Category: Tax Planning

As the saying goes, “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” While we may not have control over the inevitability of taxes, we do have tax planning strategies at our disposal to minimize the impact. When utilized productively, tax planning can be a strategic approach to optimize your [...]

The 2022 tax period came to an end on October 15th, and we know the last thing you want to think about is our good old friend, Uncle Sam, but hear us out! He extended his stay through October 15th and maybe took more of your time and money than you anticipated. And he’ll come [...]

When Congress passed the SECURE Act four years ago, the rules for most beneficiaries of inherited IRAs underwent a major overhaul. Prior to the SECURE Act, most IRA beneficiaries were able to spread their required minimum distributions (RMDs) over their life expectancy. As part of the SECURE Act, Congress introduced the term eligible designated beneficiary, [...]

Rolling over a 401k to an IRA can be a wise decision, but it is important to weigh the pros and cons before doing so. While a 401k is a retirement plan sponsored by employers that allows employees to save and invest a portion of their paycheck on a tax-deferred basis, an IRA is a [...]

The 2021 Washington State Legislature passed ESSB 5096 (RCW 82.87) which creates a 7% tax on the sale or exchange of long-term capital assets such as stocks, bonds, business interests, or other investments and tangible assets.  The tax is effective January 1, 2022, and the first payments for tax year 2022 are due on or [...]

This is a common question we receive from high-income executives looking for ways to reduce their tax burden. It seems like a no-brainer to defer paying taxes and keep those funds invested – right? While it’s true that tax-deferral can accelerate the growth of your investments over time, there are significant drawbacks to deferred comp [...]

Over the past several weeks, you probably noticed copies of your tax documents for the 2022 year arriving in your mailbox. We’ve put together this consolidated checklist as well as some questions and tips below to help sort and organize your tax records in preparation for your upcoming tax return. Taking time to ensure your [...]

As we were wrapping the last of the holiday presents, Congress had their hands full finalizing the SECURE Act 2.0, which included 100+ different changes to retirement accounts. Most of these changes impact either a very narrow group of people, or the related dollar amount is so small that it leaves us wondering if there [...]

The Washington Capital Gains Tax drama continues. Earlier this year the Douglas County Superior Court held the tax unconstitutional, and the State of WA appealed to the Supreme Court. While the Supreme Court will hear arguments next month, the State of WA asked for, and received, a stay on the Superior Court’s decision. So, until [...]