Our weekly roundup of tax-related investment strategies and news your clients may be thinking about.
Clients who want to boost their retirement savings without paying too much on taxes are advised to invest in IRAs and 401(k) plans, which are tax-advantaged investment vehicles, according to The Motley Fool. Other investment options that enable clients to save considerably on taxes are municipal bonds and master-limited partnerships and real estate investment trusts. --Motley Fool
Few investors convert to Roth IRA despite the many advantages of owning one because such conversions can set off a huge tax bill, according to this article on the Morningstar. It is best to do small conversions with a tax cost that is affordable rather than to do the conversion in one go. Some tips to avoid the huge cost is to convert at times when the individual is taxed at a lower rate or convert enough amount just to reach but not to exceed the next income tax bracket. Read the rest of the planning opportunities on Roth conversions to avoid risks of paying big tax costs. --Morningstar
Clients are unlikely to get tax relief for capital losses from selling a personal residence as well as losses from theft, natural disasters and other catastrophes, according to DailyFinance. Taxpayers also cannot use capital losses on investments that are above the limit set by the rules to offset other types of income for that year. There are also no tax breaks for losses related to gambling activities. -- DailyFinance
Clients should expect lower profits from U.S. stocks because of their quick increase since the 2009 low, according to The Wall Street Journal. Investors can choose to invest abroad with countries that may give huge gains but also huge risks. Clients can also look at other domestic options such as real-estate investment trusts, hedge funds or master limited partnerships. Ultimately, investors should save more so that they can reach their desired amount despite smaller gains. -- The Wall Street Journal
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