How to Give More (and Save on Taxes) With Charitable Contributions This Holiday Season
The holiday season brings out something special in people. Between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve, Americans open their wallets to support causes they care about. Last year, donors gave an estimated $3.6 billion on GivingTuesday alone, and December accounts for roughly 30% of annual charitable donations. The spirit of giving runs strong during these months, but many donors miss opportunities to maximize both their impact and their tax savings. Understanding how...
Year-End Business Planning: 5 Essential Steps to Take Before December 31 (and the Top 3 Mistakes to Avoid in Q4)
The final quarter of the year arrives with a strange mix of urgency and opportunity. For business owners, Q4 represents more than just holiday parties and year-end bonuses. It's the critical window where smart planning can set the foundation for next year's success, while poor decisions can create problems that linger for months. The difference between businesses that thrive and those that merely survive often comes down to how they...
Tax-Loss Harvesting: How to Use Market Dips Before December 31st
You open your investment statement in late November, and your stomach drops. Some stocks are down 15%, others 20%. That tech fund you bought with such confidence in January? Down considerably. Your first instinct might be to look away and hope things improve. But those losses sitting in your portfolio could actually reduce your tax bill if you act strategically before year-end. This strategy is called tax-loss harvesting, and it's one...
Integrating Estate Planning with Your Retirement Strategy
You've spent decades building your retirement nest egg. Your 401(k) is funded, your IRA is growing, and you've run the numbers countless times. But there's a critical piece missing from your retirement puzzle - what happens to all that money after you're gone? More importantly, what happens to your family if something happens to you before retirement? Most people treat retirement planning and estate planning like separate projects handled by different...