What happens when you die? Whether you believe in an eternal after-life, or that you come back as Aunt Polly’s cat, in the world of money you choose the answer. Depending on your choice, as an old Eagles tune says, it could be heaven or it could be hell for the people that matter to you. Planning, or lack of [...]
Buried in the dusty archives of the IRS code is a military secret. The benefit for some military families can be substantial – the ability to deposit up to $500,000 into a Roth IRA, all at one time. In 2008 the Federal Government passed the Heart Act (Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act). It allows surviving spouses of military [...]
To take, or not to take—that is the question: Whether ‘tis nobler to wait until 70 for the outrageous fortune of a larger Social Security check, or suffer the slings and arrows of a reduced benefit at age 62. Social Security is an important part of retirement income for many Americans and deciding when to begin benefits is a key [...]
Are my social security benefits taxable? That’s a frequent question when doing retirement planning. The simple answer is it depends on your income. But it wasn’t always that way. For almost 50 years, no one was taxed on Social Security benefits. Then, during a study of Social Security, a Senate Finance Committee Report said, “…by taxing social security benefits and [...]
Author: Bob Williams It’s one of those crystal ball questions every investor wants to know. Are we at the end of this investment cycle? In true Wall Street style, I’ll give you a qualified… maybe. You never know when a bull market will end until it has. And anyone who says they’ve done it before was either lucky then or [...]
Let the fussin’ and cussin’ begin. You’re about to embark on the annual pilgrimage to income tax purgatory and will spend several weeks gathering proof of your deductions. In that process, remember the words of a wise tax sage, “Loopholes aren’t illegal. Anything in the IRS code is there to use.” In other words, don’t give more to the government [...]
The end of 2016 will be here before you know it. Here at Alhambra Investment Partners we want to remind you of some requirements and opportunities to put on your financial to-do list before year end. Take your RMD If you’re over 70 ½ and have a Traditional IRA, 401(k), 403(b), or 457 plan, the IRS forces you to [...]
This past week, the S&P 500 Cap-Weighted Index ((IVV)) once again tested resistance at the 2100-2120 level, before finally blowing through to set new all-time highs for the market. It's been a remarkable rebound from its crushing meltdown in January, and once again after the initial Brexit scare. And now the question becomes...will there be some follow through in this [...]
Recently Cumberland Advisors published a report titled, "LCR: Is The Fed's Balance Sheet Too Small?". While we have the greatest respect for David Kotok and his firm, we disagree with this analysis. Jeff Snider's response (my contribution was merely editing) was sent to David Kotok last week. Not only did he respond but he invited us both up to Leen's [...]
This past week, the S&P 500 Cap-Weighted Index ((IVV)) tested resistance at the 2120-25 level, close to the all-time highs for the market, after a remarkable rebound from its crushing meltdown in January. At least for now it has failed. Look for a possible short-term pull back here, probably down to the 50-day MA average at the 2075 level. The [...]
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