 years, or an indefinite period, such as your lifetime or the lifetime of you and your spouse.

In an indexed annuity, the insurance company credits you with a return that is based on changes in an index, such as the S&P 500 Composite Stock Price Index. Indexed annuity contracts also provide that the contract value will be no less than a specified minimum, regardless of index performance.

In a variable annuity, you can choose to invest your purchase payments from among a range of different investment options, typically mutual funds. The rate of return on your purchase payments, and the amount of the periodic payments you eventually receive, will vary depending on the performance of the investment options you have selected.

Variable annuities are securities regulated by the SEC. An indexed annuity may or may not be a security; however, most indexed annuities are not registered with the SEC. Fixed annuities are not securities and are not regulated by the SEC. You can learn more about variable annuities by reading our publication, Variable Annuities: What You Should Know.”

What’s good about annuities?

In an uncertain world, an annuity can offer a degree of certainty to retirees in terms of receiving a fixed stream of payments over their lifetime or some other specified period of time. Once you annuitize there’s no guesswork about how much you will be receiving, assuming that the insurance company behind the product stays healthy.

Watch out for high and/or hidden fees 

The biggest beef about annuities are the fees, which are often hidden or least difficult to find. Many annuity products carry fees that are pretty darn high, others are much more reasonable. In general, the lack of transparency regarding the fees associated with many annuity contracts is appalling.

There are typically several layers of fees in an annuity:

Fees connected with the underlying investments.  In a variable annuity there are fees connected with the underlying sub-account (accounts that resemble mutual funds) similar to the expense ratio of a mutual fund. In a fixed annuity the underlying fees are typically the difference between the net interest rate you will receive vs. the gross interest rate earned.  In the case of an indexed annuity product the fees are just plain murky.

Mortality and expense charges are fees charged by the insurance company to cover their costs for guaranteeing a stream of income to you. While I get this and understand it, the wide variance in these and other fees across the universe of annuity contracts and the insurance companies that provide them makes me shake my head.

Surrender charges are fees that are designed to keep you from withdrawing your funds for a period of time.  From my point of view these charges are heinous whether in an annuity, a mutual fund, or anyplace else. If you are considering an annuity and the product has a surrender charge, avoid it. I’m not advocating withdrawing money early from an annuity, but surrender charges also restrict you from exchanging a high cost annuity into one with a lower fee structure. Essentially these fees serve to ensure that the agent or rep who sold you the high fee annuity (and the insurance company) continue to benefit by placing handcuffs on you in terms of sticking with the policy.

Who’s really guaranteeing your annuity? 

When you purchase an annuity, your stream of payments is guaranteed by the “full faith and credit” of the underlying insurance company.  This differs from a pension that is annuitized and backed by the PBGC, a governmental entity, up to certain limits.

Outside of the most notable failure, Executive Life in the early 1990s, there have not been a high number of insurance company failures. In the case of Executive Life, thousands of annuity recipients were impacted in the form of greatly reduced annuity payments which in many cases permanently impacted the quality of their retirement.

Insurance companies are regulated at the state level; state insurance departments are generally the backstop in the event of an insurance company failure. In most cases you will receive some portion of the payment amount that you expected, but there is often a delay in receiving these payments.

The point is not to scare anyone from buying an annuity but rather to remind you to perform your own due diligence on the underlying insurance company.

Should you buy an annuity? 

Annuities are not a bad product as long as you understand what they can and cannot do for you. Like anything else you need to shop for the right annuity. For example, an insurance agent or registered rep is not going to show you a product from a low cost provider who offers a product with ultra-low fees and no surrender charges because they receive no commissions.

An annuity can offer diversification in your retirement income stream. Perhaps you have investments in taxable and tax-deferred accounts from which you will withdraw money to fund your retirement. Adding Social Security to the mix provides a government-funded stream of payments. A commercial annuity can also be of value as part of your retirement income stream, again as long as you shop for the appropriate product.

Annuities are generally sold rather than bought by Baby Boomers and others. Be a smart consumer and understand what you are buying, why a particular annuity product (and the insurance company) are right for you, and the benefits that you expect to receive from the annuity. Properly used, an annuity can be a valuable component of your retirement planning efforts. Be sure to read ALL of the fine print and understand ALL of the expenses, terms, conditions and restrictions before writing a check.

Approaching retirement and want another opinion on where you stand? Not sure if your investments are right for your situation? Need help getting on track? Check out my Financial Review/Second Opinion for Individuals service for detailed guidance and advice about your situation.

NEW SERVICE – Financial Coaching. Check out this new service to see if it’s right for you. Financial coaching focuses on providing education and mentoring on the financial transition to retirement.

FINANCIAL WRITING. Check out my freelance financial writing services including my ghostwriting services for financial advisors.

Please contact me with any thoughts or suggestions about anything you’ve read here at The Chicago Financial Planner. Don’t miss any future posts, please subscribe via email. Check out our resources page for links to some other great sites and some outstanding products that you might find useful.

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Is a $100,000 Per Year Retirement Doable?

May 7, 2020 by 21 Comments
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Is a $100,000 a Year Retirement Doable?

A recent CNBC article indicated that 58% of those who responded to a 2019 TD Ameritrade survey felt that a $1 million retirement nest egg would be sufficient to fund a comfortable retirement. This may or may not be the case depending upon your individual situation. To me it seems more meaningful to look at the level of income you’d like to generate in retirement and then determine if a given lump-sum, combined with other sources of retirement income, will support that income stream. Let’s take a look at what it takes to provide $100,000 income annually during retirement.

The 4% rule 

The 4% rule says that a retiree can safely withdraw 4% of their nest egg during retirement and assume that their money will last 30 years. This very useful rule of thumb was developed by fee-only financial planning superstar Bill Bengen.

Like any rule of thumb it is just that, an estimating tool. At your own peril do not depend on this rule, do a real financial plan for your retirement.

Using the 4% rule as a quick “back of the napkin” estimating tool let’s see how someone with a $1 million combined in their 401(k)s and some IRAs can hit $100,000 (gross before any taxes are paid). Note this is not to say that everyone needs to spend $100,000 or any particular amount during their retirement, but rather this example is simply meant to illustrate the math involved.

Doing the math 

The $1 million in the 401(k)s and IRAs will yield $40,000 per year using the 4% rule. This leaves a shortfall of $60,000 per year.

A husband and wife who both worked might have Social Security payments due them starting at say a combined $40,000 per year.

The shortfall is now down to $20,000

Source of funds

Annual income

Retirement account withdrawals

$40,000

Social Security

$40,000

Need

$100,000

Shortfall

$20,000

 

A retirement nest egg of $1 million will yield $40,000 per year using the 4% rule.

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Closing the income gap 

In our hypothetical situation the couple has a $20,000 per year gap between what their retirement accounts and Social Security can be expected to provide. Here are some ways this gap can be closed:

    • If they have significant assets outside of their retirement accounts, these funds can be tapped.
    • Perhaps they have one or more pensions in which they have a vested benefit.
    • They may have stock options or restricted stock units that can be converted to cash from their employers.
    • This might be a good time to look at downsizing their home and applying any excess cash from the transaction to their retirement.
    • If they were business owners, they might realize some value from the sale of the business as they retire.
    • If realistic perhaps retirement can be delayed for several years.  This allows the couple to not only accumulate a bit more for retirement but it also delays the need to tap into their retirement accounts and builds up their Social Security benefit a bit longer.
    • It might be feasible to work full or part-time during the early years of retirement.  Depending upon one’s expertise there may be consulting opportunities related to your former employment field or perhaps you can start a business based upon an interest or a hobby.

Things to beware of in trying to boost your nest egg 

The scenario outlined above is hypothetical but very common. As far as retirement goes I think financial journalist and author Jon Chevreau has the right idea:  Forget Retirement Seek Financial Independence.

Approaching retirement and want another opinion on where you stand? Not sure if your investments are right for your situation? Need help getting on track? Check out my Financial Review/Second Opinion for Individuals service for detailed guidance and advice about your situation.

NEW SERVICE – Financial Coaching. Check out this new service to see if it’s right for you. Financial coaching focuses on providing education and mentoring on the financial transition to retirement.

FINANCIAL WRITING. Check out my freelance financial writing services including my ghostwriting services for financial advisors.

Please contact me with any thoughts or suggestions about anything you’ve read here at The Chicago Financial Planner. Don’t miss any future posts, please subscribe via email. Check out our resources page for links to some other great sites and some outstanding products that you might find useful.

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The Bull Market Turns 10 – Now What?

March 8, 2019 by Leave a Comment
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On March 9, 2009 the market downturn fueled by the financial crisis bottomed out as measured by the S&P 500 Index. On that day the index closed at 677. As we approach the tenth anniversary of the ensuing bull market, the index closed at 2,749 on March 7, 2019. This is an increase of 406%.

Looking at this another way, an investor who invested $10,000 in the Vanguard 500 Index fund (ticker VFINX) at the end of February of 2009 and held it through the end of February 2019 would have seen their investment grow to $46,135 according to data from Morningstar.

As the bull market turns 10, now what? Here are some thoughts for investors.

How does this bull market stack up?

According to data from JP Morgan Asset Management, the average bull market following a bear market lasts for about 55 months and results in a gain of about 160%. By both measures this bull market is a long one.

Does this mean that investors should brace for an imminent market correction? Not necessarily but bull markets don’t last forever either.

There have been some speed bumps along the way, including 2011, a sharp decline in the third quarter of 2015 and the sharp declines we saw to start off 2016. Most notable was 2018, the first down year for the index since 2008. This was punctuated by a 13.52% decline for the fourth quarter and a 4.38% loss for the year.

What should investors do now? 

None of us knows what the future will hold. The bull market may be getting long of tooth. The threat of tariffs and trade wars could weigh on the market. There are factors such as potential actions by the Fed, the threat of terrorism and countless others that could impact the direction of the stock market. It seems there is always something to worry about in that regard.

That all said, my suggestions for investors are pretty much the same “boring” ones that I’ve offered since I started this blog in 2009.

Review your portfolio to ensure that your allocation is in line with your risk tolerance and investing time horizon.

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The Bottom Line 

The now ten-year old bull market has provided some very robust returns for investors. Nobody knows what will happen next. In my opinion, investors are wise to control the factors that they can, have a plan in place, follow that plan and adjust as needed.

Approaching retirement and want another opinion on where you stand? Are your investments in line with your financial plan? Need help getting on track? Check out my Financial Review/Second Opinion for Individuals service for detailed advice about your situation.

NEW SERVICE – Financial Coaching. Check out this new service to see if it’s right for you. Financial coaching focuses on providing education and mentoring on the financial transition to retirement.

FINANCIAL WRITING. Check out my freelance financial writing services including my ghostwriting services for financial advisors.

Please contact me with any thoughts or suggestions about anything you’ve read here at The Chicago Financial Planner. Don’t miss any future posts, please subscribe via email. Check out our resources page for links to some other great sites and some outstanding products that you might find useful.

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7 Things to Know About the New Tax Law

August 13, 2018 by Leave a Comment
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The new tax law (Tax Cuts and Jobs Act) passed in December of 2017 marks the biggest overhaul in the tax code in many years. The impact of these changes is far reaching and will impact most of us in some way.

As we are now over half-way through 2018, this is a good time to look at your tax situation in light of the new tax law and make any necessary adjustments prior to year-end.

Here is a look at seven ways the new tax law may impact you.

1. Lower tax brackets

For most tax payers, the new federal income tax rates will be lower.

Single filers

Tax Rate Income range 2018 taxes Income range 2017 taxes
10% Up to $9,525 Up to $9,325
12% $9,526 to $38,700 NA
15% NA $9,326 to $37,950
22% $38,701 to $82,500 NA
24% $82,501 to $157,500 NA
25% NA $37,951 to $91,900
28% NA $91,901 to $191,650
32% $157,501 to $200,000 NA
33% NA $191,651 to $416,700
35% $200,001 to $500,000 $416,701 to $418,400
37% $500,001 or more NA
39.6% NA $418,401 or more

Source Bankrate.com

Married filing jointly

Tax Rate Income range 2018 taxes Income range 2017 taxes
10% Up to $19,050 Up to $18,650
12% $19,051 to $77,400 NA
15% NA $18,651 to $75,900
22% $77,401 to $165,000 NA
24% $165,001 to $315,000 NA
25% NA $75,901 to $153,100
28% NA $153,101 to $233,350
32% $315,001 to $400,000 NA
33% NA $233,351 to $416,700
35% $400,001 to $600,000 $416,701 to $470,000
37% $600,001 or more NA
39.6% NA $470,001 or more

Source Bankrate.com

As you can see from the bracket in almost every range, the top end of the bracket is a bit higher and generally most income levels are in lower brackets. This means tax savings for most of us starting with the 2018 tax year.

Suggestion – Check the level of taxes being withheld from your paycheck to ensure you don’t come up short and find yourself with a bigger tax bill than you had anticipated.

2. Increased standard deduction

Beginning in 2018, the standard deduction is drastically increased.

  • The standard deduction increases from $6,350 to $12,000 for single filers.
  • The standard deduction increases from $12,700 to $24,000 for those married filing jointly.

This means that fewer people will be able to itemize deductions. It also means that more taxpayers at lower income levels will not owe any taxes.

Partially offsetting the increased standard deduction is the repeal of the personal exemption for 2018. The 2017 amount was $4,050 per eligible dependent, including the tax payer(s). For a family of five, including three dependent children, this would amount to $20,250. The trade-off between the loss of the personal exemption and the increase standard deduction will vary with each person’s situation.

Strategy idea – If the new standard deduction is likely to prevent you from itemizing, it might make sense to bunch deductible expenses into a single tax year, either by accelerating or deferring expenses. Examples of expenses to consider bunching include charitable contributions and eligible medical expenses.

3. SALT reductions

This might be the most controversial provision of the new tax law. SALT stands for state and local taxes. These typically include state and local income taxes as well as property taxes and state sales taxes.

The big change for 2018 is that the deduction for all SALT taxes combined is limited to $10,000. With the higher level of standardized deductions, this limitation may prevent many folks who are used to itemizing deductions from doing so in 2018 and beyond.

For example, if your property taxes are $12,000 annually and your state income tax liability is $8,000, your total deduction for these items will be limited to $10,000. Combined with the higher standard deduction levels you may find yourself unable to itemize deductions going forward.

Caps on SALT deductions will impact the ability of many to itemize deductions.

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This provision will likely have the greatest impact in high cost states like California, New York, Illinois, Minnesota and much of the Northeastern part of the country. As many of these are “blue states,” some have speculated that this provision of the new tax law was politically motivated.

Regardless of the motivation, this change is functionally a drop in after-tax income for those impacted. This may be partially offset by the reduced tax brackets and the increase in the standard deduction, but you would be wise to look at your situation as soon as possible to get a true picture of the impact on you.

4. Child tax credit

For families with children, the Child Tax Credit has doubled from $1,000 to $2,000 per child for 2018. Additionally, up to $1,400 of the credit can be refundable if the credit results in a tax refund for you.

The income level at which the credit begins to phase-out has been increased to $400,000 for married couples in 2018, increasing the number of families that will be able to take advantage of this credit. Remember, a tax credit directly reduces the amount of taxes paid and is therefore more valuable than a tax deduction.

The new law also added a $500 credit for other dependent family members, including dependent parents.

As a practical matter, the loss of the personal exemption may offset a portion of the benefit of these increases. There are rules regarding earned income limits and the definition of an eligible child so be sure to understand all the rules and how they might apply to your situation.

5. Retirement plan contributions

Contrary to some earlier versions of the tax bill, the 2018 contribution rates for 401(k) plans, IRAs and other tax-deferred retirement plans was left unchanged. Contributing to a retirement plan provides a tax-break for many and is a great way to save for retirement while your money grows tax-deferred (or tax-free in the case of a Roth account). Be sure to contribute as much as you can for 2018.

6. Mortgage interest deduction

The new tax law limits the amount of mortgage debt against which an interest deduction can be taken. For 2018 and beyond, the ability to deduct mortgage interest is limited to the first $750,000 of mortgage debt. This limit does not apply to mortgages in place prior to 2018.

The ability to deduct interest on home equity lines of credit is now gone as of 2018, unlike with mortgages existing home equity lines were not grandfathered. The exception to this is for home equity debt that is specifically used for home improvement purposes.

7. Divorce 

For those couples contemplating divorce, the new tax law brings a huge change. For divorces finalized after 2018, the alimony payments will no longer receive a tax deduction for those making the payments. This will potentially make alimony payments more expensive for the paying spouse and could result in lower alimony payments for the spouse receiving them.

The implications are potentially huge for the spouse receiving the payments and could place many of them in an adverse financial situation going forward. For couples thinking about a divorce, they should consider finalizing the process in 2018 if possible.

The bottom line

These are just some of the changes contained in the new tax law. There are provisions impacting businesses large and small, as well as a number of other provisions impacting individuals in various situations. This is a good time to sit down with your tax or financial professional to see what impact the new rules will have on your taxes and your financial planning.

One thing to keep in mind. Most of the changes enacted by these new rules are set to expire after 2025, they aren’t permanent.

Not sure how the new tax rules will impact your financial planning? Approaching retirement and want another opinion on where you stand? Need help getting on track? Check out my Financial Review/Second Opinion for Individuals service for detailed advice about your situation.

NEW SERVICE – Financial Coaching. Check out this new service to see if its right for you. Financial coaching focuses on providing education and mentoring in two areas: the financial transition to retirement and small business financial coaching.

FINANCIAL WRITING. Check out my freelance financial writing services including my ghostwriting services for financial advisors.

Please contact me with any thoughts or suggestions about anything you’ve read here at The Chicago Financial Planner. Don’t miss any future posts, please subscribe via email. Check out our resources page for links to some other great sites and some outstanding products that you might find useful.

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Am I on Track for Retirement?

June 26, 2018 by 4 Comments
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Financial advisors are frequently asked some version of the question “Can I Retire?”  The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) recently released its 2018 Retirement Confidence Survey. The latest survey offered several key findings:

  • Only 32% of retirees surveyed felt confident that they will be able to live comfortably throughout their retirement.
  • Retiree confidence in their ability to over basic expenses and medical expenses in retirement dropped from 2017 levels.
  • Less than one-half of the retirees surveyed felt confident that Medicare and Social Security would be able to maintain benefits at current levels.

English: Scanned image of author's US Social S...

It is essential that Baby Boomers and others approaching retirement take a hard look at their retirement readiness to determine any gaps between the financial resources available to them and their desired lifestyle in retirement. Ask yourself a few questions to determine if you can retire.

What kind of lifestyle do you want in retirement?

You’ll find general rules of thumb indicating you need anywhere from 70% to more than 100% of your pre-retirement income during retirement. Look at your individual circumstances and what you plan to do in retirement.

  • Will your mortgage be paid off?
  • Do you plan to travel?
  • Will you live in an area with a relatively high or low cost of living?
  • What’s your plan to cover the cost of healthcare in retirement?

Remember spending during retirement is not uniform. You will likely be more active earlier in your retirement.  Though you may spend less on activities as you age, it is likely that your medical costs will increase as you age.

How much can you expect from Social Security?

Social Security benefits were never designed to be the sole source of retirement income, but they are still a valuable source of retirement income. Those with lower incomes will find that Social Security replaces a higher percentage of their pre-retirement income than those with higher incomes.

Recent news stories indicating that the Social Security trust fund is in trouble is not welcome news for those nearing retirement or for current retirees.

What other sources of retirement income will you have?

Other potential sources of retirement income might include a defined-benefit pension plan; individual retirement accounts (IRAs); your 401(k) plan, and your spouse’s employer-sponsored retirement plans. If you have other investments, it is important to have a strategy that maximizes these assets for your retirement.

If you are fortunate enough to be covered by a workplace pension, be sure to understand how much you will receive at various ages.  Look at your options in terms of survivor benefits should you predecease your spouse.  If you have the option to take a lump-sum distribution it might make sense to roll this over to an IRA.  Also determine if your employer offers any sort of insurance coverage for retirees. 

Where does this leave me? 

At this point let’s take a look at where you are.  We’ll assume that you’ve determined that you will need $100,000 per year to cover your retirement needs on a gross (before taxes are paid) basis.  Let’s also assume that your combined Social Security will be $30,000 per year and that there will be $20,000 in pension income.  The retirement gap is:

Amount Needed

$100,000

Social Security

30,000

Pension

20,000

Gap to be filled from other sources

$50,000

 

Where will this $50,000 come from?  The most likely source is your retirement savings.  This might include 401(k)s, IRAs, taxable accounts, self-employment retirement accounts, the sale of a business, and inheritance, earnings during retirement, or other sources. 

To generate $50,000 per year you would likely need a lump sum in the range of $1.25 – $1.67 million at retirement.

Everybody’s circumstances are different.  Many retirees do not have a pension plan available to them, some don’t have a 401(k) either.

Look at where you stand and take action 

Some steps to consider if you feel you are behind in your retirement savings:

  • Save as much as possible in your 401(k) or other workplace retirement plan while you are still employed
  • Contribute to an IRA
  • If you are self-employed start a retirement plan for yourself
  • Keep your spending in check
  • Scale back on your retirement lifestyle if needed
  • Plan to delay your retirement or to work part-time during retirement

Providing for a comfortable retirement takes planning. Don’t be lulled into thinking your 401(k) plan alone will be enough. If you haven’t put together a financial plan, don’t be afraid to enlist the aid of a professional if you need help.

Approaching retirement and want another opinion on where you stand? Need help getting on track? Check out my Financial Review/Second Opinion for Individuals service for more detailed advice about your situation.

NEW SERVICE – Financial Coaching. Check out this new service to see if its right for you. Financial coaching focuses on providing education and mentoring regarding the financial transition to retirement.

FINANCIAL WRITING. Check out my freelance financial writing services including my ghostwriting services for financial advisors.

Please contact me with any thoughts or suggestions about anything you’ve read here at The Chicago Financial Planner. Don’t miss any future posts, please subscribe via email. Check out our resources page for links to some other great sites and some outstanding products that you might find useful.

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Resolving Financial Issues Before Marriage

September 11, 2016 by 16 Comments
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Personal financial topics are often some of the most difficult topics for people to discuss. But since financial issues often cause significant problems in marriages, you should try to reach some sort of agreement on your finances before your wedding. Some items to consider include:

Resolving Financial Issues Before Marriage

Where do you want to be in five or 10 years?

Our dreams for the future often come with price tags. If one spouse wants to continue his/her education or start a business, significant sums may be needed for that goal. If children are part of your future plans, when you have those children, how many you have, and whether both of you continue working will have a significant impact on your finances. Planning now will allow you to set priorities and start saving for those goals.

What assets and liabilities are each of you bringing to the marriage?

Preparing a combined net worth statement will give you a starting point for determining how you can help achieve your financial goals. If one or both of you have significant assets, you might want to consider a prenuptial agreement to spell out what happens to your assets in the event of death or divorce. For a second or third marriage, especially if there are children from any of these prior marriages, proper estate planning is essential.

Do either of you have credit problems?

When you apply jointly for credit, both of your credit histories will be evaluated. Thus, if one of you has an outstanding credit history and the other has credit problems, it can affect the approval process and your debt’s cost. If one of you has credit problems, work hard during the early years of your marriage to correct those problems.

Should you combine your finances or keep them separate?

Some couples prefer pooling all funds, thinking it helps create a feeling of unity. Others, however, have difficulty losing their financial autonomy, especially if they have been on their own for many years. Keep in mind that this is not an either/or decision. You can set up a joint account for shared expenses, with each spouse contributing a predesignated amount to the account. For the remaining funds, separate accounts can be kept for discretionary spending.

How will you handle spending decisions?

The process of defining goals and setting a budget can help resolve differing views about money matters, forcing couples to compromise and make joint decisions about how money will be spent. While that might seem like a painful process, addressing these issues now can help prevent future misunderstandings. You may want to set a maximum amount that each of you can spend without consulting the other.

How will you handle insurance?

If you both have medical insurance through your employers, it may be cheaper to select one plan for both of you. Combining auto insurance may also reduce premiums. You’ll also want to evaluate your life insurance.

Who will handle financial tasks?

Decide who will handle financial tasks. One person may be more suited for these tasks due to his/her background or time availability. However, the other spouse should not give up total control. Set up a formal time, perhaps monthly, to go over financial matters. This keeps both spouses informed and provides a designated time to discuss spending or items of concern. You then won’t fret about how to bring up financial topics or let finances interfere at other times.

Approaching retirement and want another opinion on where you stand? Not sure if your investments are right for your situation? Concerned about stock market volatility? Check out my Financial Review/Second Opinion for Individuals service for detailed guidance and advice about your situation.

NEW SERVICE – Financial Coaching. Check out this new service to see if it’s right for you. Financial coaching focuses on providing education and mentoring in two areas: the financial transition to retirement or small business financial coaching.

FINANCIAL WRITING. Check out my freelance financial writing services including my ghostwriting services for financial advisors.

Please contact me with any thoughts or suggestions about anything you’ve read here at The Chicago Financial Planner. Don’t miss any future posts, please subscribe via email. Check out our resources page for links to some other great sites and some outstanding products that you might find useful.

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