At the end of 2025, portions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) are set to expire. Many changes will come with the sunsetting of many rules, including the possibility that federal estate and gift tax exemption levels will revert to pre-TCJA levels. What’s changing?1 Currently, you are subject to federal estate tax only if your individual estate is worth more than $13,610,000 for individuals or $27,220,000 for married couples. These levels are more than double those of pre-TCJA estate exemptions ($5,490,000 for individuals and $10,980,000 for married couples). If estate exceptions reve ..read more

As a parent, you are well aware of your responsibility in helping your children grow up happy and healthy. Once they enter their teen years, the pressure can build to impart more of your wisdom. One area you shouldn’t overlook is how to handle money. Helping your children develop basic financial skills is critical to preparing them for the decisions they may eventually make as they age. Laying a solid foundation in their formative years can help shape their lasting relationship with money. Money habits may not be taught in schools. If you think they will learn all they need to know in ..read more

As parents, we encourage our children to work, so they can learn important values about work and independence. At what point, if at all, do children need to file an income tax return for the money they earn? The IRS does not exempt anyone from the requirement to file a tax return based on age, even if your child is declared as a dependent on your tax return.1 Your dependent children must file a tax return when they earn above a certain amount of income. Dependent children with earned income in excess of $13,850 must file an income tax return (for the 2023 tax year). Dependent children wi ..read more

In the ever-evolving financial landscape, staying informed about the latest changes and potential implications for your retirement savings is crucial. Shifts in retirement regulations define 2024, and we’re committed to keeping our clients abreast of these developments. The SECURE Act 2.0, enacted in late 2022, has dozens of provisions to encourage more people to save through the workplace and other plans, to help boost retirement savings, and to urge small employers to offer retirement plans. Some of the provisions went into effect in 2023. Others start in 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027. While ..read more

With the start of the new year, we want to discuss a topic that will likely garner attention throughout 2024 – the potential sunsetting of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in 2025. Although some of the provisions within the Act are permanent, such as reducing the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, most individual tax changes are not. If Congress does not act to renew all or part of this law passed in 2017, there may be changes on the horizon for taxpayers.1 It’s important to remember that tax rules can change without notice, and there is no guarantee that the treatment of ce ..read more

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released new limits for certain retirement accounts for the coming year. Keep in mind that this update is for informational purposes only, so please consult with an accounting or tax professional before making any changes to your 2024 tax strategy. You can also contact your financial professional, who may be able to provide you with information about the pending changes. Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) Traditional IRA contribution limits are up $500 in 2024 to $7,000. Catch-up contributions for those over age 50 remain at $1,000, bringing the t ..read more

As we get ready to turn the page on 2023 and welcome the new year with all its possibilities, we’d like to take some time to reflect on the year that was—the notable events, trends, and developments that defined our economics, policy, business, and culture—and look a bit into the future to see what 2024 might bring. 2023 in Review Economy & Markets The economic picture in 2023 continued to be dominated by inflation and the Federal Reserve’s response to it. Inflation declined from 40-year highs but remained above the Fed’s 2% target. This led to more short-term interest rate hikes ..read more

Your Child is Turning 18: Handling Healthcare, Academics, and Finances Together As your child blows out the candles on their 18th birthday, you may still see your baby girl or boy. But in the eyes of the law your child is considered a legal adult in most states. This means they can vote, buy a lottery ticket, or get a tattoo without your permission. Even if you’ve prepared them for what life has in store, many young adults (and their parents) are surprised to learn the responsibilities they will assume independently, including managing their own healthcare, academics, and finances. Parent ..read more

Plenty of user-friendly technologies are on the market today for our older relatives and their caretakers. Here’s a list of currently available devices curated by helloEd that may help them. 1) Visual Clock & Reminder Visual clocks help with keeping track of the time, day, and date for people who have trouble keeping track of time and reading clock faces. Losing one’s sense of time can lead to confusion, anxiety, challenging behavior, and even anger. It can also cause people to forget to keep appointments, take medications, pay bills, and do other things that would help them maint ..read more

While we haven’t yet said goodbye to 2023, it’s not too early to begin thinking about any tax changes that may be on the horizon. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 was designed to overhaul the federal tax code by reforming individual and business taxes. As a result, sweeping tax changes lowered marginal tax rates and the cost of capital. Although some of these provisions are permanent, most of the individual tax changes are not. Unless Congress acts, many of the changes implemented are scheduled to “sunset” on December 31, 2025. At that time, rates will revert to pre-2017 levels. K ..read more