retirement - Linkenheimer LLP CPAs & Advisors

Factor in State and Local Taxes When Deciding Where to Live in Retirement

Many Americans relocate to another state when they retire. If you’re thinking about such a move, state and local taxes should factor into your decision.

Income, property and sales tax

Choosing a state that has no personal income tax may appear to be the best option. But that might not be the case once you consider property taxes and sales taxes.

For example, suppose you’ve narrowed your decision down to two states: State 1 has no individual income tax, and State 2 has a flat 5% individual income tax rate. At first glance, State 1 might appear to be much less expensive from a tax perspective. What happens when you factor in other state and local taxes?

Let’s say the property tax rate in your preferred locality in State 1 is 5%, while it’s only 1% in your preferred locality in State 2. That difference could potentially cancel out any savings in state income taxes in State 1, depending on your annual income and the assessed value of the home.

Also keep in mind that home values can vary dramatically from location to location. So if home values are higher in State 1, there’s an even greater chance that […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:04:39+00:00June 6th, 2018|income tax, retirement, tax|0 Comments

Treasury Launches myRAs Nationwide

With the initial pilot phase of the program concluded, the Treasury has announced that myRAs (my Retirement Accounts) are now available nationwide. A myRA is a Roth IRA with Roth IRA annual contribution limits ($5,500 for 2015, $6,500 if age 50 by 12/31/15) and income eligibility limits [i.e., available to those with annual taxable income of less than $131,000 (individuals) or $193,000 (couples) in 2015]. Key features include the ability to open an account and contribute small amounts through payroll direct deposits, bank drafts, or tax refund direct deposits; no fees; balances backed by the U.S. Treasury; and account portability. People can get information and sign up for an account at myRA.gov . If you have any questions, please contact your Linkenheimer CPA.

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:05:21+00:00November 7th, 2015|retirement|0 Comments

12 Planning Tips for Social Security Benefits

Article originally written by Theodore J. Sarenski, CPA/PFS on Nov 04, 2014, posted to AICPA

Helping clients plan for Social Security benefits may involve a lot of information gathering and research, but doing so could save them a heap of headaches and a lot of money. Here are 12 planning tips that stand out to me as potential opportunities. These can provide great relief and keep your clients out of the danger zone.

If a person is past their full retirement age (age 66) and is submitting the initial application for Social Security retirement benefits, be sure to claim the allowed six months of retroactive benefits. One important question to consider is if your clients should start full retirement age at age 66 or wait until age 70. Life expectancy data shows that a person who retires at age 66 will live until 86.2, and a person who retires at age 70 will live until he or she is 87. With this in mind, I suggest waiting until age 70 to begin receiving benefits. Keep in mind there is an exception; the break-even point is age 81, so if your family history shows that most members do […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:05:43+00:00November 6th, 2014|retirement, social security|0 Comments

You Can Unwind Roth IRA Conversion Before October 15, 2014

The market has generally been up since 2013, but if the value of your IRA has declined since your 2013 conversion date, or if your cash situation has changed significantly since you decided to convert, you can “recharacterize” the conversion transaction and avoid the tax. Generally speaking, you can unwind the conversion with a trustee-to-trustee transfer from the Roth back to a traditional IRA no later than 10/15/14. If you have already filed your 2013 return, you will need to amend.

Please call us if you have questions.

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:05:45+00:00October 7th, 2014|ira, retirement, roth ira|0 Comments