Diversified Asset Management, Inc. – 2019 2nd Quarter Newsletter
This quarter’s newsletter is filled with lots of great information. Here is a list of topics included in this newsletter.
Soaring Stocks Raises Importance Of Diversifying
The concept of diversification is vital to investors: Don't put all your eggs in one basket so they won't all get smashed if you trip and fall. It's better to spread your wealth over a broad financial spectrum of investments, but avoiding pitfalls isn't as intuitive as it may seem. Diversification neither assures a profit nor guarantees against loss in a declining market. This is especially important to remember when stocks are soaring and portfolios can get overloaded with stocks and human nature is to get greedy and overly optimistic about a continuation of the current trend.
If Family Is Wealth, Then Planning Is Immortality
Planning makes you immortal. It ensures the next generation will be just fine. This is something you may not learn or even understand until your 60s or 70s. If you're lucky, you come to hold a baby with dreams for the best things that could happen in the future.
In that moment, when you are feeling so blessed and generous, plan to make the next generation better. Think about how you can imbue the values you hold dear in them.
Your Alma Mater Or Your Family?
The new tax law doubles what you can leave loved ones' tax free when you die and that's really bad for your alma mater. Tax breaks for donations to your alma mater may no longer make the grade with you. Here's why:
Estate Tax Exemption Rises. The Tax Cuts And Jobs Act (TCJA) doubles a married couple's estate's tax-exemption to $22 million. Alums now want to maximize their exemptions by leaving $22 million to their children, nieces, nephews and other loved ones before even thinking about a donation to favorite old schools.
What Are The 3 R’s Of Roth IRAs?
It's not reading, 'riting, and 'rithmatic, but when it comes to Roth IRAs, it pays to know the three R's: Roth conversions, rechacterizations, and reconversions. Understanding the rules for all of these could save you thousands of tax dollars.
Unlike with traditional IRAs, for which some of your contributions could be tax-deductible, money that goes into to a Roth IRA never is. However, after five years, the money coming out of a Roth is tax free. To qualify for that benefit, withdrawals must be made after age 59Y, because of death or disability, or to buy a first home (up to a lifetime limit of $10,000).
Seven Steps To Get Ready For Your Retirement
Are you among the millions of Baby Boomers counting down the days to retirement? Before you move into the next stage of life, it's important to get all of your financial ducks in line. To prepare yourself, consider these seven practical suggestions.
Rebuild the budget. You've probably been living on a monthly budget that takes into account your usual expenditures and income. But that's about to change in a big way. For example, once you stop working, your expenses for a business wardrobe and commuting will also end, but so will the regular paychecks you've been living on.
Come up with a new plan. Identify what you expect to have coming in and going out. Remember that you won't be able to rely on 401(k) deferrals to reduce your taxable income after retirement, but you should still keep saving.
Paying Off A Mortgage And The New Tax Code
Among the most prized tax deductions to get trimmed by the Tax Cut And Jobs Act was the monthly mortgage interest. Should you pay off your mortgage, if your mortgage interest deduction is gone? The answer more often now is "Yes," providing you can afford to retire the debt. If you can't afford that now, aim to do it as soon you can.
Due to a large increase in the standard deduction, fewer taxpayers qualify for the mortgage interest deduction. The standard deduction under the new tax law almost doubled to $12,000 for single filers and $24,000 for married couples. Only people with deductions of more than those amounts can itemize and deduct their mortgage interest.
To read the newsletter click on the link below:
Diversified Asset Management, Inc. – 2019 2nd Quarter Newsletter
Robert J. Pyle, CFP®, CFA is president of Diversified Asset Management, Inc. (DAMI). DAMI is licensed as an investment adviser with the State of Colorado Division of Securities, and its investment advisory representatives are licensed by the State of Colorado. DAMI will only transact business in other states to the extent DAMI has made the requisite notice filings or obtained the necessary licensing in such state. No follow up or individualized responses to persons in other jurisdictions that involve either rendering or attempting to render personalized investment advice for compensation will be made absent compliance with applicable legal requirements, or an applicable exemption or exclusion. It does not constitute investment or tax advice. To contact Robert, call 303-440-2906 or e-mail info@diversifiedassetmanagement.com.
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