End of Year Reminders

Year End Reminders

December 31st brings promise of a new year, change, and many deadlines. As the end of the year approaches, our team has several reminders and opportunities for our clients. Create a plan for the remainder of your year, and as always, let us know how we can help.

We'll look at opportunities for your

Retirement Accounts
Investment Accounts
Excess Cash

Let’s dive in, shall we?

Retirement Accounts

Required Minimum Distributions (RMD)

What is it?

Your RMD is the minimum amount you must withdraw from your retirement account each year, beginning at age 72.

Why now?

Unless it’s your first RMD after turning 72, you are required to withdraw the minimum amount from your retirement by December 31st each year. Your first RMD is eligible to be withdrawn during a larger window, but let’s not complicate matters now.

Required Minimum Distributions reminders:

RMDs apply to your retirement funds if you turned 70 ½ before January 1, 2020, or the year you turn 72 regardless of employment status
You can make any number of withdrawals to make up your RMD
If your distributions are less than your RMD, you are subject to a 50% tax on the undistributed RMD amount
If you inherited an inherited IRA, you may have to take an RMD by year-end

Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)

What is it?

A direct transfer from your IRA to a qualified charity. This transfer can count towards your Required Minimum Distribution

Why now?

The funds must come out of your IRA by your RMD deadline to count towards your RMD (typically December 31)

Qualified Charitable Distribution may make sense for you if:

You have a Required Minimum Distribution that you don’t have plans for
You inherited an IRA with a Required Minimum Distribution that you don't have plans for
You want to make a larger donation than you would be able to with cash
Your Required Minimum Distribution would place you in a higher tax bracket than you would like

Roth Conversions

What is it?

Converting your retirement funds from a traditional IRA to a Roth allows you to pay the tax on your retirement funds now, and let your account grow until you plan to use the money in later years

Why now?

Roth conversions must take place before December 31st to apply to your 2022 taxes

Roth Conversion may make sense for your if:

Your tax bracket in 2022 will be lower than normal
You anticipate your tax bracket being higher in future years
Your retirement account has experienced losses

Investment Accounts

Tax-Loss Harvesting

What is it?

Offsetting capital gains by purposefully taking a capital loss on investments.

Why now?

Any investment sales of will impact your 2022 taxes.

Tax-loss harvesting may make sense for you if:

Your tax bracket is changing
You want to offset other taxable income

Donor Advised Fund

What is it?

A charitable account managed by a sponsoring 501c(3) organization that is funded and directed by an individual donor.

Why now?

Donations to the Donor Advised Fund are deductible during the current year

A Donor Advised Fund may make sense for you if:

You have a charitable interest for your funds
You have highly appreciated stock you would like to gift. Avoid capital gains tax, and still receive the tax deduction of a charitable gift
You would like to gift items other than cash
You want to earmark your philanthropic funds and donate at your discretion

Short-Term Savings for Cash

Certificates of Deposit (CDs)

What is it?

Certificate of Deposit (CD) is a savings instrument that offers a lump sum return for a fixed period of time.

Why now?

The Feds have raised interest rates a number of times this year. When they do, interest rates on deposit products typically rise. With a volatile stock market, CDs may be a timely solution for the excess funds you have on hand.

CD purchases may make sense for you if:

You have excess cash on hand that you don’t need access to, and would like to have it grow
You want fixed, predictable returns on a portion of your funds