Recently, we've been hearing from people who have been enrolled in Social Security, seeing their taxes go up, and not understanding why. There are ways to keep more of your retirement income, but first, let’s look at how it can be taxed. We know that Social Security benefits aren’t tax-free. In fact, up to 85% of the benefits you receive each year could be subject to tax, depending on your household income. Moreover, 100% of your withdrawals from traditional IRAs and traditional 401(k)s will likely be considered taxable income. When making these withdrawals, we work closely with our clients to ensure they’re taking what they need but not enough to push them into the next tax bracket. We’ve recently encountered individuals who took advantage of high interest rates by putting their money in CDs or money market accounts. The interest on these is taxed at the same federal income tax rate as the money you receive from paid work, which is why people are seeing their income tax rates jump into the next bracket. That's why it's crucial to collaborate with a tax professional to develop a strategy to mitigate that sudden increase, just like we would with IRAs or 401(k)s. Furthermore, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 is set to sunset on Jan 1, 2026, which could exacerbate the problem further. When the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 ends, this means tax rates will revert to their previous higher levels. The act doubled the standard deduction and
Are you frustrated with your bank savings interest rates? We have a few options to get your money working harder for you. When it comes to building a robust and diversified investment portfolio, there's more to consider than just individual equities and real estate. CDs and bonds are often overlooked but can be invaluable assets in any investor's toolbox, especially at today’s historically high rates. Generally speaking, the S&P 500 return is 10% annually on average since 1957, according to Seeking Alpha1. But in a year with market uncertainty, constant volatility, and rising interest rates, a smaller return with reduced risk may be a preferable option to some. Because of elevated interest rates, there are both CDs and bonds that are paying in the 5.5%- 7.2% range2. And the Fed’s future path is uncertain – these rates may increase over time. CDs are fixed instruments, so any rate increase won’t affect those you hold now. But you can stagger your purchases and build a CD ladder, which allows you to layer new CDs at increasing rates so that you may be able to benefit from rising interest rates. This is possible because all CDs have a term – a fixed contract date – and different interest rates will be offered for different durations. CDs also have the advantage of being FDIC-insured up to $250,000. That brings us to our other strategy, bonds. The FDIC insura