April 18th, 2023

9 Facts About Retirement

Retirement can have many meanings. For some, it will be a time to travel and spend time with family members. For others, it will be a time to start a new business or begin a charitable endeavor. Regardless of what approach you intend to take, here are nine things about retirement that might surprise you. … Continue reading “9 Facts About Retirement”

March 29th, 2023

Traditional vs. Roth IRA

Traditional Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA), which were created in 1974, are owned by roughly 36.6 million U.S. households. And Roth IRAs, created as part of the Taxpayer Relief Act in 1997, are owned by nearly 27.3 million households. Both are IRAs. And yet, each is quite different. Up to certain limits, traditional IRAs allow individuals … Continue reading “Traditional vs. Roth IRA”

March 29th, 2023

SECURE Act 2.0: An Overview

In late 2022, Congress passed a new set of retirement rules designed to make it easier to contribute to retirement plans and access those funds earmarked for retirement. The law is called SECURE 2.0, and it’s a follow-up to the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, passed in 2019. We know a … Continue reading “SECURE Act 2.0: An Overview”

February 24th, 2023

A Taxing Story: Capital Gains and Losses

Capital gains result when an individual sells an investment for an amount greater than their purchase price. Capital gains are categorized as short-term gains (a gain realized on an asset held one year or less) or as long-term gains (a gain realized on an asset held longer than one year). Long-Term vs. Short-Term Gains Short-term … Continue reading “A Taxing Story: Capital Gains and Losses”

December 27th, 2022

IRA Deadlines Are Approaching

Financially, many Middle-Class Millionaires associate the spring with taxes – but we should also associate December with important Individual Retirement Account (IRA) deadlines. This year, like 2022, will see a few changes and distinctions. December 31, 2023, is the deadline to take your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from certain IRAs. April 18, 2023, is the … Continue reading “IRA Deadlines Are Approaching”

December 5th, 2022

Inverted Yield Curve: Recession Coming?

A combined measure of 10-year government bond yields from a basket of major economies has fallen below a similar basket of 1-3 year government bonds—in other words, you can get a (slightly) higher coupon payment if you go short than if you make a longer-term bond investment.  That, of course, is the definition of an … Continue reading “Inverted Yield Curve: Recession Coming?”

December 5th, 2022

Dividends and Harvesting Losses

Many Middle-Class Millionaires already know this – ’Tis the season for taxable dividends and capital gains to show up in your mutual fund account—and on your tax return. Many publicly-traded companies pay out some portion of their excess earnings to their shareholders, and the aggregate of these dividends are distributed to, and through, the mutual … Continue reading “Dividends and Harvesting Losses”

November 17th, 2022

Managing Probate When Setting Up Your Estate

What can you do to help your heirs? The probate process can be expensive for some estates. Settling an estate through probate can cost you both time and money. It could take up to a year for the estate to be settled, plus attorney’s fees, appraiser’s fees, and court costs may eat up as much … Continue reading “Managing Probate When Setting Up Your Estate”

November 17th, 2022

New Retirement Contribution Limits for 2023

Near-record levels. The Internal Revenue Service has released new limits for the coming year. After months of high inflation and financial uncertainty, some of these cost-of-living-based adjustments have reached near-record levels. Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs). IRA contribution limits are up $500 in 2023 to $6,500. Catch-up contributions for those over age 50 remain at $1,000, … Continue reading “New Retirement Contribution Limits for 2023”

November 17th, 2022

End-of-the-Year Money Moves

Here are some things you might consider before saying goodbye to 2022. What has changed for you in 2022? This year has been as complicated as learning a new dance for many Middle-Class Millionaires. Did you start a new job or leave a job behind? That’s one step. Did you remarry? There’s another step. Did … Continue reading “End-of-the-Year Money Moves”