Tax Secret: R&D Tax Credits…You May Qualify
When you think of Research and Development (R&D) many people envision a chemistry lab or a high tech robotics company. It’s because of this thinking that millions of dollars of available tax credits for R&D go unused every year. R&D exists in virtually every industry and business owners need to start thinking about R&D in a different light because
When you think of Research and Development (R&D) many people envision a chemistry lab or a high tech robotics company. It’s because of this thinking that millions of dollars of available tax credits for R&D go unused every year. R&D exists in virtually every industry and business owners need to start thinking about R&D in a different light because there could be huge tax savings waiting for them.
Most companies don't realize that they qualify
Road paving companies, manufactures, a meatball company, software firms, and architecture firms are just a few examples of companies that have met the criteria to qualify for these lucrative tax credits.
Think of R&D as a unique process within your company that you may be using throughout the course of your everyday business that is specific to your competitive advantage. The purpose of these credits is to encourage companies to be innovative with the end goal of keeping more jobs here in the U.S. If you have an engineers on your staff, whether software engineers, design engineers, mechanical engineers there is a very good chance that these tax credits may be available to you. The R&D tax credits also allow you to look back to all open tax years so for companies that discover this for the first time, the upside can be huge. Tax years typically stay open for three years.
Accountants may not be aware of these credits
One of the main questions we get from business owners is “Shouldn’t my accountant have told me about this?” Many accounting firms are unaware of these tax credits and the process for qualifying which is why there are specialty consulting firms that work with companies to determine whether or not they are eligible for the credit. Some of our clients have worked with these firms and the company only pays the consulting firm if you qualify for the tax credits. Kind of a win-win situation.
We recently attended a seminar that was sponsored by Alliantgroup out of New York City and on their website it listed the following description of companies that qualify for these credits:“
Any company that designs, develops, or improves products, processes, techniques, formulas, inventions, or software may be eligible. In fact, if a company has simply invested time, money, and resources toward the advancement and improvement of its products and processes, it may qualify”.
We love helping our clients save taxes and in this case, like many others, we were looking at R&D in a different light.
About Michael……...
Hi, I’m Michael Ruger. I’m the managing partner of Greenbush Financial Group and the creator of the nationally recognized Money Smart Board blog . I created the blog because there are a lot of events in life that require important financial decisions. The goal is to help our readers avoid big financial missteps, discover financial solutions that they were not aware of, and to optimize their financial future.
For business owners, selling the business is often the single most important financial transaction in their lifetime. Since this is such an important event, we created a video series that will guide business owners through the
It just keeps getting better for small business owners. On June 17, 2020, the SBA released the updated PPP Forgiveness Application. In addition to making the forgiveness application easier to complete, the new application
On June 3, 2020, Congress passed the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act which provided much needed relief to many businesses that were trying to qualify for full forgiveness of their SBA PPP Loan
With the passing of the CARES Act, Congress made new distribution and loan options available within 401(k) plans, IRA’s, and other types of employer sponsored plans.
On March 27, 2020, Congress officially passed the CARES Act which includes the SBA Paycheck Protection Program. This program offers loans to small businesses that can be forgiven if certain conditions are met.
The Coronavirus containment efforts have put a lot of small businesses in a very difficult situation. Some businesses have been forced to shut down altogether, while other businesses are working at a reduced capacity. To help
One of the most challenging aspects of starting a new business is finding the capital that is needed to support your expenses as you begin to build up a revenue stream since it’s not always easy to ask friends and family for money to invest in a startup business. Luckily, for new entrepreneurs, there are some little-known ways on how you can use
There is a little known change that was included in tax reform that will potentially have a big impact on business owners. The new tax laws that went into effect on January 1, 2018 placed stricter limits on the ability to deduct expenses associated with entertainment and business meals. Many of the entertainment expenses that businesses
Now that small business owners have the 20% deduction available for their pass-through income in 2018, as a business owner, you will need to begin to position your business to take full advantage of the new tax deduction. However, the Qualified Business Income ("QBI") deduction has taxable income thresholds. Once the owner's personal taxable
Tax reform will change the way rental income is taxed to landlords beginning in 2018. Under current law, rental income is classified as "passive income" and that income simply passes through to the owner's personal tax return and they pay ordinary income tax on it. Beginning in 2018, rental income will be eligible to receive the same preferential tax
While one of the most significant changes incorporated in the new legislation was reducing the corporate tax rate from the current 35% rate to a 21% rate in 2018, the tax bill also contains a big tax break for small business owners. Unlike large corporations that are taxed at a flat rate, most small businesses, are "pass-through" entities, meaning that the
The conference version of the tax bill was released on Friday. The House and the Senate will be voting to approve the updated tax bill this week with what seems to be wide spread support from the Republican party which is all they need to sign the bill into law before Christmas. Most of the changes will not take effect until 2018 with new tax rates for
Buying a company is an exciting experience. However, many companies during a merger or acquisition fail to address the issues surrounding the seller’s retirement plan which can come back to haunt the buyer in a big way. I completely understand why this happens. Purchase price, valuations, tax issues, terms, holdbacks, and new employment
The Republicans are in a tough situation. There is a tremendous amount of pressure on them to get tax reform done by the end of the year. This type of pressure can have ugly side effects. It’s similar to the Hail Mary play at the end of a football game. Everyone, including the quarterback, has their eyes fixed on the end zone but nobody realizes that no
A Single(k) plan is an employer sponsored retirement plan for owner only entities, meaning you have no full-time employees. These owner only entities get the benefits of having a full fledge 401(k) plan without the large administrative costs associated with traditional 401(k) plans.
In the world of executive compensation, there are a number of ways that a company can reward key employees. Although most companies are familiar with traditional deferred compensation plans, one of the lesser known options which is growing in popularity is called a “phantom stock plan”. Especially in small to mid-size companies.
As an owner of a small business myself, I’ve had a front row seat to the painful rise of health insurance premiums for our employees over the past decade. Like most of our clients, we evaluate our plan once a year and determine whether or not we should make a change. Everyone knows the game. After running on this hamster wheel for the
When you think of Research and Development (R&D) many people envision a chemistry lab or a high tech robotics company. It’s because of this thinking that millions of dollars of available tax credits for R&D go unused every year. R&D exists in virtually every industry and business owners need to start thinking about R&D in a different light because
As financial planners we are seeing more and more individuals, especially in the software development and technology space, hired by companies as “1099 employees”. “1099 employees” is an ironic statement because if a company is paying you via a 1099 technically you are not an “employee” you are a self-employed sub-contractor. It’s like having
Spousal IRA’s are one of the top tax tricks used by financial planners to help married couples reduce their tax bill. Here is how it works:
Starting your own business is an incredible achievement, and for most, your business will shape your life not only professionally but personally. That being said, setting up your business in the correct way and having the necessary pieces in place day one is extremely important.
Employer sponsored retirement plans are typically the single most valuable tool for business owner when attempting to:
Reduce their current tax liability
Attract and retain employees
Accumulate wealth for retirement
But with all of the different types of plans to choose from which one is the right one for your business? Most business owners are familiar with how 401(k) plans work but that might not be the right fit given variables such as:
Starting your own business can be an exciting and rewarding experience. It can offer numerous advantages such as being your own boss, setting your own schedule and making a living doing something you enjoy. But, becoming a successful entrepreneur requires thorough planning, creativity, and hard work. After making the decision to start your
Financial Planning To Do's For A Family
My wife and I just added our first child to the family so this is a topic that has been weighing on my mind over the last 40 weeks. I will share just one non-financial takeaway from the entire experience. The global population may be much lower if men had to go through what women do. That being said, this article is meant to be a guideline for some of the important financial items to consider with children. Worrying about your children will never end and being comfortable with the financial aspects of parenthood may allow you to worry a little less and be able to enjoy the time you have with the
My wife and I just added our first child to the family so this is a topic that has been weighing on my mind over the last 40 weeks. I will share just one non-financial takeaway from the entire experience. The global population may be much lower if men had to go through what women do. That being said, this article is meant to be a guideline for some of the important financial items to consider with children. Worrying about your children will never end and being comfortable with the financial aspects of parenthood may allow you to worry a little less and be able to enjoy the time you have with them.
There is a lot of information to take into consideration when putting together a financial plan and the larger your family the more pieces to the puzzle. It is important to set goals and celebrate them when they are met. Everything cannot be done in a day, a week, or a month, so creating a task list to knock off one by one is usually an effective approach. Using relatives, friends, and professionals as resources is important to know what should be on that list for topics you aren’t familiar with.
Create a Budget
It may seem tedious but this is one of the most important pieces of a family’s financial plan. You don’t have to track every dollar coming in and out but having a detailed breakdown on where your money is being spent is necessary in putting together a plan. This simple Expense Planner can serve as a guideline in starting your budget. If you don’t have an accurate idea of where your money is being spent then you can’t know where you can cut back or afford to spend more if needed. Also, the budget is a great topic during a romantic dinner.
You will always want to have 4-6 months expenses saved up and accessible in case a job is lost or someone becomes disabled and cannot work. Having an accurate budget will help you determine how much money you should have liquid.
Insurance
You want to be sure you are sufficiently covered if anything ever happened. One terrible event could leave your family in a situation that may have been avoidable. Insurance is also something you want to take care of as soon as possible so you know the coverage is there if needed.
Health Insurance
Research the policies that are available to you and determine which option may be the most appropriate in your situation. It is important to know the medical needs of your family when making this decision.
Turning one spouse’s single coverage into family coverage is one of the more common ways people obtain coverage for a family. Insurance companies will usually only allow changes to policies through open enrollment or when a “qualifying event” occurs. Having a child is usually a qualifying event but this may only allow the child to be added to one’s coverage, not the spouse. If that is the case, the spouse will want to make sure they have their own coverage until they can be added to the family plan.
It is important to use the resources available to you and consult with your health insurance provider on the ins and outs. If neither spouse has coverage through work, the exchange can be a resource for information and an option to obtain coverage (https://www.healthcare.gov/).
Life Insurance
The majority of people will obtain Term Life Insurance as it is a cost effective way to cover the needs of your family. Life insurance policies have an extensive underwriting process so the sooner you start the sooner you will be covered if anything ever happened. How Much Life Insurance Do I Need?, is an article that may help answer the question regarding the amount of life insurance sufficient for you.
Disability Insurance
The probability of using disability insurance is likely more than that of life insurance. Like life insurance, there is usually a long underwriting process to obtain coverage. Disability insurance is important as it will provide income for your family if you were unable to work. Below are some terms that may be helpful when inquiring about these policies.
Own Occupation – means that insurance will turn on if you are unable to perform YOUR occupation. “Any Occupation” is usually cheaper but means that insurance will only turn on if you can prove you can’t do ANY job.
60% Monthly Income – this represents the amount of the benefit. In this example, you will receive 60% of your current income. It is likely not taxable so the net pay to you may be similar to your paycheck. You can obtain more or less but 60% monthly income is a common benefit amount.
90 Day Elimination Period – this means the benefit won’t start until 90 days of being disabled. This period can usually be longer or shorter.
Cost of Living or Inflation Rider – means the benefit amount will increase after a certain time period or as your salary increases.
Wills, POA’s, Health Proxies
These are important documents to have in place to avoid putting the weight of making difficult decisions on your loved ones. There are generic templates that will suffice for most people but it is starting the process that is usually the most difficult. “What Is The Process Of Setting Up A Will?, is an article that may help you start.
College Savings
The cost of higher education is increasing at a rapid rate and has become a financial burden on a lot of parents looking to pick up the tab for their kids. 529 accounts are a great way to start saving early. There are state tax benefits to parents in some states (including NYS) and if the money is spent on tuition, books, or room and board, the gain from the investments is tax free. Roth IRA’s are another investment vehicle that can be used for college but for someone to contribute to a Roth IRA they must have earned income. Therefore, a newborn wouldn’t be able to open a Roth IRA. Since the gain in 529’s is tax free if used for college, the earlier the dollars go into the account the longer they have to potentially earn income from the market.
529’s can also be opened by anyone, not just the parents. So if the child has a grandparent that likes buying savings bonds or a relative that keeps purchasing clothes the child will wear once, maybe have them contribute to a 529. The contribution would then be eligible for the tax deduction to the contributor if available in the state.
Below is a chart of the increasing college costs along with links to information on college planning.
About Rob……...
Hi, I’m Michael Ruger. I’m the managing partner of Greenbush Financial Group and the creator of the nationally recognized Money Smart Board blog . I created the blog because there are a lot of events in life that require important financial decisions. The goal is to help our readers avoid big financial missteps, discover financial solutions that they were not aware of, and to optimize their financial future.
There is a negative equity problem building within the U.S. auto industry. Negative equity is when you go to trade in your car for a new one but the outstanding balance on your car loan is GREATER than the value of your car. You have the option to either write a check for the remaining balance on the loan or “roll” the negative equity into your new car loan. More and more consumers are getting caught in this negative equity trap.
Establishing an emergency fund is an important step in achieving financial stability and growth. Not only does it help protect you when big expenses arise or when a spouse loses a job but it also helps keep your other financial goals on track.
Before you gift assets to your children make sure you fully understand the Kiddie Tax rule and other pitfalls associated with making gift to your children……….
When you have a large cash reserve, should you take that opportunity to pay down debt or should you invest it? The answer is “it depends”.
It depends on: ….
How much will the cost of your car insurance increase once you add a teenager to your policy. Here are a few strategies for reducing the cost……
A very common question that we frequently receive from clients is “If I want to make a cash gift to my kids, do I have to pay gift taxes?” The answer to that question depends on number of items such as: The amount of the gift
When you sell your primary residence, and meet certain requirements, you may be able to exclude all or a portion of your capital gain in the property from taxes. In this article, I am going to cover the $250,000
When a family member has a health event that requires them to enter a nursing home or need full-time home health care, it can be an extremely stressful financial event for their spouse, children, grandchildren, or caretaker
When we are assisting clients in building their personal financial plan, inevitably one of the most frequent questions that comes up is: “How much life insurance should I have?”
Due to the rapid rise in the unemployment rate as a result of the Coronavirus, Congress passed the CARES Act which includes a provision that provides mortgage relief to homeowners that have federally-backed mortgages.
The U.S. Senate recently passed the CARES Act which was put in place to help stabilize the economy in the wake of the Coronavirus containment efforts. One of the key items in the bill are the stimulus checks that the IRS will issue to
New parents have even more to be excited about in 2020. On December 19, 2019, Congress passed the SECURE Act, which now allows parents to withdraw up to $5,000 out of their IRA’s or 401(k) plans following the birth of their child
As a young professional, your most valuable asset is your career. While you can watch endless videos on the benefits of making Roth IRA contributions or owning real estate, at the end of the day if you're making $400,000 instead of
As a financial planner, clients will frequently ask me the following question, “Should I apply extra money toward my mortgage and pay it off early?”. The answer depends on several factors such as:
The tax rules are different depending on the type of assets that you inherit. If you inherit a house, you may or may not have a tax liability when you go to sell it. This will largely depend on whose name was on the deed when the house was passed to you. There are also special exceptions that come into play if the house is owned by a trust, or if it was gifted
If you watched the nightly news during the latest government shutdown you would have seen stories about how people struggle when they aren’t getting a paycheck. Most Americans are not immune to having a set back at a job and it is a scary feeling to not know when the next paycheck will come. The emergency fund is what will help you bridge the
Parents always want their children to succeed financially so they do everything they can to set them up for a good future. One of the options for parents is to set up a Roth IRA and we have a lot of parents that ask us if they are allowed to establish one on behalf of their son or daughter. You can, as long as they have earned income. This can be a
If you were planning on moving this year to take a new position with a new company or even a new position within your current employer, the moving process just got a little more expensive. Not only is it expensive, but it can put you under an intense amount of stress as there will be lots of things that you need to have in place before packing up and
As a result of tax reform, the IRS released the new income tax withholding tables in January and your employer probably entered those new withholding amounts into the payroll system in February. It was estimated that about 90% of taxpayers would see an increase in their take home pay once the new withholding tables were implemented.
With total student loan debt in the United States approaching $1.4 Trillion dollars, I seem to be having this conversation more and more with clients. There has been a lot of speculation between president obama and student loans, but student loan debt is still piling up. The amount of student loan debt is piling up and it's putting the next generation of
Whether you're currently married or not, the new tax legislation may impact how the "Marriage Penalty" affects you. Never heard of such a thing? Let's take a look at a simple example and show how it may be different under the new tax regulation.
There is great news for parents in the middle to upper income tax brackets in 2018. The new tax law dramatically increased the income phaseout threshold for claiming the child tax credit. In 2017, parents were eligible for a $1,000 tax credit for each child under the age of 17 as long as their adjusted gross income (“AGI”) was below $75,000 for single
U.S taxpayers have a big reason to celebrate this week. By the end of February, you should see your paycheck increase. The government released the new payroll withholding tables this week which will lower the amount of taxes withheld from your paycheck and increase your take home pay. Naturally the next question is "How much will my paycheck go
It's not a secret to anyone at this point that the new tax bill is going to inflict some pain on the U.S. housing market in 2018. The questions that most homeowners and real estate investors are asking is: "How much are home prices likely to decrease within the next year due to the tax changes?" The new $10,000 limitation on SALT deductions, the lower
The answer............it depends. It depends on what you used or are going to use the home equity loan for. Up until the end of 2017, borrowers could deduct interest on home equity loans or homes equity lines of credit up to $100,000. Unfortunately, many homeowners will lose this deduction under the new tax law that takes effect January 1, 2018.
If you have children that are college-bound at some point you will begin the painful process of calculating how much college will cost for both you and them. However, you might be less worried about the financial aspects of your child going to college after viewing some of the Bloomsburg student apartments for rent on the market at the moment.
Make no mistake, your company retirement plan is at risk if the proposed tax reform is passed. But wait…..didn’t Trump tweet on October 23, 2017 that “there will be NO change to your 401(k)”? He did tweet that, however, while the tax reform might not directly alter the contribution limits to employer sponsored retirement plans, the new tax rates
If your child graduates from college and you are fortunate enough to still have a balance in their 529 college savings account, what are your options for the remaining balance? There are basically 5 options for the money left over in college 529 plans.
Equifax, a credit agency, had a data breach that resulted in an estimated 143 million people having their personal information compromised. Surprisingly enough, the greatest risk is right not now but rather a few months down the road. After your data is stolen, your information is sold on the black market, and then the bad guys figure out how they
Avoid These 1099 “Employee” Pitfalls
As financial planners we are seeing more and more individuals, especially in the software development and technology space, hired by companies as “1099 employees”. “1099 employees” is an ironic statement because if a company is paying you via a 1099 technically you are not an “employee” you are a self-employed sub-contractor. It’s like having
As financial planners we are seeing more and more individuals, especially in the software development and technology space, hired by companies as “1099 employees”. “1099 employees” is an ironic statement because if a company is paying you via a 1099 technically you are not an “employee” you are a self-employed sub-contractor. It’s like having your own separate company and the company that you work for is your “client”.
There are advantages to the employer to pay you as a 1099 sub-contractor as opposed to a W2 employee. When you are a W2 employee they may have to provide you with health benefits, the company has to pay payroll taxes on your wages, there may be paid time off, you may qualify for unemployment benefits if you are fired, eligibility for retirement plans, they have to put you on payroll, pay works compensation insurance, and more. Basically companies have a lot of expenses associated with you being a W2 employee that does not show up in your paycheck.
To avoid all of these added expenses the employer may decide to pay you as a 1099 “employee”. Remember, if you are a 1099 employee you are “self-employed”. Here are the most common mistakes that we see new 1099 employees make:
Making estimated tax payments throughout the year
This is the most common error. When you are a W2 employee, it’s the responsibility of the employer to withhold federal and state income tax from your paycheck. When you are a 1099 sub-contractor, you are not an employee, so they do not withhold taxes from your compensation…………that is now YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. Most 1099 individuals have to make what is called “estimated tax payments” four times a year which are based on either your estimated income for the year or 110% of the previous year’s income. Best advice……..if 1099 income is new for you, setup a consultation with an accountant. They will walk you through tax withholding requirements, tax deductions, tax filing forms, etc. It’s very difficult to get everything right using Turbo Tax when you are a self-employed individual.
Tracking mileage and expenses throughout the year
Since you are self-employed you need to keep track of your expenses including mileage which can be used as deductions against your income when you file your tax return. Again, we recommend that you meet with a tax professional to determine what you do and do not need to track throughout the year.
The tax return is prepared incorrectly
No one wants a love letter from the IRS. Those letters usually come with taxes due, penalties, and a “guilty until proven innocent” approach. There may be additional “schedules” that you need to file with your tax return now that you are self-employed. The tax schedules detail your self-employment income, deductions, estimated tax payments, and other material items.
Important rule, do not cut corners by reducing the gross amount of your 1099 income. This is a big red flag that is easy for the IRS to catch. The company that issued the 1099 to you usually reports that 1099 payment to the IRS with your social security number or the Tax ID number of your self-employment entity. The IRS through an automated system can run your social security number or tax ID to cross check the 1099 payment and 1099 income to make sure it was reported.
Legal protection
As a 1099 sub-contractor, you have to consider the liability that could arise from the services that you are providing to your “client” (your employer). As a self-employed individual, the company that you “work for” could sue you for any number of reasons and if you are operating the business under your social security number (which most are) your personal assets could be at risk if a lawsuit arises. Advice, talk to an attorney that is knowledgeable in business law to discuss whether or not setting up a corporate entity makes sense for your self-employment income to better protect yourself.
About Michael……...
Hi, I’m Michael Ruger. I’m the managing partner of Greenbush Financial Group and the creator of the nationally recognized Money Smart Board blog . I created the blog because there are a lot of events in life that require important financial decisions. The goal is to help our readers avoid big financial missteps, discover financial solutions that they were not aware of, and to optimize their financial future.
For business owners, selling the business is often the single most important financial transaction in their lifetime. Since this is such an important event, we created a video series that will guide business owners through the
It just keeps getting better for small business owners. On June 17, 2020, the SBA released the updated PPP Forgiveness Application. In addition to making the forgiveness application easier to complete, the new application
On June 3, 2020, Congress passed the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act which provided much needed relief to many businesses that were trying to qualify for full forgiveness of their SBA PPP Loan
With the passing of the CARES Act, Congress made new distribution and loan options available within 401(k) plans, IRA’s, and other types of employer sponsored plans.
On March 27, 2020, Congress officially passed the CARES Act which includes the SBA Paycheck Protection Program. This program offers loans to small businesses that can be forgiven if certain conditions are met.
The Coronavirus containment efforts have put a lot of small businesses in a very difficult situation. Some businesses have been forced to shut down altogether, while other businesses are working at a reduced capacity. To help
One of the most challenging aspects of starting a new business is finding the capital that is needed to support your expenses as you begin to build up a revenue stream since it’s not always easy to ask friends and family for money to invest in a startup business. Luckily, for new entrepreneurs, there are some little-known ways on how you can use
There is a little known change that was included in tax reform that will potentially have a big impact on business owners. The new tax laws that went into effect on January 1, 2018 placed stricter limits on the ability to deduct expenses associated with entertainment and business meals. Many of the entertainment expenses that businesses
Now that small business owners have the 20% deduction available for their pass-through income in 2018, as a business owner, you will need to begin to position your business to take full advantage of the new tax deduction. However, the Qualified Business Income ("QBI") deduction has taxable income thresholds. Once the owner's personal taxable
Tax reform will change the way rental income is taxed to landlords beginning in 2018. Under current law, rental income is classified as "passive income" and that income simply passes through to the owner's personal tax return and they pay ordinary income tax on it. Beginning in 2018, rental income will be eligible to receive the same preferential tax
While one of the most significant changes incorporated in the new legislation was reducing the corporate tax rate from the current 35% rate to a 21% rate in 2018, the tax bill also contains a big tax break for small business owners. Unlike large corporations that are taxed at a flat rate, most small businesses, are "pass-through" entities, meaning that the
The conference version of the tax bill was released on Friday. The House and the Senate will be voting to approve the updated tax bill this week with what seems to be wide spread support from the Republican party which is all they need to sign the bill into law before Christmas. Most of the changes will not take effect until 2018 with new tax rates for
Buying a company is an exciting experience. However, many companies during a merger or acquisition fail to address the issues surrounding the seller’s retirement plan which can come back to haunt the buyer in a big way. I completely understand why this happens. Purchase price, valuations, tax issues, terms, holdbacks, and new employment
The Republicans are in a tough situation. There is a tremendous amount of pressure on them to get tax reform done by the end of the year. This type of pressure can have ugly side effects. It’s similar to the Hail Mary play at the end of a football game. Everyone, including the quarterback, has their eyes fixed on the end zone but nobody realizes that no
A Single(k) plan is an employer sponsored retirement plan for owner only entities, meaning you have no full-time employees. These owner only entities get the benefits of having a full fledge 401(k) plan without the large administrative costs associated with traditional 401(k) plans.
In the world of executive compensation, there are a number of ways that a company can reward key employees. Although most companies are familiar with traditional deferred compensation plans, one of the lesser known options which is growing in popularity is called a “phantom stock plan”. Especially in small to mid-size companies.
As an owner of a small business myself, I’ve had a front row seat to the painful rise of health insurance premiums for our employees over the past decade. Like most of our clients, we evaluate our plan once a year and determine whether or not we should make a change. Everyone knows the game. After running on this hamster wheel for the
When you think of Research and Development (R&D) many people envision a chemistry lab or a high tech robotics company. It’s because of this thinking that millions of dollars of available tax credits for R&D go unused every year. R&D exists in virtually every industry and business owners need to start thinking about R&D in a different light because
As financial planners we are seeing more and more individuals, especially in the software development and technology space, hired by companies as “1099 employees”. “1099 employees” is an ironic statement because if a company is paying you via a 1099 technically you are not an “employee” you are a self-employed sub-contractor. It’s like having
Spousal IRA’s are one of the top tax tricks used by financial planners to help married couples reduce their tax bill. Here is how it works:
Starting your own business is an incredible achievement, and for most, your business will shape your life not only professionally but personally. That being said, setting up your business in the correct way and having the necessary pieces in place day one is extremely important.
Employer sponsored retirement plans are typically the single most valuable tool for business owner when attempting to:
Reduce their current tax liability
Attract and retain employees
Accumulate wealth for retirement
But with all of the different types of plans to choose from which one is the right one for your business? Most business owners are familiar with how 401(k) plans work but that might not be the right fit given variables such as:
Starting your own business can be an exciting and rewarding experience. It can offer numerous advantages such as being your own boss, setting your own schedule and making a living doing something you enjoy. But, becoming a successful entrepreneur requires thorough planning, creativity, and hard work. After making the decision to start your
Tax Secret: Spousal IRAs
Spousal IRA’s are one of the top tax tricks used by financial planners to help married couples reduce their tax bill. Here is how it works:
Spousal IRA’s are one of the top tax tricks used by financial planners to help married couples reduce their tax bill. Here is how it works:
In most cases you need “earned income” to be eligible to make a contribution to an Individual Retirement Account (“IRA”). The contribution limits for 2025 is the lesser of 100% of your AGI or $7,000 for individuals under the age of 50. If you are age 50 or older, you are eligible for the $1,000 catch-up making your limit $8,000.
There is an exception for “Spousal IRAs,” and there are two cases where this strategy works very well.
Case 1: One spouse works and the other spouse does not. The employed spouse is currently maxing out their contributions to their employer-sponsored retirement plan, and they are looking for other ways to reduce their income tax liability.
If the AGI (adjusted gross income) for that couple is below $236,000 in 2025, the employed spouse can make a contribution to a Spousal Traditional IRA up to the $7,000/$8,000 limit even though their spouse had no “earned income”. It should also be noted that a contribution can be made to either a Traditional IRA or Roth IRA but the contributions to the Roth IRA do not reduce the tax liability because they are made with after tax dollars.
Case 2: One spouse is over the age of 70 ½ and still working (part-time or full-time) while the other spouse is retired. IRA rules state that once you are age 70½ or older, you can no longer make contributions to a traditional IRA. However, if you are age 70½ or older BUT your spouse is under the age of 70½, you still can make a pre-tax contribution to a traditional IRA for your spouse.
Hi, I’m Michael Ruger. I’m the managing partner of Greenbush Financial Group and the creator of the nationally recognized Money Smart Board blog . I created the blog because there are a lot of events in life that require important financial decisions. The goal is to help our readers avoid big financial missteps, discover financial solutions that they were not aware of, and to optimize their financial future.
For business owners, selling the business is often the single most important financial transaction in their lifetime. Since this is such an important event, we created a video series that will guide business owners through the
It just keeps getting better for small business owners. On June 17, 2020, the SBA released the updated PPP Forgiveness Application. In addition to making the forgiveness application easier to complete, the new application
On June 3, 2020, Congress passed the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act which provided much needed relief to many businesses that were trying to qualify for full forgiveness of their SBA PPP Loan
With the passing of the CARES Act, Congress made new distribution and loan options available within 401(k) plans, IRA’s, and other types of employer sponsored plans.
On March 27, 2020, Congress officially passed the CARES Act which includes the SBA Paycheck Protection Program. This program offers loans to small businesses that can be forgiven if certain conditions are met.
The Coronavirus containment efforts have put a lot of small businesses in a very difficult situation. Some businesses have been forced to shut down altogether, while other businesses are working at a reduced capacity. To help
One of the most challenging aspects of starting a new business is finding the capital that is needed to support your expenses as you begin to build up a revenue stream since it’s not always easy to ask friends and family for money to invest in a startup business. Luckily, for new entrepreneurs, there are some little-known ways on how you can use
There is a little known change that was included in tax reform that will potentially have a big impact on business owners. The new tax laws that went into effect on January 1, 2018 placed stricter limits on the ability to deduct expenses associated with entertainment and business meals. Many of the entertainment expenses that businesses
Now that small business owners have the 20% deduction available for their pass-through income in 2018, as a business owner, you will need to begin to position your business to take full advantage of the new tax deduction. However, the Qualified Business Income ("QBI") deduction has taxable income thresholds. Once the owner's personal taxable
Tax reform will change the way rental income is taxed to landlords beginning in 2018. Under current law, rental income is classified as "passive income" and that income simply passes through to the owner's personal tax return and they pay ordinary income tax on it. Beginning in 2018, rental income will be eligible to receive the same preferential tax
While one of the most significant changes incorporated in the new legislation was reducing the corporate tax rate from the current 35% rate to a 21% rate in 2018, the tax bill also contains a big tax break for small business owners. Unlike large corporations that are taxed at a flat rate, most small businesses, are "pass-through" entities, meaning that the
The conference version of the tax bill was released on Friday. The House and the Senate will be voting to approve the updated tax bill this week with what seems to be wide spread support from the Republican party which is all they need to sign the bill into law before Christmas. Most of the changes will not take effect until 2018 with new tax rates for
Buying a company is an exciting experience. However, many companies during a merger or acquisition fail to address the issues surrounding the seller’s retirement plan which can come back to haunt the buyer in a big way. I completely understand why this happens. Purchase price, valuations, tax issues, terms, holdbacks, and new employment
The Republicans are in a tough situation. There is a tremendous amount of pressure on them to get tax reform done by the end of the year. This type of pressure can have ugly side effects. It’s similar to the Hail Mary play at the end of a football game. Everyone, including the quarterback, has their eyes fixed on the end zone but nobody realizes that no
A Single(k) plan is an employer sponsored retirement plan for owner only entities, meaning you have no full-time employees. These owner only entities get the benefits of having a full fledge 401(k) plan without the large administrative costs associated with traditional 401(k) plans.
In the world of executive compensation, there are a number of ways that a company can reward key employees. Although most companies are familiar with traditional deferred compensation plans, one of the lesser known options which is growing in popularity is called a “phantom stock plan”. Especially in small to mid-size companies.
As an owner of a small business myself, I’ve had a front row seat to the painful rise of health insurance premiums for our employees over the past decade. Like most of our clients, we evaluate our plan once a year and determine whether or not we should make a change. Everyone knows the game. After running on this hamster wheel for the
When you think of Research and Development (R&D) many people envision a chemistry lab or a high tech robotics company. It’s because of this thinking that millions of dollars of available tax credits for R&D go unused every year. R&D exists in virtually every industry and business owners need to start thinking about R&D in a different light because
As financial planners we are seeing more and more individuals, especially in the software development and technology space, hired by companies as “1099 employees”. “1099 employees” is an ironic statement because if a company is paying you via a 1099 technically you are not an “employee” you are a self-employed sub-contractor. It’s like having
Spousal IRA’s are one of the top tax tricks used by financial planners to help married couples reduce their tax bill. Here is how it works:
Starting your own business is an incredible achievement, and for most, your business will shape your life not only professionally but personally. That being said, setting up your business in the correct way and having the necessary pieces in place day one is extremely important.
Employer sponsored retirement plans are typically the single most valuable tool for business owner when attempting to:
Reduce their current tax liability
Attract and retain employees
Accumulate wealth for retirement
But with all of the different types of plans to choose from which one is the right one for your business? Most business owners are familiar with how 401(k) plans work but that might not be the right fit given variables such as:
Starting your own business can be an exciting and rewarding experience. It can offer numerous advantages such as being your own boss, setting your own schedule and making a living doing something you enjoy. But, becoming a successful entrepreneur requires thorough planning, creativity, and hard work. After making the decision to start your
Should I Buy Or Lease A Car?
This is one of the most common questions asked by our clients when they are looking for a new car. The answer depends on a number of factors:
How long do you typically keep your cars?
How many miles do you typically drive each year?
What do you want your down payment and monthly payment to be?
This is one of the most common questions asked by our clients when they are looking for a new car. The answer depends on a number of factors:
How long do you typically keep your cars?
How many miles do you typically drive each year?
What do you want your down payment and monthly payment to be?
We typically start off by asking how long clients usually keep their cars. If you are the type of person that trades in their car every 2 or 3 year for the new model, leasing a car is probably a better fit. If you typically keep your cars for 5 plus years, then buying a car outright is most likely the better option.
“How many miles do you drive each year?”
This is often times the trump card for deciding to buy instead of lease. Most leases allow you to drive about 12,000 miles per year but this varies from dealer to dealer. If you go over the mileage allowance there are typically sever penalties and it becomes very costly when you go to trade in the car at the end of the lease. We see younger individuals get caught in this trap because they tend to change jobs more frequently. They lease a car when they live 10 miles away from work but then they get a job offer from an employer that is 40 miles away from their house and the extra miles start piling on. When they go to trade in the car at the end of the lease they owe thousands of dollars due to the excess mileage.
We also ask clients how much they plan to put down on the car and what they want their monthly payments to be. If you think you can stay within the mileage allowance, a lease will more often require a lower down payment and have a lower monthly payment. Why? Because you are not “buying” the car. You are simply “borrowing” it from the dealership and your payments are based on the amount that the dealership expects the car to depreciate in value during the duration of the lease. When you buy a car……you own it……and at the end of the car loan you can sell it or continue to drive the car with no car payments.
About Michael……...
Hi, I’m Michael Ruger. I’m the managing partner of Greenbush Financial Group and the creator of the nationally recognized Money Smart Board blog . I created the blog because there are a lot of events in life that require important financial decisions. The goal is to help our readers avoid big financial missteps, discover financial solutions that they were not aware of, and to optimize their financial future.
There is a negative equity problem building within the U.S. auto industry. Negative equity is when you go to trade in your car for a new one but the outstanding balance on your car loan is GREATER than the value of your car. You have the option to either write a check for the remaining balance on the loan or “roll” the negative equity into your new car loan. More and more consumers are getting caught in this negative equity trap.
Establishing an emergency fund is an important step in achieving financial stability and growth. Not only does it help protect you when big expenses arise or when a spouse loses a job but it also helps keep your other financial goals on track.
Before you gift assets to your children make sure you fully understand the Kiddie Tax rule and other pitfalls associated with making gift to your children……….
When you have a large cash reserve, should you take that opportunity to pay down debt or should you invest it? The answer is “it depends”.
It depends on: ….
How much will the cost of your car insurance increase once you add a teenager to your policy. Here are a few strategies for reducing the cost……
A very common question that we frequently receive from clients is “If I want to make a cash gift to my kids, do I have to pay gift taxes?” The answer to that question depends on number of items such as: The amount of the gift
When you sell your primary residence, and meet certain requirements, you may be able to exclude all or a portion of your capital gain in the property from taxes. In this article, I am going to cover the $250,000
When a family member has a health event that requires them to enter a nursing home or need full-time home health care, it can be an extremely stressful financial event for their spouse, children, grandchildren, or caretaker
When we are assisting clients in building their personal financial plan, inevitably one of the most frequent questions that comes up is: “How much life insurance should I have?”
Due to the rapid rise in the unemployment rate as a result of the Coronavirus, Congress passed the CARES Act which includes a provision that provides mortgage relief to homeowners that have federally-backed mortgages.
The U.S. Senate recently passed the CARES Act which was put in place to help stabilize the economy in the wake of the Coronavirus containment efforts. One of the key items in the bill are the stimulus checks that the IRS will issue to
New parents have even more to be excited about in 2020. On December 19, 2019, Congress passed the SECURE Act, which now allows parents to withdraw up to $5,000 out of their IRA’s or 401(k) plans following the birth of their child
As a young professional, your most valuable asset is your career. While you can watch endless videos on the benefits of making Roth IRA contributions or owning real estate, at the end of the day if you're making $400,000 instead of
As a financial planner, clients will frequently ask me the following question, “Should I apply extra money toward my mortgage and pay it off early?”. The answer depends on several factors such as:
The tax rules are different depending on the type of assets that you inherit. If you inherit a house, you may or may not have a tax liability when you go to sell it. This will largely depend on whose name was on the deed when the house was passed to you. There are also special exceptions that come into play if the house is owned by a trust, or if it was gifted
If you watched the nightly news during the latest government shutdown you would have seen stories about how people struggle when they aren’t getting a paycheck. Most Americans are not immune to having a set back at a job and it is a scary feeling to not know when the next paycheck will come. The emergency fund is what will help you bridge the
Parents always want their children to succeed financially so they do everything they can to set them up for a good future. One of the options for parents is to set up a Roth IRA and we have a lot of parents that ask us if they are allowed to establish one on behalf of their son or daughter. You can, as long as they have earned income. This can be a
If you were planning on moving this year to take a new position with a new company or even a new position within your current employer, the moving process just got a little more expensive. Not only is it expensive, but it can put you under an intense amount of stress as there will be lots of things that you need to have in place before packing up and
As a result of tax reform, the IRS released the new income tax withholding tables in January and your employer probably entered those new withholding amounts into the payroll system in February. It was estimated that about 90% of taxpayers would see an increase in their take home pay once the new withholding tables were implemented.
With total student loan debt in the United States approaching $1.4 Trillion dollars, I seem to be having this conversation more and more with clients. There has been a lot of speculation between president obama and student loans, but student loan debt is still piling up. The amount of student loan debt is piling up and it's putting the next generation of
Whether you're currently married or not, the new tax legislation may impact how the "Marriage Penalty" affects you. Never heard of such a thing? Let's take a look at a simple example and show how it may be different under the new tax regulation.
There is great news for parents in the middle to upper income tax brackets in 2018. The new tax law dramatically increased the income phaseout threshold for claiming the child tax credit. In 2017, parents were eligible for a $1,000 tax credit for each child under the age of 17 as long as their adjusted gross income (“AGI”) was below $75,000 for single
U.S taxpayers have a big reason to celebrate this week. By the end of February, you should see your paycheck increase. The government released the new payroll withholding tables this week which will lower the amount of taxes withheld from your paycheck and increase your take home pay. Naturally the next question is "How much will my paycheck go
It's not a secret to anyone at this point that the new tax bill is going to inflict some pain on the U.S. housing market in 2018. The questions that most homeowners and real estate investors are asking is: "How much are home prices likely to decrease within the next year due to the tax changes?" The new $10,000 limitation on SALT deductions, the lower
The answer............it depends. It depends on what you used or are going to use the home equity loan for. Up until the end of 2017, borrowers could deduct interest on home equity loans or homes equity lines of credit up to $100,000. Unfortunately, many homeowners will lose this deduction under the new tax law that takes effect January 1, 2018.
If you have children that are college-bound at some point you will begin the painful process of calculating how much college will cost for both you and them. However, you might be less worried about the financial aspects of your child going to college after viewing some of the Bloomsburg student apartments for rent on the market at the moment.
Make no mistake, your company retirement plan is at risk if the proposed tax reform is passed. But wait…..didn’t Trump tweet on October 23, 2017 that “there will be NO change to your 401(k)”? He did tweet that, however, while the tax reform might not directly alter the contribution limits to employer sponsored retirement plans, the new tax rates
If your child graduates from college and you are fortunate enough to still have a balance in their 529 college savings account, what are your options for the remaining balance? There are basically 5 options for the money left over in college 529 plans.
Equifax, a credit agency, had a data breach that resulted in an estimated 143 million people having their personal information compromised. Surprisingly enough, the greatest risk is right not now but rather a few months down the road. After your data is stolen, your information is sold on the black market, and then the bad guys figure out how they
NY Free Tuition - Facts and Myths
On April 9th New York State became the first state to adopt a free tuition program for public schools. The program was named the “Excelsior Scholarship” and it will take effect the 2017 – 2018 school year. It has left people with a lot of unanswered questions
On April 9th New York State became the first state to adopt a free tuition program for public schools. The program was named the “Excelsior Scholarship” and it will take effect the 2017 – 2018 school year. It has left people with a lot of unanswered questions
Do I qualify?
How much does it cover?
What’s the catch?
Can I move my finances around to qualify for the program?
This article was written to help people better understand some of the facts and myths surrounding the NY Free Tuition Program.
Who qualifies for free tuition?
It’s based on the student’s household income and it phases in over a three year period:
2017: $100,000
2018: $110,000
2019: $125,000
MYTH #1: “If I reduce my household income in 2017 to get under the $100,000 threshold, it will help my child qualify for the free tuition program for the 2017 – 2018 school year.” WRONG. The income “determination year” is the same determination year that is used for FASFA filing. FASFA changed the rules in 2016 to look back two years instead of one for purposes of qualifying for financial aid. Those same rules will apply to the NY Free Tuition Program. So for the 2017 – 2018 school year, the $100,000 free tuition threshold will apply to your income in 2015.
MYTH #2: “If I make contributions to my retirement plan it will help reduce my household income to qualify for the free tuition program.” WRONG. Again, the free tuition program will use the same income calculation that is used in the FASFA process so it is not as simple as just looking at the bottom line of your tax return. For FASFA, any contributions that are made to retirement plans are ADDED back into your income for purposes of determining your income for that “determination year”. So making big contributions to a retirement plan will not help you qualify for free tuition.
What does it cover?
MYTH #3: “As long as my income is below the income threshold my kids (or I) will go to college for free.” DEFINE “FREE”. The Excelsior Scholarship covers JUST tuition. It does not cover books, room and board, transportation, or other costs associated with going to college. Annual tuition at a four-year SUNY college is currently $6,470. Here are the total fees obtained directly from the SUNY.edu website:
Tuition: $6,470 Covered
Student Fee: $1,640 Not Covered
Room & Board: $12,590 Not Covered
Books & Supplies: $1,340 Not Covered
Personal Expenses: $1,560 Not Covered
Transportation: $1,080 Not Covered
Total Costs $24,680
When you do the math for a student living on campus, the “Free” tuition program only covers 26% of the total cost of attending college.
What’s the catch?
There are actually a few:
CATCH #1: After the student graduates from college they have to LIVE and WORK in NYS for at least the number of years that the free tuition was awarded to the student OTHERWISE the “free tuition” turns into a LOAN that will be required to be paid back. Example: A student receives the free tuition for four years, works in New York for two years, and then moves to Massachusetts for a new job. That student will have to pay back two years of the free tuition.
CATCH #2: The student must maintain a specified GPA or higher otherwise the “free tuition” turns into a LOAN. However, the GPA threshold has yet to be released.
CATCH #3: It’s only for FULL TIME students earning at least 30 credit hours every academic year. This could be a challenge for students that have to work in order to put themselves through college.
CATCH #4: This is a “Last Dollar Program” meaning that students have to go through the FASFA process and apply for all other types of financial aid and grants that are available before the Free Tuition Program kicks in.
CATCH #5: The free tuition program is only available for two and four year degrees obtained within that two or four year period of time. If it take the student five years to obtain their four year bachelor’s degree, only four of the five years is covered under the free tuition program.
Summary
There are many common misunderstandings associated with the NYS Free Tuition Program. In general, it’s our view that this new program is only going to make college “more affordable” for a small sliver of students were not previously covered under the traditional FASFA based financial aid. Given the rising cost of college and the complexity of the financial aid process it has never been more important than it is now for individuals to work with a professional that have an in depth knowledge of the financial aid process and college savings strategies to help better prepare your household for the expenses associated with paying for college.
About Michael……...
Hi, I’m Michael Ruger. I’m the managing partner of Greenbush Financial Group and the creator of the nationally recognized Money Smart Board blog . I created the blog because there are a lot of events in life that require important financial decisions. The goal is to help our readers avoid big financial missteps, discover financial solutions that they were not aware of, and to optimize their financial future.
The Big Beautiful Tax Bill introduced two worker-friendly provisions aimed at boosting take-home pay: tax-free tips and tax-free overtime pay.
The Big Beautiful Tax Bill has made headlines for reshaping major areas of the tax code but buried within the legislation is a sweeping overhaul of the federal student loan system, which will have long-term implications for both current and future borrowers.
Helping a family member pay for education? Make sure you're on the right side of the IRS.
Whether you're covering K–12 tuition, writing checks for college, or assisting with student loans after graduation, the tax treatment of those payments isn’t always intuitive. The IRS draws a clear line between direct tuition payments and student loan contributions—and crossing that line could mean triggering gift tax rules you didn’t anticipate.
When the Secure Act passed in 2019, a new option was opened up for excess balances left over in 529 accounts called a “Qualified Loan Repayment” option. This new 529 distribution option allows the owner of a 529 to distribute money from a 529 account to repay student loans for the beneficiary of the 529 account AND the beneficiary’s siblings. However, this distribution option is not available to everyone, and there are rules and limits associated with these new types of distributions.
With student loan payments set to restart in October 2023, the Biden Administration recently announced a new student loan income-based repayment plan called the SAVE Plan. Not only is the SAVE plan going to significantly lower the required monthly payment for both undergraduate and graduate student loans but there is also a 10-year to 25-year forgiveness period built into the new program. While the new SAVE program is superior in many ways when compared to the current student loan repayment options, it will not be the right fit for everyone.
Parents that are used to completing the FAFSA application for their children are in for a few big surprises starting in 2023. Not only is the FAFSA application being completely revamped but the FAFSA calculation itself is being changed which could result in substantially lower financial aid awards for many college-bound students.
While 529 college savings accounts seem relatively straightforward, there are a number of little-known facts about these accounts that can be used for advanced wealth planning, tax strategy, and avoiding common pitfalls when taking distributions from these college savings accounts.
With the passing of the Secure Act 2.0, starting in 2024, owners of 529 accounts will now have the ability to transfer up to $35,000 from their 529 college savings account directly to a Roth IRA for the beneficiary of the account. While on the surface, this would just seem like a fantastic new option for parents that have money leftover in 529 accounts for their children, it is potentially much more than that. In creating this new rule, the IRS may have inadvertently opened up a new way for high-income earners to move up to $35,000 into a Roth IRA, creating a new “backdoor Roth IRA contribution” strategy for high-income earners and their family members.
A 529 account owned by a grandparent is often considered one of the most effective ways to save for college for a grandchild. But in 2023, the rules are changing………
As the cost of college continues to rise, so does the financial stress that it puts on families trying to determine the optimal solution to pay for college. It’s never been more important for parents and family members of these students
When the new tax rules were implemented on January 1, 2018, a popular college savings vehicle that goes by the name of a “529 plan” received a boost. Prior to the new tax rules, 529 plans could only be used to pay for college. The new tax rules allow account owners to withdraw up to $10,000 per year per child for K – 12 public school, private school,
Included in the new tab bill were some changes to the tax treatment of 529 accounts and Coverdell IRA's. Traditionally, if you used the balance in the 529 account to pay for a "qualified expense", the earnings portion of the account was tax and penalty free which is the largest benefit to using a 529 account as a savings vehicle for college.So what's the
If you have children that are college-bound at some point you will begin the painful process of calculating how much college will cost for both you and them. However, you might be less worried about the financial aspects of your child going to college after viewing some of the Bloomsburg student apartments for rent on the market at the moment.
529 college savings accounts owned by the grandparents can be in a valuable benefit for a college bound grandchild. Since the accounts are owned by the grandparents it does not show up anywhere for financial aid purposes which allows the student to qualify for more financial aid. However, even though 529 account owned by the grandparents are
If your child graduates from college and you are fortunate enough to still have a balance in their 529 college savings account, what are your options for the remaining balance? There are basically 5 options for the money left over in college 529 plans.
Did you know that if you are resident of New York State there are tax deductions waiting for you in the form of a college savings account? As a resident of NYS you are allowed to take a NYS tax deduction for contributions to a NYS 529 Plan up to $5,000 for a single filer or $10,000 for married filing joint. These limits are hard dollar thresholds so it
On April 9th New York State became the first state to adopt a free tuition program for public schools. The program was named the “Excelsior Scholarship” and it will take effect the 2017 – 2018 school year. It has left people with a lot of unanswered questions
Our newsletter this quarter is dedicated to helping families plan for what has become a life-altering cost of paying for college. But do not fear, there are simple things you can do to boost your children's college fund. It is not news to anyone that over the past 30 years, the cost of college tuition and room & board at all levels has spun out of control.
Strategies to Save for Retirement with No Company Retirement Plan
The question, “How much do I need to retire?” has become a concern across generations rather than something that only those approaching retirement focus on. We wrote the article, How Much Money Do I Need To Save To Retire?, to help individuals answer this question. This article is meant to help create a strategy to reach that number. More
The question, “How much do I need to retire?” has become a concern across generations rather than something that only those approaching retirement focus on. But what if you, or in the case of married couples, your spouse, are not covered by an employer-sponsored retirement plan? In this article we are going to cover retirement savings strategies for individuals that may not be covered by an employer-sponsored retirement plan.
Married Filing Jointly - One Spouse Covered by Employer Sponsored Plan and is Not Maxing Out
A common strategy we use for clients when a covered spouse is not maxing out their deferrals is to increase the deferrals in the retirement plan and supplement income with the non-covered spouse’s salary. The limits for 401(k) deferrals in 2025 is $23,500 for individuals under 50, $31,000 for individuals 50-59 and 64+ and $34,750 for individuals 60-63. For example, if I am covered and only contribute $8,000 per year to my account and my spouse is not covered but has additional money to save for retirement, I could increase my deferrals up to the plan limits using the amount of additional money we have to save. This strategy is helpful as it allows for easier tracking of retirement accounts and the money is automatically deducted from payroll. Also, if you are contributing pre-tax dollars, this will decrease your tax liability.
Note: Payroll deferrals must be withheld from payroll by 12/31. If you owe money when you file your taxes in April, you would not be able to go back and increase your deferrals in your company plan for that tax year.
Married Filing Jointly - One Spouse Covered by Employer Sponsored Plan and is Maxing Out
If the covered spouse is maxing out at the high limits already, you may be able to save additional pre-tax dollars depending on your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI).
Below is the Traditional IRA Deductibility Table for 2025. This table shows how much individuals or married couples can earn and still deduct IRA contributions from their taxable income.
As shown in the chart, if you are married filing jointly and one spouse is covered, the couple can fully deduct IRA contributions to an account in the covered spouses name if AGI is less than $126,000 and can fully deduct IRA contributions to an account in the non-covered spouses name if AGI is less than $236,000. The Traditional IRA limits for 2025 are $7,000 if under 50 and $8,000 if 50+. These lower limits and income thresholds make contributing to company sponsor plans more attractive in most cases.
Single or Married Filing Jointly and Neither Spouse is Covered
If you (and your spouse if married filing joint) are not covered by an employer sponsored plan, you do not have an income threshold for contributing pre-tax dollars to a Traditional IRA. The only limitations you have relate to the amount you can contribute. These contribution limits for both Traditional and Roth IRA’s are $7,000 if under 50 and $8,000 if 50+. If married filing joint, each spouse can contribute up to these limits.
Unlike employer sponsored plans, your contributions to IRA’s can be made after 12/31 of that tax year as long as the contributions are in before you file your tax return.
About Rob……...
Hi, I’m Rob Mangold. I’m the Chief Operating Officer at Greenbush Financial Group and a contributor to the Money Smart Board blog. We created the blog to provide strategies that will help our readers personally , professionally, and financially. Our blog is meant to be a resource. If there are questions that you need answered, pleas feel free to join in on the discussion or contact me directly.
New York’s SECURE Choice program is changing how many employers must handle retirement benefits. If your business doesn’t currently offer a qualified retirement plan, you may be required to either register for SECURE Choice or implement an alternative plan option. In this article, we break down who must comply, key deadlines, and what employers should do now to avoid penalties and ensure employees have a retirement savings solution.
If you're a high-income executive, you’ve likely hit the contribution ceiling on your 401(k) or other qualified plans. So what’s next?
Enter the non-qualified deferred compensation (NQDC) plan—a tax deferral strategy designed for executives who want to save more for retirement beyond traditional limits.
IRS Issues Guidance on Mandatory 401(k) Roth Catch-up Starting in 2026
Starting January 1, 2026, high-income earners will face a significant shift in retirement savings rules due to the new Mandatory Roth Catch-Up Contribution requirement. If you earn more than $145,000 annually (indexed for inflation), your catch-up contributions to 401(k), 403(b), or 457 plans will now go directly to Roth, rather than pre-tax.
The IRS just released guidance in January 2025 regarding how the new mandatory Roth catch-up provisions will work for high-income earners. This article dives into everything you need to know!
Prior to 2025, it was very easy to explain to an employee what the maximum Simple IRA contribution was for that tax year. Starting in 2025, it will be anything but “Simple”. Thanks to the graduation implementation of the Secure Act 2.0, there are 4 different limits for Simple IRA employee deferrals that both employees and companies will need to be aware of.
Good news for 401(k) and 403(b) plan participants turning age 60 – 63 starting in 2025: there is now an enhanced employee catch-up contribution thanks to Secure Act 2.0 that passed back in 2022. For 2025, the employee contributions limits are as follows: Employee Deferral Limit $23,500, Age 50+ Catch-up Limit $7,500, and the New Age 60 – 63 Catch-up: $3,750.
When you separate service from an employer, you have to make decisions with regard to your 401K plan. It’s important to understand the pros and cons of each option while also understanding that the optimal solution often varies from person to person based on their financial situation and objectives. The four primary options are:
1) Leave it in the existing 401(k) plan
2) Rollover to an IRA
3) Rollover to your new employer’s 401(k) plan
4) Cash Distribution
While pre-tax contributions are typically the 401(k) contribution of choice for most high-income earners, there are a few situations where individuals with big incomes should make their deferrals contribution all in Roth dollars and forgo the immediate tax deduction.
A question I’m sure to address during employee retirement presentations is, “How Much Should I be Contributing?”. In this article, I will address some of the variables at play when coming up with your number and provide detail as to why two answers you will find searching the internet are so common.
Individuals who experience a hurricane, flood, wildfire, earthquake, or other type of natural disaster may be eligible to request a Qualified Disaster Recovery Distribution or loan from their 401(k) or IRA to assist financially with the recovery process. The passing of the Secure Act 2.0 opened up new distribution and loan options for individuals whose primary residence is in an area that has been officially declared a “Federal Disaster” area.
In the past, companies have been allowed to limit access to their 401(k) plan to just full-time employees but that is about to change starting in 2024. With the passing of the Secure Act, beginning in 2024, companies that sponsor 401(K) plans will be required to allow part-time employees to participate in their qualified retirement plans.
401(K) plans with over 100 eligible plan participants are considered “large plans” in the eyes of DOL and require an audit to be completed each year with the filing of their 5500. These audits can be costly, often ranging from $8,000 - $30,000 per year.
Starting in 2023, there is very good news for an estimated 20,000 401(k) plans that were previously subject to the 5500 audit requirement. Due to a recent change in the way that the DOL counts the number of plan participants for purposes of assessing a large plan filer status, many plans that were previously subject to a 401(k) audit, will no longer require a 5500 audit for plan year 2023 and beyond.
When Congress passed the Secure Act 2.0 in December 2022, they introduced new tax credits and enhanced old tax credits for startup 401(k) plans for plan years 2023 and beyond. There are now 3 different tax credits that are available, all in the same year, for startup 401(k) plans that now only help companies to subsidize the cost of sponsoring a retirement plan but also to offset employer contributions made to the employee to enhance a company’s overall benefits package.
Starting in 2026, individuals that make over $145,000 in wages will no longer be able to make pre-tax catch-up contributions to their employer-sponsored retirement plan. Instead, they will be forced to make catch-up contributions in Roth dollars which means that they will no longer receive a tax deduction for those contributions.
With the passage of the Secure Act 2.0, for the first time ever, starting in 2023, taxpayers will be allowed to make ROTH contributions to Simple IRAs. Prior to 2023, only pre-tax contributions were allowed to be made to Simple IRA plans.
It’s becoming more common for retirees to take on small self-employment gigs in retirement to generate some additional income and to stay mentally active and engaged. But, it should not be overlooked that this is a tremendous wealth-building opportunity if you know the right strategies. There are many, but in this article, we will focus on the “Solo(k) strategy
When an employee unexpectedly loses their job and needs access to cash to continue to pay their bills, it’s not uncommon for them to elect a cash distribution from their 401(K) account. Still, they may regret that decision when the tax bill shows up the following year and then they owe thousands of dollars to the IRS in taxes and penalties that they don’t have.
There are a number of pros and cons associated with taking a loan from your 401K plan. There are definitely situations where taking a 401(k) loan makes sense but there are also number of situations where it should be avoided.
There are income limits that can prevent you from taking a tax deduction for contributions to a Traditional IRA if you or your spouse are covered by a 401(k) but even if you can’t deduct the contribution to the IRA, there are tax strategies that you should consider
When you become eligible to participate in your employer’s 401(k), 403(b), or 457 plan, you will have to decide what type of contributions that you want to make to the plan.
DB/DC combo plans can allow business owners to contribute $100,000 to $300,000 pre-tax EACH YEAR which can save them tens of thousands of dollars in taxes.
With the passing of the CARES Act, Congress made new distribution and loan options available within 401(k) plans, IRA’s, and other types of employer sponsored plans.
New parents have even more to be excited about in 2020. On December 19, 2019, Congress passed the SECURE Act, which now allows parents to withdraw up to $5,000 out of their IRA’s or 401(k) plans following the birth of their child
Enrolling in a company retirement plan is usually the first step employees take to join the plan and it is important that the enrollment process be straight forward. There should also be a contact, i.e. an advisor (wink wink), who can guide the employees through the process if needed. Even with the most efficient enrollment process, there is a lot of
Given the downward spiral that GE has been in over the past year, we have received the same question over and over again from a number of GE employees and retirees: “If GE goes bankrupt, what happens to my pension?” While it's anyone’s guess what the future holds for GE, this is an important question that any employee with a pension should
For many savers, the objective of a retirement account is to accumulate assets while you are working and use those assets to pay for your expenses during retirement. While you are in the accumulation phase, assets are usually invested and hopefully earn a sufficient rate of return to meet your retirement goal. For the majority,
Before getting into the main objective of this article, let me briefly explain a Target Date Fund. Investopedia defines a target date fund as “a fund offered by an investment company that seeks to grow assets over a specified period of time for a targeted goal”. The specified period of time is typically the period until the date you “target” for retirement
While it probably seems odd that there is a connection between the government passing a budget and your 401(k) plan, this year there was. On February 9, 2018, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 was passed into law which ended the government shutdown by raising the debt ceiling for the next two years. However, also buried in the new law were
In the last 3 years, the number of lawsuits filed against colleges for excessive fees and compliance issues related to their 403(b) plans has increased exponentially. Here is a list of just some of the colleges that have had lawsuit brought against them by their 403(b) plan participants:
Not every company with employees should have a 401(k) plan. In many cases, a Simple IRA plan may be the best fit for a small business. These plans carry the following benefits
SEP stands for “Simplified Employee Pension”. The SEP IRA is one of the most common employer sponsored retirement plans used by sole proprietors and small businesses.
Changes to 2016 Tax Filing Deadlines
In 2015, a bill was passed that changed tax filing deadlines for certain IRS forms that will impact a lot of filers. Not only is it important to know the changes so you can prepare and file your return timely but to understand why the changes were made.
In 2015, a bill was passed that changed tax filing deadlines for certain IRS forms that will impact a lot of filers. Not only is it important to know the changes so you can prepare and file your return timely but to understand why the changes were made.
Summary of Changes
IRS Form Business Type Previous Deadline New Deadline
1065 Partnership April 15 March 15
1120C Corporation March 15 April 15
NOTE: The dates in the chart above are for companies with years ending 12/31. If a company has a different fiscal year, Partnerships will now file by the 15th day of the third month following year end and C Corporations will now file by the 15th day of the fourth month following year end.
Why the Changes?
The most practical reason for the change to filing deadlines is that individuals with partnership interests will now have a better opportunity to file their individual returns (Form 1040) without extending. Form K-1 provides information related to the activity of a Partnership at the level of each individual partner. For example, if I own 50% of a Partnership, my K-1 would show 50% of the income (or loss) generated, certain deductions, and any other activity needed for me to file my Form 1040. The issue with the previous Partnership return deadline of April 15th is that it coincided with the individual deadline. This resulted in partners of the company not receiving their K-1’s with sufficient time to file their personal return by April 15th. With Partnerships now having a deadline of March 15th, this will give individuals a month to receive their K-1 and file their personal return without having to extend.
The deadline for Form 1120, which is filed by C Corporations, was also changed with this bill. Where the Form 1065 deadline was cut back by a month, the Form 1120 was extended a month. C Corporations, for tax purposes, are treated similar to individuals whereas they pay taxes directly when they file their return. Partnerships are not taxed directly, rather the income or loss is passed through to each individual partner who recognizes the tax ramifications on their personal return. For this reason, the deadline for Form 1120 being extended a month has little impact, if any, on individuals. The change gives C Corporations more time to file without having to extend the return.
S Corporations are another common business type. The deadlines for S Corporation returns (Form 1120S) were not changed with this bill. S Corporations are similar to Partnerships in that K-1’s are distributed to owners and the income or loss generated is passed through to the individuals return. That being said, Form 1120S already has a due date of March 15th, the same as the new Partnership deadline.
Extension Deadlines
IRS Form Business Type Deadline
1040 Individual October 15
1065 Partnership September 15
1120 C Corporation September 15
1120S S Corporation September 15
Extension deadlines were not immediately changed with the passing of the bill. Although Partnerships previously had the same filing deadline as individuals, the deadline with the filing of an extension was a month before. This was necessary because if a Partnership did not have to file an extended return until October 15th, individuals with partnership interests wouldn’t have a choice but to file delinquent.
The one change to the extension chart above set to take place in 2026 is the C Corporation extension being changed to October 15th.
Summary
Overall, the changes appear to have improved the filing calendar. This may be a big adjustment for Partnerships that are used to the April 15th deadline as they will have one less month to get organized and file. For this reason, you may see an increase in 2016 Partnership extensions.
About Rob……...
Hi, I’m Rob Mangold. I’m the Chief Operating Officer at Greenbush Financial Group and a contributor to the Money Smart Board blog. We created the blog to provide strategies that will help our readers personally , professionally, and financially. Our blog is meant to be a resource. If there are questions that you need answered, pleas feel free to join in on the discussion or contact me directly.
If you inherited an IRA or other retirement account from a non-spouse after December 31, 2019, the SECURE Act’s 10-year rule may create a major tax event in 2030. Many beneficiaries don’t realize how much the account can grow during the 10-year window—potentially forcing large taxable withdrawals if they wait until the final year. In this article, we explain how the 10-year rule works, why 2030 is a high-risk tax year, and planning strategies that can reduce the tax hit long before the deadline arrives.
Trump Accounts are a new retirement savings vehicle created under the 2025 tax reform that allow parents, grandparents, and even employers to contribute up to $5,000 per year for a minor child — even if the child has no earned income. In this article, we explain how Trump Accounts work, contribution limits, tax rules, planning opportunities, and the key considerations to understand before opening one.
The IRS allows grandparents to give up to $19,000 per grandchild in 2025 without filing a gift tax return, and up to $13.99 million over their lifetime before any tax applies. Gifts are rarely taxable for recipients — but understanding Form 709, 529 plan rules, and tuition exemptions can help families transfer wealth efficiently and avoid IRS issues.
Even the most disciplined retirees can be caught off guard by hidden tax traps and penalties. Our analysis highlights five of the biggest “retirement gotchas” — including Social Security taxes, Medicare IRMAA surcharges, RMD penalties, the widow’s penalty, and state-level tax surprises. Learn how to anticipate these costs and plan smarter to preserve more of your retirement income.
Many people fund their donor-advised funds with cash, but gifting appreciated securities can be a smarter move. By donating stocks, mutual funds, or ETFs instead of cash, you can avoid capital gains tax and still claim a charitable deduction for the asset’s full market value. Our analysis at Greenbush Financial Group explains how this strategy can create a double tax benefit and help you give more efficiently.
Healthcare often becomes one of the largest and most underestimated retirement expenses. From Medicare premiums to prescription drugs and long-term care, this article from Greenbush Financial Group explains why healthcare planning is critical—and how to prepare before and after age 65.
Retirement doesn’t always simplify your taxes. With multiple income sources—Social Security, pensions, IRAs, brokerage accounts—comes added complexity and opportunity. This guide from Greenbush Financial Group explains how to manage taxes strategically and preserve more of your retirement income.
Hiring your child in your business can reduce family taxes and create powerful retirement savings opportunities. Greenbush Financial Group explains how payroll wages allow Roth IRA contributions, open the door to retirement plan participation, and provide long-term wealth benefits—while highlighting the rules and compliance concerns you need to know.
Missing a Required Minimum Distribution can feel overwhelming, but the rules have changed under SECURE Act 2.0. In this article, we explain how to correct a missed RMD, reduce IRS penalties, and file the right tax forms to stay compliant.
Missing a Required Minimum Distribution can feel overwhelming, but the rules have changed under SECURE Act 2.0. In this article, we explain how to correct a missed RMD, reduce IRS penalties, and file the right tax forms to stay compliant.
Social Security benefits can be taxable at the federal level—and in some states. Should you withhold taxes directly from your benefit or make quarterly estimated payments? This guide explains your options, deadlines, and strategies to avoid IRS penalties.
Self-employment taxes can catch new business owners off guard. Our step-by-step guide explains the 15.3% tax rate, quarterly deadlines, and strategies to avoid costly mistakes.
The recently passed Big Beautiful Tax Bill made headlines for raising the federal estate tax exemption and increasing the SALT deduction cap, but not all of the provisions were taxpayer-friendly. One particularly significant change that’s flying under the radar is the elimination of the 30% Residential Solar Tax Credit—a program that’s been central to the rise in home solar installations over the past decade.
The Big Beautiful Tax Bill that just passed is reshaping the tax landscape for many Americans, but one provision that stands out for retirees is the introduction of a new $6,000 senior tax deduction. This benefit, aimed at providing additional tax relief for older taxpayers, adds a generous layer of savings on top of the regular standard deduction and the existing age-based deduction.
Congress just passed the “Big Beautiful Tax Bill,” and one of the biggest changes is a major update to the SALT (State and Local Tax) deduction cap. Instead of being limited to $10,000, some taxpayers will now be eligible for a $40,000 SALT deduction — but only temporarily and only if certain income limits are met.
There was a lot of buzz surrounding the “Big Beautiful Tax Bill” recently signed into law, and while most headlines focused on the new $40,000 SALT deduction cap, a quieter but equally important victory came in the form of what didn’t make it into the final bill for the business owners of pass-through entities.
The Big Beautiful Tax Bill made waves with several high-profile tax changes, but surprisingly, very few changes were made to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Below we outline what made it into the final bill, what got removed, and what retirees—especially those on Medicare—need to know going forward.
The recently passed “Big Beautiful Tax Bill” includes sweeping changes to the tax code, but one provision that caught many by surprise is the elimination of the Electric Vehicle (EV) tax credit—a popular incentive for buyers of new, used, and commercial EVs.
The Big Beautiful Tax Bill that just passed includes several targeted tax updates that will impact households beginning in the 2025 tax year. One of the more widely applicable changes is a modest increase to the Child Tax Credit (CTC)—a benefit claimed by millions of families each year.
The recently passed Big Beautiful Tax Bill introduced a series of attention-grabbing tax changes but one provision could directly benefit millions of Americans is the creation of a new tax deduction for auto loan interest.
The newly enacted “Big Beautiful Tax Bill” includes a wide range of updates to the tax code, but one of the most impactful—and underreported—changes is the significant increase in the federal estate tax exemption. Under the new law, the federal estate tax exemption rises to $15 million per person, or $30 million for married couples with proper planning.
In this article, we break down when couples may face a marriage penalty—and when they might receive a marriage bonus. You'll see side-by-side income examples, learn how the 2026 sunset of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act could impact your future tax bill, and understand how marriage affects things like IRA eligibility, Social Security taxes, and student loan repayment plans.
As individuals approach retirement, they often ask the tax question, “If I were to move to a state that has no state income tax in retirement, would it allow me to avoid having to pay capital gains tax on the sale of my investments or a rental property?” The answer depends on a few variables.
When parents gift money to their kids, instead of having the money sit in a savings account, often parents will set up UTMA accounts at an investment firm to generate investment returns in the account that can be used by the child at a future date. Depending on the amount of the investment income, the child may be required to file a tax return.
When a business owner sells their business and is looking for a large tax deduction and has charitable intent, a common solution is setting up a private foundation to capture a large tax deduction. In this video, we will cover how foundations work, what is the minimum funding amount, the tax benefits, how the foundation is funded, and more…….
There is a little-known, very lucrative New York State Tax Credit that came into existence within the past few years for individuals who wish to make charitable donations to their SUNY college of choice through the SUNY Impact Foundation. The tax credit is so large that individuals who make a $10,000 donation to the SUNY Impact Foundation can receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit of $8,500 whether they take the standard deduction or itemize on their tax return. This results in a windfall of cash to pre-selected athletic programs and academic programs by the donor at their SUNY college of choice, with very little true out-of-pocket cost to the donors themselves once the tax credit is factored in.
It seems as though the likely outcome of the 2024 presidential elections will be a Trump win, and potentially full control of the Senate and House by the Republicans to complete the “full sweep”. As I write this article at 6am the day after election day, it looks like Trump will be president, the Senate will be controlled by the Republicans, and the House is too close to call. If the Republicans complete the full sweep, there is a higher probability that the tax law changes that Trump proposed on his campaign trail will be passed by Congress and signed into law as early as 2025.
Due to changes in the tax laws, fewer individuals are now able to capture a tax deduction for their charitable contributions. In an effort to recapture the tax deduction, more individuals are setting up Donor Advised Funds at Fidelity and Vanguard to take full advantage of the tax deduction associated with giving to a charity, church, college, or other not-for-profit organizations.
Self-employed individuals have a lot of options when it comes to deducting expenses for their vehicle to offset income from the business. In this video we are going to review:
1) What vehicle expenses can be deducted: Mileage, insurance, payments, registration, etc.
2) Business Use Percentage
3) Buying vs Leasing a Car Deduction Options
4) Mileage Deduction Calculation
5) How Depreciation and Bonus Depreciation Works
6) Depreciation recapture tax trap
7) Can you buy a Ferreri through the business and deduct it? (luxury cars)
8) Tax impact if you get into an accident and total the vehicle
Picking the right stocks to invest in is not an easy process but all too often I see retail investors make the mistake of narrowing their investment research to just stocks that pay dividends. This is a common mistake that investors make and, in this article, we are going to cover the total return approach versus the dividend payor approach to investing.