Financial Elements' Insights

This blog will share some of the most common information-stealing scams and provide tips to help readers protect themselves.

This blog will discuss how readers can use summer as a trial period for retirement. It will include ways to test things like your retirement budget, activities, and schedule.

This blog will talk about some of the most notable changes from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2018, as well as provide an update about what to expect when this bill is sunsetted in 2025.

HSA Tax Benefits. A large draw for many are the tax benefits inherent to HSAs: Contributions through an employer are always pretax You can invest the funds after your account balance reaches a certain level Distributions for qualified health expenses aren't taxable

This article covers basic tips on consumer Internet security for National Internet Safety Month.

The tax season is officially here. If you haven't already, now is the time to get prepared.

Medicare is a great benefit for retirees. Learn how to make the most out of your Medicare deduction with these tips.

Honoring those who served.

Preparing for retirement just got a little more financial wiggle room. The Internal Revenue Service (I.R.S.) announced new contribution limits for 2022. A look at the new limits.

In our last two pieces, we covered some tools of the tax-planning trade, as well as how to deploy them for tax-efficient investing. But tax planning isn’t just for your investments. Life happens. Often, we cannot predict its next moves. But we can weave each event into the tax-planning fabric of your financial life.

In our last piece, we introduced some of the tools of the tax-planning trade. These include tax-sheltered accounts for saving toward retirement, healthcare, and education, as well as tax-efficient tools for charitable giving, emergency spending, and estate planning. It’s one thing to have the tools. It’s another to make best use of them. After all, the same paintbrush can create a valuable work of art, or a clashing mess on canvas. It all depends on how you use the brush. In other words, your tax-planning techniques matter at least as much as the tools. They’re also more enduring—especially if you combine them into a unified strategy across your varied financial interests. Tax breaks come and go, and are beyond our control. But with a tailored, tax-wise strategy in place, it’s easier to adjust as needed, rather than having to start all over whenever something changes.

Whether you’re saving, investing, spending, bequeathing, or receiving wealth, there’s scarcely a move you can make without considering how taxes might influence the outcome. No wonder people get nervous when there’s lots of talk about higher taxes, but little certainty on what may come of it, and who it might affect.

In our last piece, we covered the recent uptick in inflation, and what to make of it in historical context. For investors, it’s important to take a step back and look at the big picture before acting on breaking news. But what if inflation does get out of hand, and stays that way for a while?

Has the specter of inflation got you spooked? Recent headlines are filled with sightings. In this two-part series, let’s take a closer look at what to make of all the commentary, and what you can do about it as an investor. First and foremost, we caution against succumbing to fear or panic in the face of inflation. As usual, careful planning remains your best guide.

Let's continue our discussion on Estate Planning... the topic no one wants to think about, but really needs to... and with possible changes to estate tax law, 2021 might be the year to review your plans once we have some clarity around the new laws. Tax change or no tax changes, having a plan in place is very important.

Discussing an estate plan is no walk in the park, but it may be easier to address when you think about what it truly is - the gift of passing on a legacy in a tax-efficient manner to your loved ones.

A donor-advised fund can help you maximize your charitable deductions for the year. But did you know it also comes with additional tax benefits? Read on to learn more.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 is now a done deal. Among the items of greatest interest to most Americans is a third round of stimulus checks—or IRS “recovery rebates”—of up to $1,400 for every “eligible individual.”

The CARES Act was passed in March 2020, but there's one benefit you may have overlooked. With tax season approaching, keep this important change in mind.

After a tumultuous 2020 election season, inauguration day is almost here. If you are a high-earner, here are 6 challenges that could arise during a Biden administration.