Life insurance can serve many valuable purposes. However, later in life — when your children have grown, you’ve retired, or you’ve paid off your mortgage — you may think you no longer need to keep your coverage, or perhaps your coverage has become too expensive. You might be tempted to abandon the policy or surrender your life insurance coverage, but there are other alternatives to consider.
Term vs. Perm
If you have term life insurance, you generally will receive nothing if you surrender the policy or let it lapse by not paying the premiums. However, depending on your age, your health status, and the time left in the term, you may be able to extend the coverage or convert the policy to a permanent policy. The rules for extension and conversion vary by policy and company.
On the other hand, if you own permanent life insurance, the policy may have a cash surrender value (CSV), which you can receive upon surrendering the insurance. If you surrender your cash value life insurance policy, any gain resulting from the surrender (generally, the excess of your CSV over the cumulative amount of premiums paid) will be subject to federal and possibly state income tax. Also, surrendering your policy prematurely may result in surrender charges, which can reduce your CSV.
Exchange the Old Policy
Another option is to exchange your existing permanent life insurance policy for either a new life insurance policy or another type of insurance product. Under the federal tax code, this is known as an IRC Section 1035 exchange.
The exchange must be made directly between the insurance company that issued the old policy and the company issuing the new policy or contract. The rules governing 1035 exchanges are complex, and you may incur surrender charges from your current life insurance policy. In addition, you may be subject to new sales, mortality, expense, and surrender charges for the new policy.
Here are some options for a 1035 exchange.
Lower the premium
If the premium cost of your current life insurance policy is an issue, you may be able to lower the premium by reducing the death benefit, which would not require an exchange. Or you can try to exchange your current policy for a policy with a lower premium cost. However, it’s possible that you may not qualify for a new policy because of your age, health problems, or other reasons.
Why Buy Life Insurance?
Although life insurance has traditionally been viewed as a way to replace income after the death of a wage earner, consumers are more likely to give other reasons for purchasing coverage.
Create an income stream. You may be able to exchange the CSV of a permanent life insurance policy for an immediate annuity, which can provide a stream of income for a specific period of time or for the rest of your life. Each annuity payment will be apportioned between taxable gain and nontaxable return of capital. You should be aware that by exchanging the CSV for an annuity, you will be giving up the death benefit, and annuity contracts generally have fees and expenses, limitations, exclusions, and termination provisions. Also, any annuity guarantees are contingent on the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company.
Provide for long-term care. Another option is to exchange your life insurance policy for a tax-qualified long-term care insurance (LTCI) policy. Any taxable gain in the CSV is deferred in the long-term care policy, and benefits paid from the tax-qualified LTCI policy are received tax-free. Keep in mind that if an LTCI policy does not accept lump-sum premium payments, you would have to make several partial exchanges from the CSV of your existing life insurance policy to the LTCI policy provider to cover the annual premium cost. A complete statement of coverage, including exclusions, exceptions, and limitations, is found only in the policy. Carriers have the discretion to raise their rates and remove their products from the marketplace.
Whatever option you choose, it may be wise to leverage any cash value in your unwanted life insurance policy to meet other financial needs.
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES
The information presented here is not specific to any individual’s personal circumstances. To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on his or her individual circumstances. These materials are provided for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable—we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice.
Securities and investment advice offered through Investment Planners, Inc. (Member FINRA/SIPC) and IPI Wealth Management, Inc., 226 W. Eldorado Street, Decatur, IL 62522. 217-425-6340.
A couple of federal personal tax credits are available for the installation of certain energy efficient or clean energy property in your home. The energy efficient home improvement credit is available for qualifying expenditures incurred for an existing home or for an addition to or renovation of an existing home, but not for a newly constructed home. The residential clean energy property credit is available for qualifying expenditures incurred for either an existing home or a newly constructed home. For both credits, the home must be located in the United States and used as a residence by the taxpayer.
Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit
The energy efficient home improvement credit is equal to 30% of the sum of amounts paid by the taxpayer for certain qualified expenditures. There are limits on the allowable annual credit and on the amount of credit for certain types of qualified expenditures. The maximum annual credit amount may be up to $3,200.
An annual $1,200 aggregate credit limit applies to all building envelope components, energy property, and home energy audits (30% of costs up to $150 for such audits). Building envelope components include exterior doors (30% of costs up to $250 per door, up to a total of $500); exterior windows and skylights (30% of costs up to $600); and insulation materials or systems and air sealing materials or systems (30% of costs). Energy property (30% of costs, including labor, up to $600 for each item) includes central air conditioners; natural gas, propane, or oil water heaters, furnaces, and hot water boilers; and certain other improvements or replacements installed in connection with building envelope components or other energy property.
A separate annual $2,000 aggregate credit limit (30% of costs, including labor) applies to electric or natural gas heat pump water heaters; electric or natural gas heat pumps; and biomass stoves and boilers.
The credit is not available after 2032.
Residential Clean Energy Property Credit
A 30% credit is available for certain qualified expenditures made by a taxpayer for residential clean energy property. This includes expenditures for solar panels, solar water heaters, fuel cell property, wind turbines, geothermal heat pump property, battery storage technology, and labor costs allocable to such property.
There is no overall dollar limit for this credit. For qualified fuel cell property, there is a general credit limit of $500 for each half kilowatt of capacity. The credit is reduced to 26% for property placed in service in 2033, 22% for property placed in service in 2034, and no credit is available for property placed in service after 2034.
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES
The information presented here is not specific to any individual’s personal circumstances. To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on his or her individual circumstances. These materials are provided for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable—we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice.
Securities and investment advice offered through Investment Planners, Inc. (Member FINRA/SIPC) and IPI Wealth Management, Inc., 226 W. Eldorado Street, Decatur, IL 62522. 217-425-6340.
If you are still working and contributing to an Employer Sponsored Retirement plan, this may apply to you. Passed in December 2022, this act includes several mandatory and optional retirement provisions that may impact your 401(k) plan(s). SECURE 2.0 represents an important step forward in helping American workers achieve retirement security.
What you need to know: The age-50 catch-up contributions must now be made inside the Roth side of a plan, for participants who exceed the compensation threshold.
This provision is mandatory for plans that allow age-50 catch-up contributions. (Note: The special catch-up provisions available to 403(b) and 457(b) plans are not impacted by SECURE 2.0.) • Beginning January 1, 2024, plans that allow age-50 catch-up contributions are required to make those catch-up contributions as Roth contributions for any participants who exceeded $145,000 (as indexed) in FICA compensation (compensation threshold) with the employer in the prior calendar year.
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES
The information presented here is not specific to any individual’s personal circumstances. To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on his or her individual circumstances. These materials are provided for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable—we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice.
Securities and investment advice offered through Investment Planners, Inc. (Member FINRA/SIPC) and IPI Wealth Management, Inc., 226 W. Eldorado Street, Decatur, IL 62522. 217-425-6340.
This provision is mandatory. Beginning January 1, 2023, the required minimum distribution (RMD) age increased from 72 to 73. For a participant who was born after December 31, 1950, their RMD will not begin earlier than April 1 of the calendar year following the year they attain age 73. This age becomes 75 after December 31, 2032.
Another change to the RMD rules effective January 1, 2023, the excise tax on a failure to take an RMD is reduced from 50% to 25%. If certain conditions are met, the excise tax may be reduced to 10%.
One last important note for Roth required minimum distribution rules from a 401k – (Not applicable to plans that do not have Roth sources) This provision is mandatory. – generally effective for taxable years beginning January 1, 2024, Roth balances are no longer included in the calculation or distribution of RMD amounts for participants in qualified plans during their lifetime.
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES
The information presented here is not specific to any individual’s personal circumstances. To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on his or her individual circumstances. These materials are provided for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable—we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice.
Securities and investment advice offered through Investment Planners, Inc. (Member FINRA/SIPC) and IPI Wealth Management, Inc., 226 W. Eldorado Street, Decatur, IL 62522. 217-425-6340.
In December 2022, Congress passed the SECURE 2.0 Act. It introduced two new rules relating to 529 plans and student debt that will take effect in 2024.
The first provision allows for tax- and penalty-free rollovers from a 529 plan to a Roth IRA. The second provision allows student loan payments made by employees to qualify for employer retirement matching contributions. The overall goal is to help young adults start saving for retirement.
New 529 rollover option
529 plans are tax-advantaged savings accounts specifically geared to saving for college. In an effort to broaden the flexibility of 529 plans in situations where families have extra funds in an account, Congress created a new rollover option.
Starting in 2024, 529 plan beneficiaries can roll over up to $35,000 to a Roth IRA over their lifetimes. The rollover is not subject to taxes or a penalty that would typically apply to a non-education use of funds. This new rollover option can allow a young adult to get a head start on saving for retirement.
Here’s how it will work:
The beneficiary of the 529 plan must be the owner of the Roth IRA.
Any rollover is subject to annual Roth IRA contribution limits, so a beneficiary can’t roll over $35,000 all at once. For example, in 2023, the Roth IRA contribution limit is $6,500 (for people under age 50) or earned income, whichever is less. If the limit remains the same in 2024, a beneficiary would be able to roll over up to $6,500. If the beneficiary earns $4,000 in total income in 2024, then the maximum amount that could be rolled over is $4,000.
In order for the rollover to be tax- and penalty-free, the 529 plan must have been open for at least 15 years. If the 529 account owner (typically a parent) changes the beneficiary of the 529 plan at any point, this will restart the 15-year clock.
Contributions to a 529 plan made within five years of the rollover date can’t be rolled over — only 529 contributions made outside of the five-year window can be rolled over to the Roth IRA. For more information on determining the date of contributions, contact your 529 plan manager.
New option for employer treatment of employee student loan payments
In addition to making 529 plans more flexible with a new rollover option, the SECURE 2.0 legislation seeks to help employees who have student loans and are making monthly loan payments. Employees with student loan debt often have to prioritize repaying their loans over contributing to their workplace retirement plan, which can mean missing out on potential employer retirement matching contributions. Starting in 2024, employers will have the option to treat an employee’s student loan payments as payments made to a qualified retirement plan (student loan payments will be considered “elective deferrals”), which would make those contributions eligible for an employer retirement match (if the employer offers this benefit).
There are generally fees and expenses associated with participation in a 529 plan. There is also the risk that the investments may lose money or not perform well enough to cover college costs as anticipated. The tax implications of a 529 plan should be discussed with your legal and/or tax professionals because they can vary significantly from state to state. Most states offering their own 529 plans may provide advantages and benefits exclusively for their residents and taxpayers, which may include financial aid, scholarship funds, and protection from creditors. Before investing in a 529 plan, consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses, which are available in the issuer’s official statement and should be read carefully. The official disclosure statements and applicable prospectuses, which contain this and other information about the investment options, underlying investments, and investment company, can be obtained by contacting your financial professional.
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES
The information presented here is not specific to any individual’s personal circumstances. To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on his or her individual circumstances. These materials are provided for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable—we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice.
Securities and investment advice offered through Investment Planners, Inc. (Member FINRA/SIPC) and IPI Wealth Management, Inc., 226 W. Eldorado Street, Decatur, IL 62522. 217-425-6340.
The debt ceiling is the legal limit on the total amount of federal debt the government can accrue. The limit applies to the roughly $24.6 trillion of debt held by the public and the roughly $6.8 trillion the government owes itself as a result of borrowing from various government accounts, like the Social Security and Medicare trust funds. Federal debt continues to rise due to both annual budget deficits financed by borrowing from the public and from trust fund surpluses, which are invested in Treasury bills with the promise to be repaid later with interest.
History of the Debt Ceiling
The debt ceiling was first enacted in 1917 through the Second Liberty Act. Prior to its establishment, Congress was required to approve each issuance of debt in a separate piece of legislation. Since the end of World War II, Congress and the President have modified the debt ceiling more than 100 times, according to the Congressional Research Service. In that time frame, the debt limit increased from $300 billion to just under $31.4 trillion.
Historical U.S. Debt Limit
Source: U.S. Treasury. Data from 6/25/1940 – 5/15/2023.
Source: Committee for a Responsible Budget, First Trust Advisors L.P. The information presented is not intended to constitute an investment recommendation for, or advice to, any specific person. By providing this information, First Trust is not undertaking to give advice in any fiduciary capacity within the meaning of ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code or any other regulatory framework. Financial professionals are responsible for evaluating investment risks independently and for exercising independent judgment in determining whether investments are appropriate for their clients.
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Combining finances can be complicated for any couple, but the challenges become more complex the second time around, especially when children are involved. Here are some ideas to consider if you are already part of a blended family or looking forward to combining households sometime soon.
Be Clear and Comprehensive
It’s important to reveal all assets, income, and debts, and discuss how these should be treated in your combined family. A prenuptial agreement may seem unromantic, but it could prevent acrimony and misunderstanding if the marriage ends through divorce or the death of a spouse. If you don’t want a legal agreement, have an open and honest discussion, and lay all your cards on the table. It’s not too late to clarify the situation after you’ve tied the knot.
One of the most fundamental issues is where you and your new spouse will live. It might be more convenient — and perhaps better financially — to move into a residence that one of you already owns. But couples in a second marriage often report that moving into a new home gives them a feeling of a fresh start, which could have value that can’t be measured financially.1
Create a blueprint for short-term and long-term finances. Do you plan to combine bank accounts or keep separate accounts, perhaps with a joint account to pay shared expenses? To what accounts will each of your salaries be deposited? Will one spouse help pay off the other spouse’s debts such as student loans, auto loans, and credit cards? Research suggests that remarried couples are generally happier when they pool resources, but there are many variations in how that might be carried out.2
Consider the Kids
Discuss how you plan to handle financial responsibility for children from previous marriages versus any children you have together. Are they going to be “your kids, my kids, and our kids,” or are they all “our kids”? Being a stepparent and/or a divorced parent can be complex emotionally, and there are no easy answers. But there are some not-so-complex financial questions you should address up front.
Be clear about alimony payments, child support, and other financial responsibilities. For example, what is each spouse’s intention and/or legal obligation to pay college tuition costs for children from a previous marriage? Are there assets that one spouse wants to reserve for the benefit of his or her children? Is the other spouse willing to waive rights to those assets?
Communicating and planning with an ex-spouse is essential if you share custody of children. Along with responsibilities for everyday expenses, be sure you understand and agree on other financial issues, such as who will claim the child as a beneficiary on tax returns, and who is the “custodial parent” for purposes of financial aid applications. A beneficiary deduction may be more valuable for a parent with higher earnings, but a custodial parent with lower earnings may enable a student to qualify for more financial aid.
I Do, I Do
Roughly two out of three Americans ages 15 and older have been married at least once, and a substantial number have been married more than once.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 (2021 data)
Update Wills and Beneficiary Forms
Be sure that your will and all beneficiary forms reflect your new situation and current wishes. A will can designate heirs and facilitate distribution of assets when an estate goes through the probate process. However, the assets in most pension plans, qualified retirement accounts, and life insurance policies convey directly to the people named on the beneficiary forms — even if they are different from those named in your will — and are not subject to probate. By law, your current spouse is the beneficiary of an ERISA-governed retirement account such as a 401(k) plan. If you want to designate an ex-spouse or children from a previous marriage as account beneficiaries, you must obtain a notarized waiver from your current spouse.
Blending families can be challenging on many levels. Financial matters may be easier to deal with than personal aspects as long as you take appropriate steps to identify the issues and agree on your shared financial goals.
1–2) American Psychological Association, August 23, 2019 (most current information available)
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES
The information presented here is not specific to any individual’s personal circumstances. To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on his or her individual circumstances. These materials are provided for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable—we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice.
Securities and investment advice offered through Investment Planners, Inc. (Member FINRA/SIPC) and IPI Wealth Management, Inc., 226 W. Eldorado Street, Decatur, IL 62522. 217-425-6340.
The Internal Revenue Service wrapped up the annual Dirty Dozen list of tax scams for 2023 with a reminder for taxpayers, businesses and tax professionals to watch out for these schemes throughout the year, not just during tax season. Many of these schemes peak during filing season as people prepare their tax returns. In reality, these scams can occur throughout the year as fraudsters look for ways to steal money, personal information, data and more. To help people watch out for these scams, the IRS and the Security Summit partners are providing an overview recapping this year’s Dirty Dozen scams. “Scammers are coming up with new ways all the time to try to steal information from taxpayers,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. “People should be wary and avoid sharing sensitive personal data over the phone, email or social media to avoid getting caught up in these scams. And people should always remember to be wary if a tax deal sounds too good to be true. “Working together as the Security Summit, the IRS, state tax agencies and the nation’s tax industry, including tax professionals, have taken numerous steps since 2015 to warn people about common scams and schemes during tax season and beyond that can increase the risk of identity theft. The Security Summit initiative is committed to protecting taxpayers, businesses and the tax system from scammers and identity thieves. Some items on this year’s list were new and some made a return visit. While the list is not a legal document or a formal listing of agency enforcement priorities, it is intended to alert taxpayers and the tax professional community about various scams and schemes.
2023 Dirty Dozen summary:
Employee Retention Credit claims
Taxpayers should be aware of aggressive pitches from scammers who promote large refunds related to the Employee Retention Credit (ERC). The warning follows blatant attempts by promoters to con ineligible people to claim the credit. The IRS highlighted these schemes from promoters who have been blasting ads on radio and the internet touting refunds involving Employee Retention Credits. These promotions can be based on inaccurate information related to eligibility for and computation of the credit. Additionally, some of these advertisements exist solely to collect the taxpayer’s personally identifiable information in exchange for false promises. The scammers then use the information to conduct identity theft.
Phishing and smishing
Taxpayers and tax professionals should be alert to fake communications from those posing as legitimate organizations in the tax and financial community, including the IRS and the states. These messages arrive in the form of an unsolicited text (smishing) or email (phishing) to lure unsuspecting victims to provide valuable personal and financial information that can lead to identity theft. The IRS initiates most contacts through regular mail and will never initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text or social media regarding a bill or tax refund.
Online account help from third-party scammers
Swindlers pose as a “helpful” third party and offer to help create a taxpayer’s IRS Online Account at IRS.gov. In reality, no help is needed. The online account provides taxpayers with valuable tax information. But third parties making these offers will try to steal a taxpayer’s personal information this way. Taxpayers can and should establish their own online account through IRS.gov.
False Fuel Tax Credit claims
The fuel tax credit is meant for off-highway business and farming use and, as such, is not available to most taxpayers. However, unscrupulous tax return preparers and promoters are enticing taxpayers to inflate their refunds by erroneously claiming the credit. The IRS has seen an increase in the promotion of filing certain refundable credits using Form 4136, Credit for Federal Tax Paid on Fuels.
Fake charities
Bogus charities are a perennial problem that gets bigger whenever a crisis or natural disaster strikes. Scammers set up these fake organizations to take advantage of the public’s generosity. They seek money and personal information, which can be used to further exploit victims through identity theft.Taxpayers who give money or goods to a charity might be able to claim a deduction on their federal tax return if they itemize deductions, but charitable donations only count if they go to a qualified tax-exempt organization recognized by the IRS.
Unscrupulous tax return preparers
Most tax preparers provide outstanding and professional service. However, people should be careful of shady tax professionals and watch for common warning signs, including charging a fee based on the size of the refund. A major red flag or bad sign is when the tax preparer is unwilling to sign the dotted line. Avoid these “ghost” preparers, who will prepare a tax return but refuse to sign or include their IRS Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) as required by law. Taxpayers should never sign a blank or incomplete return.
Social media: Fraudulent form filing and bad advice
Social media can circulate inaccurate or misleading tax information, and the IRS has recently seen several examples. These can involve common tax documents like Form W-2 or more obscure ones like Form 8944. While Form 8944 is real, it is intended for a very limited, specialized group. Both schemes encourage people to submit false, inaccurate information in hopes of getting a refund. Taxpayers should always remember that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Spearphishing and cybersecurity for tax professionals
Phishing is a term given to emails or text messages designed to get users to provide personal information. Spearphishing is a tailored phishing attempt to a specific organization or business. The IRS is warning tax professionals about spearphishing because there is greater potential for harm if the tax preparer has a data breach. A successful spearphishing attack can ultimately steal client data and the tax preparer’s identity, allowing the thief to file fraudulent returns.
Offer in Compromise mills
Offers in Compromise are an important program to help people who can’t pay to settle their federal tax debts. But “mills” can aggressively promote Offers in Compromise in misleading ways to people who clearly don’t meet the qualifications, frequently costing taxpayers thousands of dollars. A taxpayer can check their eligibility for free using the IRS Offer in Compromise Pre-Qualifier tool.
Schemes aimed at high-income filers
Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust (CRAT): Charitable Remainder Trusts are irrevocable trusts that let individuals donate assets to charity and draw annual income for life or a specific period. Unfortunately, these trusts are sometimes misused by promoters, advisors and taxpayers to try to eliminate ordinary income and/or capital gain on the sale of the property.
Monetized Installment Sales: In these potentially abusive transactions, promoters find taxpayers seeking to defer the recognition of gain upon the sale of appreciated property. They facilitate a purported monetized installment sale for the taxpayer in exchange for a fee.
Bogus tax avoidance strategies
Micro-captive insurance arrangements: A micro-captive is an insurance company whose owners elect to be taxed on the captive’s investment income only. Abusive micro-captives involve schemes that lack many of the attributes of legitimate insurance. These structures often include implausible risks, failure to match genuine business needs and, in many cases, unnecessary duplication of the taxpayer’s commercial coverages.
Syndicated conservation easements: A conservation easement is a restriction on the use of real property. Generally, taxpayers may claim a charitable contribution deduction for the fair market value of a conservation easement transferred to a charity if the transfer meets the requirements of Internal Revenue Code 170. In abusive arrangements, which generate high fees for promoters, participants attempt to game the tax system with grossly inflated tax deductions.
Schemes with international elements
Offshore accounts and digital assets: The IRS continues to scrutinize attempts to hide assets in offshore accounts and accounts holding digital assets, such as cryptocurrency. The IRS continues to identify individuals who attempt to conceal income in offshore banks, brokerage accounts, digital asset accounts and nominee entities. Asset protection professionals and unscrupulous promoters continue to lure U.S. persons into placing their assets in offshore accounts and structures saying they are out of reach of the IRS. These assertions are not true. The IRS can identify and track anonymous transactions of foreign financial accounts as well as digital assets.
Maltese individual retirement arrangements misusing treaty: These arrangements involve U.S. citizens or residents who attempt to avoid U.S. tax by contributing to foreign individual retirement arrangements in Malta (or potentially other host countries). The participants in these transactions typically lack any local connection to the host country. By improperly asserting the foreign arrangement as a “pension fund” for U.S. tax treaty purposes, the U.S. taxpayer misconstrues the relevant treaty provisions and improperly claims an exemption from U.S. income tax on gains and earnings in and distributions from the foreign individual retirement arrangement.
Puerto Rican and foreign captive insurance: U.S. business owners of closely held entities participate in a purported insurance arrangement with a Puerto Rican or other foreign corporation in which the U.S. business owner has a financial interest. The U.S. business owner (or a related entity) claims a deduction for amounts paid as premiums for “insurance coverage” provided by a fronting carrier, which reinsures the “coverage” with the Puerto Rican or other foreign corporation. Despite being labeled as insurance, these arrangements lack many of the attributes of legitimate insurance.
Where appropriate, the IRS will challenge the purported tax benefits from these types of transactions and impose penalties. The IRS Criminal Investigation Division is always on the lookout for promoters and participants of these types of schemes. Taxpayers should think twice before including questionable arrangements like this on their tax returns. After all, taxpayers are legally responsible for what’s on their return, not a promoter making promises and charging high fees. Taxpayers can help stop these arrangements by relying on reputable tax professionals they know and trust.
Help stop fraud and scams
As part of the Dirty Dozen awareness effort, the IRS encourages people to report individuals who promote improper and abusive tax schemes as well as tax return preparers who deliberately prepare improper returns.To report an abusive tax scheme or a tax return preparer, people should mail or fax a completed Form 14242, Report Suspected Abusive Tax Promotions or Preparers and any supporting material to the IRS Lead Development Center in the Office of Promoter Investigations.
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURESThe information presented here is not specific to any individual’s personal circumstances. To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on his or her individual circumstances. These materials are provided for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable—we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice.Securities and investment advice offered through Investment Planners, Inc. (Member FINRA/SIPC) and IPI Wealth Management, Inc., 226 W. Eldorado Street, Decatur, IL 62522. 217-425-6340.
The federal income tax filing deadline for individuals is generally Tuesday, April 18, 2023.The IRS has postponed the deadline to file federal income tax returns and make tax payments for certain New York storm victims until May 15, 2023, and to July 31, 2023, for certain Mississippi storm victims. The deadline has been postponed for disaster-area taxpayers in most of California and parts of Alabama and Georgia until October 16, 2023 (there is no need to file for an extension). The current list of eligible localities and other details for each disaster are always available on the Tax Relief in Disaster Situations page on irs.gov.
Need More Time?
If you’re not able to file your federal income tax return by the April (or May or July) due date, you can file for an extension by the April (or May or July) due date using IRS Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. Filing this extension gives you until October 16, 2023, to file your federal income tax return. You can also file for an automatic extension electronically (but only if filed by the original April due date) (details on how to do so can be found in the Form 4868 instructions). There may be penalties for failing to file or for filing late.
Note:Special rules apply if you’re living outside the country, or serving in the military outside the country, on the regular due date of your federal income tax return.
Pay What You Owe
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not filing your return because you owe money. If the bottom line on your return shows that you owe tax, file and pay the amount due in full by the due date if at all possible. If you absolutely cannot pay what you owe, file the return and pay as much as you can afford. You’ll owe interest and possibly penalties on the unpaid tax, but you will limit the penalties assessed by filing your return on time, and you may be able to work with the IRS to pay the unpaid balance (options available may include the ability to enter into an installment agreement).It’s important to understand that filing for an automatic extension to file your return does not provide any additional time to pay your tax. When you file for an extension, you have to estimate the amount of tax you will owe; you should pay this amount by the April (or May or July) filing due date. If you don’t, you will owe interest, and you may owe penalties as well. If the IRS believes that your estimate of taxes was not reasonable, it may void your extension.
Tax Refunds
The IRS encourages taxpayers seeking tax refunds to file their tax returns as soon as possible. The IRS anticipates most tax refunds being issued within 21 days of the IRS receiving a tax return if the return is filed electronically, the tax refund is delivered through direct deposit, and there are no issues with the tax return. To avoid delays in processing, the IRS encourages people to avoid paper tax returns whenever possible.
IRA Contributions
Contributions to an individual retirement account (IRA) for 2022 can be made up to the April due date (without regard to extensions) for filing the 2022 federal income tax return. Certain New York storm victims have until May 15, 2023, to make contributions to an IRA for 2022; certain Mississippi storm victims have until July 31, 2023; and disaster-area taxpayers in most of California and parts of Alabama and Georgia have until October 16, 2023.
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES
The information presented here is not specific to any individual’s personal circumstances. To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on his or her individual circumstances. These materials are provided for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable—we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice. Securities and investment advice offered through Investment Planners, Inc. (Member FINRA/SIPC) and IPI Wealth Management, Inc., 226 W. Eldorado Street, Decatur, IL 62522. 217-425-6340
If you are age 50 or older and still working, you have a valuable opportunity to super-charge your retirement savings while managing your income tax liability. Catch-up contributions offer the chance to invest amounts over and above the standard annual limits in IRAs and workplace retirement plans.
2023 Limits
In 2023, the IRA catch-up limit is an additional $1,000 over the standard annual amount of $6,500. Participants in 401(k), 403(b), and government 457(b) plans can contribute an extra $7,500 over the standard limit of $22,500. For SIMPLE plans, the catch-up amount is $3,500 over the standard limit of $15,500.1
Tax Benefits
Contributions to traditional workplace plans are made on a pre-tax basis, which reduces the amount of income subject to current taxes. Contributions to traditional IRAs may be deductible, depending on certain circumstances.
If you are not covered by a retirement plan at work, your traditional IRA contributions are fully tax deductible. If you are covered by a workplace plan, you may deduct the full amount if your adjusted gross income is $73,000 or less as a single taxpayer or $116,000 or less if you’re married and file jointly. If you are not covered by a workplace plan but your spouse is, you are eligible for a full deduction if you file jointly and your income is $218,000 or less.2
Contributions to Roth accounts do not offer immediate tax benefits, but qualified distributions are tax-free at the federal, and possibly state, level. A qualified distribution is one made after the account has been held for five years and the account owner reaches age 59½, dies, or becomes disabled.
Distributions from traditional accounts prior to age 59½ and nonqualified distributions from Roth accounts are subject to ordinary income taxes and a 10% penalty, unless an exception applies.
Still Time for 2022 Contribution
If you qualify, you can make a deductible IRA contribution for 2022 up until the tax filing deadline on April 18, 2023. The total contribution limit for someone age 50 or older in 2022 is $7,000. You can open a new IRA or invest in a current one, but be sure to specify the contribution is for the 2022 tax year. The income limits for a full deduction in 2022 are $68,000 for single taxpayers, $109,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly, and $204,000 for taxpayers who aren’t covered by a workplace plan but their spouse is.2
1) Participants in 403(b) and 457(b) plans may benefit from other catch-up contributions specific to each plan type. Participants in government 457(b) plans cannot combine age 50 catch-up contributions with other catch-up contributions. When calculating allowable annual amounts, contributions to all plans except 457(b)s must be aggregated.
2) Phaseout limits apply. Married couples filing separately cannot take a full deduction. You must have earned income at least equal to your IRA contribution. Talk to a tax professional.
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES
The information presented here is not specific to any individual’s personal circumstances. To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on his or her individual circumstances. These materials are provided for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable—we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice.
Securities and investment advice offered through Investment Planners, Inc. (Member FINRA/SIPC) and IPI Wealth Management, Inc., 226 W. Eldorado Street, Decatur, IL 62522. 217-425-6340.
