Tax strategies

Taxable account or tax-deferred? Where clients' investments are housed can be vital to total returns, but beware the pitfalls.

The Internal Revenue Service’s Return Preparer Office said it is sending letters to 3,000 tax preparers who failed to use a valid Preparer Tax Identification Number.

The Supreme Court’s landmark decision last month striking down the Defense of Marriage Act may have solved the estate tax problems of the lead plaintiff, Edith Windsor, but it still is leaving a lot of uncertainty among same-sex couples, particularly those in states that do not recognize same-sex marriage.

Dozens of lawmakers are urging House leaders to reject proposals to eliminate or cap the exclusion for tax-exempt bonds.

Changes require advisors to adjust strategies for using net unrealized appreciation for lump-sum distributions.

In the wake of this week's landmark gay rights decision from the Supreme Court, financial advisors have as many questions as answers for their same-sex clients about how the ruling with impact their wealth management, tax and estate planning.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the core of the Defense of Marriage Act will narrow the financial gap between gay and straight couples.

The Senate Finance Committee's top two tax writers asked their 98 colleagues on Thursday to submit detailed proposals justifying which tax breaks should be kept in the code as they move forward on comprehensive tax reform.

Ed Slott, Your IRA Expert, answers questions on when to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth and what happens when the 60-day rollover period has passed.

Higher capital gains and portability call for new strategies for trust assets.

Individual bonds can address some of the interest rate risk found in bond funds. Just make sure the benefits apply to your clients.

A new report from the Congressional Budget Office found that the top 10 tax expenditures are distributed unevenly across the income scale, with much of the benefit going to the top-earning 1 percent of the population.

The Internal Revenue Service issued a reminder Thursday to U.S. citizens and resident aliens, in addition to dual citizens, that their tax-filing deadline is approaching.

A great wealth transfer may indeed be looming, but advisory firm executives are still focusing their creative energy on their boomer (and older) clients.

The municipal bond market may benefit from the shake-up at the Internal Revenue Service as the newly named acting commissioner Daniel Werfel has close ties with state and local governments and is viewed by market groups as a strong ally.

Despite other hearings being held in Washington this week of a more political nature, it’s nice to know that the Ways and Means Committee is continuing to search for ways to make life easier for small businesses, at least as far as complying with the Tax Code.

The IRS has revealed additional details about what may be the first round of sequester-related the closures planned for May 24, June 14, July 5, July 22 and August 30 of this year.

Cue Wealth Management Solutions will provide CPA and RIA firms with help in launching, growing and leveraging their wealth management practices as integrated parts of their services to individuals, business owners, related qualified retirement plans and charitable entities.

The Internal Revenue Service is cautioning tax-exempt organizations such as charities and other not-for-profits that they face a deadline of May 15 under which they are required by law to file annual reports.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ken., has introduced legislation to repeal provisions of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act that he contends undermine the privacy of U.S. citizens.