The Motley Fool

MAY 5, 2024

Image source: The Motley Fool/Upsplash The end of tax season is a good time to reflect on the value of professional tax help, especially for small business owners. If you're starting a business or ramping up your side hustle into a full-time income, you might want to start thinking about hiring an accountant.

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The Motley Fool

FEBRUARY 26, 2024

Image source: Getty Images If you haven't started your 2023 taxes yet, you may want to get moving. Although the April 15 filing deadline is still more than a month and a half away, the sooner you get through the process, the sooner your tax refund, if applicable, can hit your bank account. Of that, up to $1,600 is refundable.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 16, 2024

Image source: Getty Images Like it or not, we're getting to the point of the year when it's time to start thinking about taxes. Although the filing deadline is April 15, the IRS will begin accepting tax returns on Jan. And filing your taxes early could mean getting your refund sooner, if you're entitled to one.

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The Motley Fool

MARCH 23, 2024

Image source: The Motley Fool/Upsplash Tax season is a good time for small business owners to reflect upon their past year's business performance, and plan ahead for next year. As part of your tax planning, it's important to watch out for a few big tax mistakes. Don't pay vendors from a personal checking account.

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The Motley Fool

MARCH 10, 2024

Image source: The Motley Fool/Unsplash Ah, tax time -- it's such fun to sit down with an accountant or tax-filing software and see if you underpaid or overpaid the government (which already knows your tax liability). Paying down low-interest debt So you've decided to pay off some debt with your tax refund.

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The Motley Fool

MARCH 21, 2024

Image source: Getty Images At this point, a lot of people have already submitted their tax returns to the IRS. But tax returns aren't due this year until April 15. The same holds true for taxes. A smaller tax refund. Get started now At this point, there's still a good number of weeks left before 2023 taxes are due.

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 8, 2023

Image source: Getty Images Have you ever heard that multi-billionaire Warren Buffett pays a lower federal income tax rate than his secretary? Many ultra-wealthy American households pay surprisingly low effective federal income tax rates, and in some cases, no taxes at all. No tax breaks are designed to only benefit billionaires.

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The Motley Fool

SEPTEMBER 24, 2023

Taxes in retirement can become complicated fast with income coming from several sources. A Roth IRA can help simplify your taxes while offering incredible savings. Opening up an account sooner rather than later can help you position your finances to keep your tax bill low in retirement. First is when you pay taxes.

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The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 22, 2023

Taxes on Social Security can be extremely complicated, and there are some big pitfalls you could find yourself falling into if you're not careful. It's important to understand the basics of how taxes on Social Security work. So keeping your combined income as low as possible is necessary to avoid taxes on Social Security.

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The Motley Fool

MAY 29, 2024

If given the choice, would you rather not pay taxes? No matter where you live or what level of income you're earning, you are taxed.even if it's just sales tax or property tax. In a handful of states, however, retirees' tax burden is eased simply because those states don't tax retirement income.

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The Motley Fool

JULY 14, 2024

Roth IRA vs. traditional IRA If you're not familiar with the difference between the two types of individual retirement accounts, it's not complicated. With Roth IRAs , conversely, there's no tax break when putting money into these types of accounts, but withdrawals from Roth IRAs are tax-free. There are limitations.

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The Motley Fool

MAY 23, 2024

Image source: The Motley Fool/Upsplash If you're ready to save and invest for retirement, there are a number of different accounts you can choose from. If you don't have access to a 401(k), an individual retirement account (IRA) might be your next best bet. And in that regard, you could choose between a traditional IRA and a Roth IRA.

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The Motley Fool

APRIL 26, 2024

It's natural to think the money in your retirement accounts is yours. When you put money into a tax-deferred retirement account like a traditional IRA or 401(k) , the government subtracts your contribution from your taxable income for that year. But you'll still have to worry about a tax bill in retirement.

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The Motley Fool

JULY 13, 2024

The Roth IRA is one of the most coveted retirement accounts in existence, and for good reason. Some well-known perks of contributing to a Roth IRA include tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawals during retirement. workers are unaware of a significant benefit that can help you during tax time: the Saver's Credit.

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The Motley Fool

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Image source: Getty Images The IRS is officially accepting 2023 tax returns, and in the next couple of months, we'll all have to explain to the government what we did with our money last year. You probably expect to pay taxes on the income from your job or retirement account withdrawals if you've already left the workforce.

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The Motley Fool

APRIL 10, 2024

These accounts offer unique tax advantages you won't find with most other retirement accounts. No taxes on withdrawals The biggest benefit of Roth IRAs is the tax-free withdrawals they offer you in retirement. Theoretically, you could avoid taxes entirely in retirement if you had all Roth savings.

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 2, 2024

Saving money in a retirement account like an IRA or 401(k) is a great way to boost your savings. The tax deduction you receive upfront can help you save more today and build a big nest egg quickly. But eventually, the government wants its tax revenue. You'll be required to pay taxes on the amount you convert.

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The Motley Fool

JUNE 29, 2024

Retirement accounts like a 401(k) and IRA come with a lot of advantages. Incentives like matching contributions , tax deductions and credits, and tax-free growth can help supercharge your retirement savings. You can't avoid taxes on your retirement savings indefinitely, though. Starting in 2024, that's no longer an issue.

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 24, 2024

The federal government encourages retirement savings by offering a tax break for anyone who contributes to certain retirement accounts like a 401(k) or IRA. If you save money in a traditional tax-deferred retirement account, you can deduct the amount you put in on your tax return this year.

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The Motley Fool

NOVEMBER 26, 2024

Image source: Getty Images Paying taxes is something a lot of people only think about when they sit down in April to file a return. But it's helpful to understand the factors that can cause your tax bill to rise. That's a good thing, but the flip side is it may cause you to owe more taxes. And check out these top CD rates , too.

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The Motley Fool

OCTOBER 31, 2024

LLC stands for "limited liability company," which is a business structure that combines the pass-through taxation of a sole protectorship with the limited liability of a corporation. The main benefits of creating an LLC include: Liability protection: An LLC protects your personal assets by separating your business and personal assets.

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The Motley Fool

OCTOBER 21, 2024

To this end, here's a rundown of four simple strategies for minimizing the tax bills created by required minimum distributions -- or RMDs -- from your IRA accounts once you can no longer postpone them. The amount is a percentage of the account's value that changes with your age. What's a required minimum distribution?

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The Motley Fool

OCTOBER 18, 2024

Many families see 529 plans as the go-to college savings accounts because of their tax benefits. Your contributions might reduce your state income tax liability, depending on your plan, and interest grows tax deferred. If you use the money for qualifying educational expenses, you won't owe any taxes on withdrawals.

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 3, 2024

You'll face taxes on withdrawals in retirement Unless you keep your money in a Roth IRA , your retirement plan withdrawals will be subject to taxes during your senior years. To then have to lose some of that income to taxes might be a blow. Maxing out your IRA before moving on to a taxable investment account is generally best.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 22, 2024

But along with forming an LLC, filing annual reports for a corporation, or filing business tax returns, now there's a new one called "BOI." In most states, with just some simple paperwork and a small fee, you can set up a small business that has its own separate identity for banking , taxes, and liability purposes.

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The Motley Fool

JULY 13, 2024

They build an emergency fund Another thing that most wealthy people have in common (even before they become wealthy) is the value they put on having an emergency savings account. As soon as funds have been spent, they quickly work to rebuild their account balance so it's there for the next emergency.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 1, 2024

Tax accountants will often work with their clients to identify all of the possible expenses and deductions to minimize their tax bill. In some rare cases, it might make sense to defer deductions or schedule certain expenses to maximize AIME if it doesn't meaningfully change your tax bill over the course of a few years.

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The Motley Fool

MAY 29, 2024

Retirement accounts come in handy The last area I'm exploring is retirement accounts such as an IRA or Roth IRA. Opening up an IRA is similar to opening up a brokerage account. While investors can buy and sell stocks in their brokerage account at any given time, the opportunity cost is paying capital gains taxes.

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The Motley Fool

SEPTEMBER 14, 2024

Social Security benefit taxes are costing more seniors every year Social Security has three sources of funding. The most important is the payroll taxes workers pay on their annual incomes. The third source is a tax on certain Social Security beneficiaries whose income exceeds specific thresholds. Image source: Getty Images.

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The Motley Fool

OCTOBER 28, 2023

But another reason to do this is to save time and minimize stress during the upcoming tax season. If you struggle with keeping your business finances organized, small business accounting software can be helpful. If you intend to make business purchases soon, you may want to do so before the tax year ends. As we approach Dec.

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The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Max out your retirement accounts In 2023, you were allowed to contribute $22,500 to your 401(k) and $6,500 to your IRA ($7,500 for those 50 and older). For most 401(k) plans, you have until the end of 2023 to contribute up to the limit, while IRA investors have until tax day of 2024 (April 15) to hit theirs.

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The Motley Fool

JUNE 7, 2024

Start where you are Before you start dumping money into various accounts, it's important to assess your current financial situation. Here are a few moves to consider: Calculate your net worth : Jot down all your assets, including savings accounts, certificates of deposit, and retirement accounts.

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The Motley Fool

JULY 24, 2023

You get tax-free distributions in retirement, which is a pretty sweet perk, even though you don't get to deduct your contributions on your taxes. You'll also avoid taxes and penalties if you withdraw your contributions (but not the investment earnings) at any time. Which option yields the better tax savings?

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The Motley Fool

OCTOBER 8, 2023

You want to grow your business bank account balance while making smart investments in your company's future, so you don't want to spend on anything unnecessary. Every business should have liability insurance in case it is sued. Here's what they are. So, be sure to pay what you need to get high-quality professional advice.

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The Motley Fool

APRIL 29, 2024

The money you contribute, up to the allowable limits set by the IRS, can serve the very important purpose of exempting some of your income from taxes, all the while giving you access to funds you can use later in life. Well, you just created a $10,000 tax liability for yourself -- meaning, the IRS gets to tax that $10,000 as income.

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The Motley Fool

MAY 5, 2024

To calculate your net worth , you add up all of your financial assets -- cash savings, retirement accounts, other investments, your home value, and any other property -- and subtract any liabilities -- your mortgage balance, student loans, credit card balances, and any other debt you might owe.

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The Motley Fool

JULY 11, 2024

The 40% rule above is a good benchmark, but if you want a personalized estimate, create a my Social Security account. You'll pay ordinary income taxes on the taxable portion of your Social Security benefits, so it's not as though you'll actually lose 50% or 85% of your checks. Some states tax Social Security benefits as well.

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