Imber Wealth Advisors: tax advisor

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Monday, July 12, 2021

21st Century Tree-Hugging Stratei

The phrase “tree hugger” refers to an environmentalist who advocates for the preservation of woodlands. Its original historical reference is to an incident that occurred in India in 1730, when local villagers literally hugged trees in an effort to prevent foresters from chopping them down for materials to build a palace. In doing so, more than 360 villagers were killed by the foresters; but the slaughter finally stopped – and the trees lived.¹

That’s a pretty awful tale behind a phrase used to describe people trying to preserve nature. But the long-derided annals of tree huggers are now becoming an economic necessity. These days, environmental researchers say that the preservation and planting of forests is one of the easiest, most cost-efficient and most effective ways to remove harmful carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), boosting the world’s total area of forestry, woodlands and woody savannahs – which absorb and store atmospheric carbon – could limit global warming to above pre-industrial levels.²

Why does this matter? The economic, health and financial impacts of global warming and subsequent extreme weather incidents are beginning to impact us already – and will only get worse. For example, flood and homeowners insurance premiums will continue to rise to reflect more frequent and intense weather vulnerability. It’s important to ensure your household finances – both hard and financial assets – are well protected from unforeseen events. Feel free to contact us for a comprehensive insurance review.

As floods, wildfires, hurricanes and volcanoes impact vulnerable countries and communities, economists expect a surge in migration, reduced productivity and increased crime. One groundbreaking report headed by a former World Bank chief economist predicted that the economic costs of climate change could lead to a potential 20% decline in global GDP.³

The good news is that climate action is expected to drive economic growth throughout the 21st century. The recent infrastructure package proposed by the Biden administration includes investments to help the U.S. “win” the global electric vehicle market and advance clean energy to secure our electric grid.⁴ These investments are important to help the U.S. keep pace with other developed countries. For example, Europe is investing hundreds of billions of euros in renewable-energy capacity, such as zero-emission trains. China also is spending hundreds of billions of dollars to build manufacturing capacity for electric vehicles, solar panels and other clean-energy technology.⁵

Not only can tree-planting and other strategies help shore up global economies and household budgets from the detrimental effects of extreme weather events; there are aesthetic benefits as well. For example, the city of Paris is looking to replace half of its 140,000 on-street parking places throughout the city, including in residential areas, with a variety of green projects. Citizens have the option to weigh in on local projects that include planting more trees and shrubbery, urban vegetable gardens, food composting areas (similar to recycling centers), children’s playgrounds, bicycle lock-up areas and hygienic public restrooms.⁶

In short, the “green industrial revolution” is poised to provide the biggest financial opportunity since the last industrial revolution. And with the backing of every major country in the world, it may well become the biggest in history.⁷

We take pride in assisting our clients with incorporating all aspects of their life into their Retirement Roadmap 360®. Take control of your financial future and give us a call at (734) 769-1719 today to see how we may be able to help you!

¹ Cyrena Lee. Getaway House. Oct. 13, 2018. “A History of Tree Hugging.” https://journal.getaway.house/a-history-of-tree-hugging/. Accessed May 5, 2021.

² Simon L. Lewis, Charlotte E. Wheeler, Edward T. A. Mitchard and Alexander Koch. Nature. April 2, 2019. “Restoring natural forests is the best way to remove atmospheric carbon.” https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01026-8. Accessed May 5, 2021.

³ Justin Worland. Time. April 15, 2021. “The Pandemic Remade Every Corner of Society. Now It’s the Climate’s Turn.” https://time.com/5953374/climate-is-everything/. Accessed May 5, 2021.

⁴ Ibid.

⁵ Ibid.

⁶ Natalie Marchant. World Economic Forum. Dec. 7, 2020. “Paris halves street parking and asks residents what they want to do with the space.” https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/12/paris-parking-spaces-greenery-cities/. Accessed May 5, 2021.

⁷ Dale Vince. City A.M. April 30, 2021. “The hippie economy: tree-huggers and capitalists are a match made in heaven.” https://www.cityam.com/the-hippie-economy-tree-huggers-and-capitalists-are-a-match-made-in-heaven/. Accessed May 5, 2021.

The information contained in this material is believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed; it is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions.

Investment Advisory Services are offered by Imber Financial Group, LLC., a Registered Investment Adviser firm. Insurance services are offered through Imber Wealth Advisors, Inc. Imber Financial Group, LLC. and Imber Wealth Advisors, Inc. are affiliated companies

Tuesday, June 22, 2021

2021 Tax Strategies

In an effort to pay for new legislation, the Biden administration has proposed higher taxes for the nation’s highest earners. The president advocates returning the top tax rate to 39.6% for individuals earning $452,700 or more, and married couples with more than $509,300 in combined taxable income.

This top tax rate was just reduced in 2017 (to the current 37%), which emphasizes a very important point: Tax rates are going to rise and fall. While it may be prudent to make adjustments to income, investments, deductions and other tax strategies in response to changes, it’s always important to do what’s best for your circumstances. Making adjustments every few years could end up derailing your long-term goals. Before making any changes based on proposed or even enacted tax laws, be sure to consult with experienced financial and tax professionals to develop a sound strategy that works for the long haul. Feel free to call us if you’d like to discuss tax strategies.

With that in mind, there are tactics you can use to help minimize your tax obligations and still remain aligned with your goals. For example, if you are currently retired and regularly make charitable contributions, you can use your required minimum distributions (RMD) to donate directly from your IRA account. Those assets would no longer be reported as income, so you would not have to pay taxes on them. It’s a way to continue your charitable goals but minimize your taxes.²

Another asset that could be targeted for higher taxes is an inherited home. Today, heirs enjoy a step-up in basis, which means the home’s cost basis is adjusted to market value at the time of the owner’s death. If the heir sells the home immediately, he or she will owe no capital gains tax. Also, heirs can defer paying taxes on that value until they actually sell the home. However, Biden’s proposed inheritance tax would remove the step-up and tax capital gains upon the death of the parent, as if the home was sold. The current proposal includes tax exemptions up to $1 million for single heirs and up to $2.5 million for couples.

That may sound like a lot, but the heirs may have to sell the property if they don’t have ready cash to pay the gains tax. For example, say a son inherits his parents’ home. It was originally purchased for $300,000 and is valued at $1.5 million when he inherits it. Under the Biden proposal, he can subtract both the original cost ($300,000) and the exclusion rate ($1 million), but that still leaves $200,000 on which he would owe capital gains taxes.³

Another tax strategy being pursued by this administration is to collect taxes legally owed that are not currently being collected. According to the IRS, that’s about $1 trillion a year based on analysis from 2011 to 2013. However, between the proliferation of virtual currencies and the impressive growth in billionaire wealth just over the past year, the amount of uncollected tax revenues could be a lot higher than that now. In fact, IRS analysis has found that illegal and foreign-sourced income that is not currently being reported would yield an additional $175 billion in tax revenues from America’s wealthiest households. In an effort to avoid raising taxes on middle and lower-income households, Biden has proposed a 10.4% increase in IRS funding to help enforce tax laws already on the books.⁴

^{We take pride in assisting our clients with incorporating all aspects of their life into their Retirement Roadmap 360®. Take control of your financial future and give us a call at (734) 769-1719 today to see how we may be able to help you!}

¹ Kate Duffy. Business Insider. April 29, 2021. “Biden’s tax hike will hit married couples earning more than $510,000 combined, report says.” https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-tax-rise-hits-married-couples-earn-less-400000-2021-4. Accessed May 3, 2021.

² Steven A. Morelli. Insurance News Net. April 9, 2021. “Advisors Dealing With A Flood Of Tax Anxiety.” https://insurancenewsnet.com/innarticle/advisors-dealing-with-a-flood-of-tax-anxiety. Accessed May 3, 2021.

³ Kate Dore. CNBC. April 29, 2021. “Biden’s plan for inherited real estate may impact more people than just the wealthy.” https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/29/bidens-tax-plan-for-inherited-homes-may-impact-more-than-the-wealthy.html?recirc=taboolainternal. Accessed May 3, 2021.

⁴ Aaron Lorenzo. Politico. April 13, 2021. “IRS chief says some $1T in taxes going uncollected annually.” https://www.politico.com/news/2021/04/13/irs-one-trillion-taxes-uncollected-annually-481128. Accessed May 3, 2021.

The information contained in this material is believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed; it is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions.

Friday, August 28, 2020

The High Price of Health Care in America

If the U.S. health-care sector was a separate country, it would be the fourth largest economy in the world when measured by gross domestic product. Currently, the nation spends an average of $3.5 trillion annually on health care, more than Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain and the United Kingdom combined.¹

If you break that down by how much we spend per capita compared to other countries, it looks like this:²

U.S.: $10,246

Australia: $5,331

Germany: $5,033

Canada: $4,754

Japan: $4,168

United Kingdom: $3,858

Singapore: $2,618

It’s also worth noting that more Americans die by preventable and treatable medical conditions than in those countries, as well.³

This is one those expenses that can make it tough for consumers to save money. One reason is because health care pricing isn’t transparent. Even if you shop around for a low-cost procedure in a hospital, you’re still likely to get hit with other separate charges. For example, the expense of an out-of-network anesthesiologist who happened to be working on the day of your operation. Most patients do not get the bill they were expecting, and it often comes a few months down the road. Another reason we have a hard time curbing spending is that U.S. health care doesn’t benefit from the normal principles of capitalism. Without greater transparency of fees, there is very little competitive pricing that would normally help drive costs down.

Health care is expensive whether you’re still working or retired. There are several ways to help you save in case you have excessively high health-care costs in the future, such as a health savings account or a whole life insurance policy that allows you to tap into a growing cash account. If you’d like to learn more about flexible ways to save or help leverage assets for high care costs, please contact us.

The U.S. health care coverage problem is reaching its peak in the midst of a perfect storm: Among the millions of Americans who lost their jobs, 41% also lost their health insurance.⁴ Gilead Sciences, the maker of the remdesivir drug that has proven to be an effective treatment for COVID-19, announced it would price the medication at $3,120 per course for U.S. patients with commercial insurance. The price tag for other developed nations is $2,340 per patient.⁵

The growing cost of health care in this country is hardly a new issue. Little effort has been made toward reform of this divisive, partisan issue, and now that infection hot spots are continuing to pop up throughout the country, the coronavirus has exposed further flaws in America’s health care system. These range from the lack of a cohesive national plan, to poor federal stockpiles of supplies, to supply chain problems in manufacturing and distribution. America’s health care problems go far deeper than simply running out of ICU beds in hospitals.⁶

After the next set of elections, and once we’re hopefully beyond this pandemic, the effort to reform our national health care system will likely be a top priority in Congress

At Imber Wealth Advisors, we help people in the Ann Arbor area plan for retirement. With a strong financial plan in place, we can help you prepare to leave the workforce and live comfortably. Take control of your financial future and give us a call at (734) 769-1719 today!

¹ Jeneen Interlandi. The New York Times. June 29, 2020. “Employer-Based Health Care, Meet Massive Unemployment.” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/29/opinion/sunday/coronavirus-medicare-for-all.html. Accessed July 10, 2020.

² Huo Jingnan and Pranav Baskar. NPR. June 13, 2020. “Pandemic Perspective: What The 20 Poorest And Richest Countries Spend On Health Care.” https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/06/13/864563401/pandemic-perspective-what-the-20-poorest-and-richest-countries-spend-on-health-c. Accessed July 10, 2020.

³ Ibid.

⁴ Robert Preidt. U.S. News & World Report. June 23, 2020. “Pandemic Job Losses Leaving Many Americans Uninsured: Survey.” https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2020-06-23/pandemic-job-losses-leaving-many-americans-uninsured-survey. Accessed July 27, 2020.

⁵ Michael Erman, Ludwig Burger and Manojna Maddipatla. Reuters. June 29, 2020. “Gilead prices COVID-19 drug remdesivir at $2,340 per patient in developed nations.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-gilead-sciences/gilead-prices-covid-19-drug-candidate-remdesivir-at-2340-per-patient-idUSKBN2401C8. Accessed July 10, 2020.

⁶ Jordan Davison. EcoWatch. July 9, 2020. “America Faces a Critical PPE Shortage, Again.” https://www.ecowatch.com/us-ppe-shortage-coronavirus-trump-2646373026.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1. Accessed July 10, 2020.

We are an independent firm helping individuals create retirement strategies using a variety of insurance and investment products to custom suit their needs and objectives. This material is intended to provide general information to help you understand basic financial planning strategies and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. All investments are subject to risk including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining values.

The information contained in this material is believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed; it is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions. If you are unable to access any of the news articles and sources through the links provided in this text, please contact us to request a copy of the desired reference.

Monday, February 3, 2020

Work World: Late Career Management

The number of workers older than 64 has increased threefold since 1989.1 And while working longer may be a marker of good health for some, it’s a necessity for others who need the income. As a result, we may need to rethink our idea of what retirement looks like in the 21st century.

Consider that working longer could be a problem if you’re relying on it as a retirement savings strategy. That’s because a 2018 study found that more than half of older U.S. workers, many of them mid- and late-career managers, were forced out of their jobs before they chose to retire.2 Working longer has a lot of advantages, such as the ability to save more money and to grow your assets and your Social Security benefit. Unfortunately, sudden job loss — compounded by the difficulty older workers experience finding new jobs — can cause serious financial damage.

If there is one thing we can count on in life, it’s that life is always changing. We encounter great joys and great challenges, and often it’s how prepared we are that helps us recover and persevere. As insurance professionals, we believe it’s important to be prepared for any type of change that may come your way. If we can help you devise an insurance strategy to help you plan for the income you need in retirement, please give us a call.

It used to be more common for people to retire on their own terms, and there may be a way we can get back to that. But it doesn’t mean bucking the system; it requires embracing change. That change, for many people, could mean working in the “gig economy” with a sideline business. Think about it. By the time you are in the latter stages of your career, you likely have more experience than the vast number of colleagues around you. How can you leverage that for independent income?

Today, more than a third of America’s workforce participates in the gig economy, whether full time or part time.3 Even if you do not have knowledge that translates into a sideline business as, say, a consultant, perhaps you’ve developed another skill that could provide you income. Are you a baker or a carpenter? Perhaps you could drive for a rideshare service or walk dogs in your spare time. Working for yourself comes with plenty of perks, such as accepting only the jobs you want and scheduling hours that work for you. Like it or not, the gig economy could be the defining work/life balance solution of this century.

Many people may be uncomfortable with the idea of changing jobs or careers late in the game. That is certainly understandable. But it’s important to remember that many retirees didn’t get to make that decision on their own. So imagine for a moment what you would do if you lost your job late in your career. Would you look for another job in your field? Would you consider starting your own business? Would you go in a completely different direction — perhaps pursue something you’ve always wanted to do?

Let’s say you don’t even need the income; you have plenty of money saved to retire on — you just don’t want to retire … yet. So what would you want to do? Taking time to consider this question could be instrumental in shaping the new, 21st century perspective on retirement.

And why not? Consider that you have a lifetime of experience — both in career and in life lessons learned. If you are in the latter stages of your career, it’s time you take charge by putting together a plan B — just in case.

You could consider your potential career change a gift to the next generation. Many Gen Xers and millennials now say the biggest obstacle in their career path is that more baby boomers are putting off retirement, so there’s little room for promotions to middle- and higher-level jobs.4

That’s a lot to think about. But perhaps the 21st-century vision of retirement isn’t to stop working, but rather to pursue income-producing dreams.

1 Stef W. Kight. Axios. Nov. 16, 2019. “Special report: Retirement becomes more myth than reality.” https://www.axios.com/retirement-myth-reality-d64d1e74-df04-49b7-9629-2cab2609a917.html. Accessed Dec. 18, 2019.

2 Knowledge@Wharton. Dec. 3, 2019. “Forced Out of Your Job Mid-career? Here’s How to Prepare.” https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/forced-job-mid-career-heres-prepare/. Accessed Dec. 18, 2019.

3 US Bank. 2019. “Understanding the expanding gig economy.” https://financialiq.usbank.com/index/landing-page/gig-economy.html?c3ch=Paid%20Social&c3nid=TW-21808397. Accessed Dec. 18, 2019.

4 Paul Davidson. USA Today. Nov. 7, 2019. “Millennials, Gen Xers to baby boomers: Can you retire so I can get a job promotion?” https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/11/07/jobs-baby-boomers-older-workers-may-block-millennials-careers/4170836002/. Accessed Dec. 18, 2019.

We are an independent firm helping individuals create retirement strategies using a variety of insurance products to custom suit their needs and objectives. This material is intended to provide general information to help you understand basic retirement income strategies and should not be construed as financial advice. Investment Advisory Services are offered by Imber Financial Group, LLC., a Registered Investment Adviser firm. Insurance services are offered through Imber Wealth Advisors, Inc. Imber Financial Group, LLC. and Imber Wealth Advisors, Inc. are affiliated companies

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Tax Tips & Updates for the 2019 Filing Season

As we enter a new year, it’s time to start thinking about smart tax moves to help minimize what you’ll owe Uncle Sam on April 15, 2020. Given the fact that the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act went into effect only last year, taxpayers are still learning the ins, outs and potential undiscovered advantages of the plan. For example, if you did not itemize deductions on your previous federal return, your state tax refund will be tax-free.1

Bear in mind that other clarifications have come to light since the law was passed, such as deducting interest on a home equity line of credit. However, if you actually used the money from a home equity loan to repair or renovate your home, the interest on that loan is still deductible.2

We recognize that tax planning is an onerous task, made more difficult by changes in tax law. If you are wondering how any changes in your investment portfolio may affect your taxes, please give us a call. If we don’t have the exact tax expertise you need, we can help point you in the direction of someone who does.

In addition to doubling the standard deduction, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reduced individual income tax rates to between 12% and 37%. However, these cuts are scheduled to expire in 2026. In recent months, the Trump administration has proposed dropping the marginal rate even lower for the current 22% income tax bracket, down to 15%. While this appears to be a strong carrot entering the 2020 campaign year, there’s been no clarification as to how this tax cut would be paid for and, given that it would add roughly another trillion dollars or so to the federal debt throughout the next decade, is not likely to gain traction in Congress.3

If you traditionally deducted substantial mortgage interest as well as state and local real estate and income taxes, you may have seen a noticeable difference in last year’s return. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act capped these federal deductions at $10,000, which some real estate analysts say is responsible for lower home valuations in some parts of the country.4

It’s also important to stay abreast of the tax-related ins and outs of inherited IRAs. If you are the deceased account owner’s spousal beneficiary, you have several options — one being that you can basically treat the account as your own. However, if you’re a non-spouse beneficiary, your options are limited. Currently, you can either take distributions based on your own life expectancy — the “stretch option” — which allows the funds to continue growing tax-deferred in the account; or, you must liquidate the account within five years of the original owner’s death. Note that as of 2019, Congress is currently considering legislation that would eliminate the stretch option and require full liquidation within 10 years of the account owner’s death.5

For more information on how we may be able to assist you when it comes to incorporating your tax planning into your Retirement Plan, give our office a call at (734) 769-1719 or email us at office@imberwealth.com.

1 Rocky Mengle and Kevin McCormally. Kiplinger. Dec. 2, 2019. “20 Most-Overlooked Tax Breaks and Deductions.” https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/taxes/T054-S001-most-overlooked-tax-deductions-breaks-2019/index.html. Accessed Dec. 5, 2019.

2 Andrew H. Friedman. Merrill Lynch. March 19, 2019. “Tax Law Update: New Information on What’s Deductible – and What’s Not.” https://www.ml.com/bulletin/tax-update-the-irs-answers-frequently-asked-questions.recent.html. Accessed Dec. 5, 2019.

3 Knowledge@Wharton. Nov. 19, 2019. “A Middle-class Tax Cut: Weighing the Costs and Benefits.” https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/blouin-middle-class-tax-cut/. Accessed Dec. 5, 2019.

4 Knowledge@Wharton. Oct. 22, 2019. “Why Tax Changes Are Hurting the Housing Market.” https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/tax-changes-hurting-housing-market/. Accessed Dec. 5, 2019.

5 James Royal. Bankrate. Nov. 19, 2019. “7 inherited IRA rules all beneficiaries must know.” https://www.bankrate.com/retirement/inherited-ira-rules/. Accessed Dec. 5, 2019.