Retirement

New Rules Pave Way for More Individuals to Generate Tax-Free Income at Retirement.

When it comes to pursuing the American Dream most of us try as hard as we can to accumulate wealth. We do this so that we can enjoy a comfortable income and retire with dignity. However, what if you were actually wealthy in retirement and at the same time looked poor on your income tax return? How would that impact your retirement years?

Financial magazines, newspapers, TV programs, and local communities have battered the reputation of a very strong and useful financial product, the annuity. In many cases, the most outspoken opponents of annuities are those who are not licensed to offer them or don’t really understand them.

Tax Planning is always important to do but even more important now. It generally made sense to defer taxes to future years, but that may not be the case as it appears future taxes could be going up.

2010 Is a Big Sunset Year On-Tax Provisions
Several tax benefits will be going away. For instance, the top tax bracket will be going up from 35% to 39.6%, some talk of it going up to 45%. The minimum tax bracket will go from 10% to 15%. All of us will want to stay abreast of tax legislation. Because of the coming sunset on provisions,

Mega star Nicolas Cage is on the verge of bankruptcy. According to the Associated Press, he owes the IRS $6.3 million in back taxes from 2007. Additionally, he has a lien on his real estate holdings and is being sued by East West Bank for $2 million that he borrowed and hasn't paid back.

By now you've probably heard that actor Nicolas Cage, star of numerous Hollywood blockbusters, including Gone in Sixty Seconds and Leaving Las Vegas, has run into a spot of financial trouble lately, with his ex and baby mama Christina Fulton recently suing the actor for 13-mil and he reportedly has several homes facing foreclosure.

Now, nobody thinks Cage is a dummy, so how does a smart guy who's made millions end up with money trouble.

From a technical perspective, not much.

Steven Covey penned a phrase that has impacted practically every facet of American society that does any planning at all. He said, “Begin with the end in mind.” Most people see that as sound advice and many, at some level, attempt to apply it.

If you have an annuity contract of any kind, you may have been approached about the idea of exchanging it for a new model or one with the latest features. A 1035 exchange could help you to achieve these objectives. 1035 refers to a provision in the federal tax code (“Code”) that allows you to transfer the accumulated funds in an existing annuity to another annuity without creating a tax able event.

What is an IRA Rollover?

The trick is to resist the urge to use the monies. After tucking money away in your 401(k) for quite some time, you may be tempted to use it to treat yourself to a new car or some other indulgence.