Financial Planning, Financial Tips
Edward Leach
The Dependent Care FSA – An Overlooked Benefit ...

In talking with clients about the benefits their employer provides during the open enrollment season, one often overlooked benefit if clients have dependents is the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA).

The Dependent Care FSA – An Overlooked Benefit During Open Enrollment Season
Financial Planning, Financial Tips, Healthcare, Investments, Life Planning, Savings
Edward Leach
3 Reasons Every High Net-Worth Family Should ...

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are not only a savvy investment option but also offer numerous benefits, especially for high-net-worth families. An HSA is a tax-advantaged savings account designed for individuals with high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) to help cover out-of-pocket medical expenses. While the utility of HSAs is universal, they hold advantages for high-net-worth families and have steadily grown in popularity since their inception.

3 Reasons Every High Net-Worth Family Should Fund a Health Savings Account
Financial Planning, Financial Tips, Investments, Savings
Joey Casolaro, CFP®
How Money Can Buy Happiness (Part 2)

Earlier this year, I explained two principles you can follow to obtain the most happiness from your spending https://www.highlandplanning.com/learning-center-1/how-money-can-buy-happiness-part-1. In today’s article, I will cover three more concepts that can help bring more joy in your life with your spending. Below are the five principles outlined in the book Happy Money.

How Money Can Buy Happiness (Part 2)
Financial Planning
AnnaMarie Mock, CFP®
Remember to Review and Update Your Estate Plan

In a previous article titled “The Estate Planning Essentials”, I identified the documents needed for a comprehensive estate plan. Although this can be a morbid topic most want to avoid thinking about, reviewing the documents not only ensures your financial legacy is passed in accordance with your wishes as smoothly as possible but guides your agent to ensure your medical and financial wishes are addressed. So, how often should you review your estate planning documents?

Remember to Review and Update Your Estate Plan

Taxes

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Donating Appreciated Stock and Equity Compensation to Reduce Taxes

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Donating Appreciated Stock and Equity Compensation to Reduce Taxes

As we’re in the throes of tax season, you may be surprised by the potential tax liability you face. In the realm of tax planning, savvy investors are always on the lookout for strategies to minimize their tax burden while maximizing their charitable contributions. One such strategy gaining traction is donating appreciated stock, funds, and equity compensation. By strategically leveraging these assets for charitable giving, individuals can support causes they care about and reduce their tax liability meaningfully.

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Demystifying Backdoor Roth IRA Contributions: Answering the Top FAQs

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Demystifying Backdoor Roth IRA Contributions: Answering the Top FAQs

As the April 15th tax filing deadline rapidly approaches, so does the 2023 Roth IRA contribution deadline. Roth IRAs are among the most efficient yet under-utilized retirement saving strategies. By saving after-tax money in a retirement account, individuals can enjoy tax-free investment growth and distributions in retirement.

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A Tax Tale: The Story of Reporting Income Taxes From Stock Compensation

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A Tax Tale: The Story of Reporting Income Taxes From Stock Compensation

Sarah, a savvy pharmaceutical executive, has accumulated Non-Qualified Stock Options (NQSOs) and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) as part of her compensation package. Sarah had always been meticulous with her finances and records of her stock option grants, exercise dates, and the fair market values at the time of exercise. As her stock compensation vested over the years, she knew proper tax reporting was crucial to avoid any IRS headaches.  

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Using Roth Conversions Between Retirement and Age 73 to Reduce Future RMDs

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Using Roth Conversions Between Retirement and Age 73 to Reduce Future RMDs

A Roth conversion is a financial maneuver where you convert funds from a traditional Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or 401(k) into a Roth IRA. This process involves paying taxes on the converted amount, as traditional IRA/401(k) contributions are typically made with pre-tax dollars, and Roth IRA contributions are made with after-tax dollars.

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Year-End Tax Planning Strategies

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Year-End Tax Planning Strategies

As the year draws to a close, it's the perfect time to look at your finances and implement year-end tax planning strategies. With careful planning, you can optimize your tax situation, reduce your tax liability, and save more money for the future. In this article, we'll explore various tax planning strategies that individuals and families can consider to maximize their financial situation before the year-end.

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Three Questions Answered Regarding your Company's Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)

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Three Questions Answered Regarding your Company's Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)

A Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) is a form of compensation that some companies use to reward their employees. RSUs represent a promise to give an employee a certain number of shares of company stock at a future date, typically once certain conditions are met, such as a specified vesting period or performance goals. RSUs are a common form of equity-based compensation used in publicly traded and private companies.

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The Pass-Through Entity Tax

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The Pass-Through Entity Tax

The "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" (TCJA) of 2017 brought a significant shift in the taxation landscape for individuals and businesses. One of the changes was the $10,000 cap on deductions for state and local taxes (SALT). This limit impacted the tax strategy of many high-tax states, pushing them to find ways to mitigate the impact of this cap on their taxpayers.

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Solar Energy Tax Incentives: What's New for 2023?

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Solar Energy Tax Incentives: What's New for 2023?

According to the Department of Energy's SETO (Solar Energy Technologies Office), provisions included in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will reduce the cost of installing rooftop solar by an average of $7,500, with taxpayers expected to realize an additional average savings of $9,000 on their electricity bills over the system's life.

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Time Running Out for N.J. Homeowner and Renter Property Tax Relief

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Time Running Out for N.J. Homeowner and Renter Property Tax Relief

Depending on the list, sometimes being ranked #1 is where you want to be, and sometimes it’s not.

For example, New Jersey ranks #1 in education according to U.S. News and World Report. The Garden State also ranked #1 as the 2021 best state to live in (barely getting beat out by Massachusetts in 2022, boo!), #1 in most Revolutionary War battles in a single state, and #1 in the number of dentists per 100,000 residents.

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Using The Scientific Method for Financial Planning – Equity Compensation

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Using The Scientific Method for Financial Planning – Equity Compensation

Leonardo DaVinci wisely said, "Study the science of art. Study the art of science. Realize that everything connects to everything else." Financial planning integrates art and science through a dynamic process. The art is subjective and experienced while exploring goals and aspirations and making decisions. The science is objective and visible in the tools to develop projections analysis.

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New Tax Law Impacting Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) Starting in 2022

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New Tax Law Impacting Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) Starting in 2022

As the well-known saying goes, nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes. The idea of taxation can be traced back to 3000-2800 BC when the first known taxation system took place in Ancient Egypt. Since then, there have been many changes and additions to the tax laws, with one point remaining certain; no one wants to receive a large tax bill that they weren't expecting.

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3 Tax Blind Spots for Newly Independent Women

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3 Tax Blind Spots for Newly Independent Women

For many newly independent women, taxes are not necessarily at the top of their priority list when we start discussing their financial situation. Whether it is the loss of a spouse or just having gone through a divorce, making sure they and their children will be ok is the primary goal.

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Crash Course on NQSOs and Taxes

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Crash Course on NQSOs and Taxes

As we head into the throes of tax season, investors will be getting a slew of tax documents to report on their tax returns. Tax filing can be complicated even further by adding equity compensation into the equation because there can be (1) multiple tax reporting forms for one transaction, (2) different tax treatments based on the type of compensation (3) specific rules for varying strategies.

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Understanding Your W-4 Tax Form

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Understanding Your W-4 Tax Form

Benjamin Franklin wisely observed that “nothing can be said to be certain, except for death and taxes”. Centuries later, this still rings true. Most earned income will be subject to taxes and tax withholding as determined by Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate. Form W-4 is an IRS form you, as an employee, complete directing your employer on the amount of pay to withhold from every paycheck for federal taxes. Accurately completing your W-4 is beneficial to you because it can prevent overpayment of your taxes, putting more money in your pocket. It can, also, avoid underpayment of your taxes, which ensures that there will be no unexpected tax bill or penalty due.

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Changes to the AMT as a Result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017

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Changes to the AMT as a Result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017

The changes made to the tax code by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 are now being felt full fledge, and despite early fears, some filers have been pleasantly surprised by their tax returns for 2018. Historically, one of the more loathsome tax rules over the years was the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) which disproportionately impacted earners in the Northeast and West Coast where wages and cost of living are higher.  In 2018, the rules around AMT have changed increasing the amount of income you must earn to be impacted by the tax.

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