If you are trying to make the world a better place, giving to charities is probably part of who you are. And, if you are fortunate enough to have accumulated a large retirement account, you may have a special opportunity to use your IRA or 401(k) to make gifts that can reduce your tax burden.
October 1st should be a date marked on the calendar of all parents with children heading to college next fall.
Tax credits for energy related home improvements. – The bill includes a 30% tax credit for installing energy efficient windows, heat pumps, and newer appliances. There are tax credits for installing solar panels and up to $14,000 in rebates for upgrading to higher efficiency appliances.
Having the proper documents and plans in place well in advance is one of the best ways to avoid big problems at a time when your family will likely be emotionally stressed about your declining health. An estate planning attorney can assist with identifying your needs and then crafting the appropriate documents to protect you and your family. Basic documents include a will, durable powers of attorney, and health care proxy. At a minimum you need these (one set each for couples) if not additional documents such as a revocable (living) trust or irrevocable trust.
That being said, Social Security is considered an important part of most people’s retirement income. In 2020 alone, 69.8 million Americans received benefits from programs administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA), with 5.8 million new people receiving some form of Social Security in that year alone.2
We are already seeing the effects of climate change with record-setting heat waves, out of control wildfires in Western US and around the world, deadly flash floods, devastating hurricanes, and rising sea levels which are threatening homeowner’s and our infrastructure. And this is just the beginning. In the future, these events are expected to intensify causing even more damage.