Tax planning

Given that I must disclose on my Form ADV that we accepted the aid, I had to ask myself difficult questions about possibly over-zealous regulatory scrutiny as well as my firm's reputation, this advisor writes.

By making the right moves, retirees can reduce their taxable income and owe less in capital gains taxes, an expert says.

Little-known provisions include the economic injury disaster loan program, the employee retention credit and even an option to defer some payroll taxes.

Though IRA conversions during a market correction may enable some clients to save on their taxes, the strategy is not recommended for everyone.

For clients fortunate enough to not need them, minimum distributions are not required this year in most — if not all — cases.

The rule change is designed to have an impact in the fight against COVID-19 and applies only to donations made to charitable organizations, an expert says.

There's a great deal of help for businesses in the CARES Act and the FFCRA.

The majority of U.S. workers do not have enough savings to help them in the event of a medical emergency and often turn to their retirement funds for help.

There are appealing methods to shift investments “upstream” to aging parents or “downstream” to grown children.

Clients may consider rebalancing their portfolio more often to address asset allocation shifts as a result of the downturn.

Recipients of Social Security benefits, as well as railroad retirement and veterans benefits recipients, will need to act fast.

A rule designed to prevent simple deduction abuses brings significant complexity to planning.

For starters, they can use the windfall to pay off debt, shore up their HSAs and build a cash reserve.

The IRS now says some unwanted RMDs can be undone, eliminating the tax bill

For one, clients will owe taxes still on the distributions, unless they recontribute the money into the account within three years.

These direct payments are intended to provide direct assistance to American taxpayers who have lost wages, jobs or opportunities because of COVID-19. But there is some fine print.

“Traditionally, 401(k)s generally have some really good investment options that you wouldn’t be able to do on your own,” an expert says.

Retirees will end up locking in substantial losses if they decide to cash out their investments during a bear market to generate income.

Market volatility brought on by the coronavirus pandemic may present a great time to invest, as many stocks are being sold at bargain prices.

From Roth conversions to QHFDs: The coronavirus pandemic is forcing difficult questions, and clients rightfully are looking for answers that advisors are uniquely suited to provide.