Capital gains are the profits realized from the sale of capital assets such as stocks, bonds, and property. The capital gain tax is triggered only

The estate tax is a tax on property that transfers to others upon your death. Estate taxes are assessed on the total value of your

The federal gift tax applies to gifts of property or money while the donor is living. The federal estate tax, on the other hand, applies

IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement plans are subject to annual contribution limits set by the federal government. The limits are adjusted periodically to compensate for inflation

A required minimum distribution (RMD) is the annual amount that generally must be withdrawn from a traditional IRA or a qualified retirement plan (such as

Americans give freely to support the causes they value, from churches, education, and the arts to medical research. Fortunately, current tax laws encourage and even

Traditional IRAs and most employer-sponsored retirement plans are tax-deferred accounts, which means they are typically funded with pre-tax or tax-deductible dollars. As a result, taxes

Withdrawing taxable funds from a tax-deferred retirement account before age 59½ generally triggers a 10% federal tax penalty, on top of any federal income taxes

“Tax deferral” is a method of postponing the payment of income tax on currently earned investment income until the investor withdraws funds from the account.

For many people, tax-advantaged investing is an excellent way to reduce their income tax liability. And while many of the traditional tax-advantaged strategies have been

Tax reform measures are enacted frequently by Congress, which makes it hard for U.S. taxpayers to know which deductions are currently available to help lower

A strong savings program is essential for any sound financial strategy. We take Benjamin Franklin’s saying to heart, “A penny saved is a penny earned,”

If you receive a distribution from a qualified retirement plan such as a 401(k), you need to consider whether to pay taxes now or to

The simple answer to this question is “yes.” There are two main types: (1) municipal bonds and municipal bond mutual funds and (2) tax-free money

Provisions in the tax code allow you to pay lower capital gains taxes on the sale of assets held more than one year. Short-term gains

Responding to the changing needs of consumers, the life insurance industry has developed some alternatives that go much further in satisfying a variety of financial