Did you know that you can transfer funds directly from your IRA to a Health Savings Account (HSA) without taxes or penalties? According to the IRS, you’re permitted to make one such “qualified HSA funding distribution” during your lifetime. Ordinarily, if you have an IRA and an HSA, it’s typically a good idea to contribute [...]
Many Americans receive disability income. If you’re one of them or know someone who is, you may wonder whether it’s taxable. As is often the case with tax questions, the answer is “it depends.” KEY FACTOR The key factor is who paid it. If the income is paid directly to you by your employer, it’s [...]
Individual taxpayers may be able to claim medical expense deductions on their tax returns. However, the rules can be challenging, and it can be difficult to qualify. Here are five points to keep in mind: You must itemize to claim the deduction and have quite a few expenses. For 2021, the medical expense deduction can [...]
Because of the current estate tax exemption amount ($11.7 million in 2021), many estates no longer need to be concerned with federal estate tax. Years ago, a much smaller exemption amount put more pressure on estate plans to avoid it. Now that many estates won’t be subject to estate tax, you can devote more energy [...]
Many banks conduct regular “stress” tests to predict the impact of adverse external events on their earnings, capital and loan portfolios. Banks use the results to shore up any revealed weaknesses. Investors should periodically perform similar stress tests on their investment portfolios. Stress testing is the ultimate “what if” analysis. It uses modeling techniques to [...]
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected our lives in many ways that are still playing out. For example, it has served as a reminder of how difficult an unexpected medical crisis can be to manage financially. It’s also reinforced the importance of guarding against the risk of such crises before they arise. In this context, [...]