Financial Planning

Understanding Florida Property Taxes:  Calculations, Exemptions and Portability

Despite rising mortgage rates, real estate prices in Florida continue to climb, leaving many Florida homeowners feeling trapped in their current homes. As real estate prices increase, so do property taxes. However, homeowners can mitigate this through the Homestead Exemption. This article explains how the Homestead Exemption works, how property taxes are calculated, and the…

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Demystifying the Gift Tax

Understanding the Federal gift tax is essential for sound financial planning. This article aims to explain key concepts, debunk some common misconceptions, and outline some practical strategies for those who wish to incorporate gifting into their financial plan.  A gift is a transfer of property. The IRS considers a gift to be any transfer of cash…

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Market Volatility in Retirement: Addressing Sequence of Return Risk

Deciding to retire during market volatility can be a tough call. Do you stick it out for another year, or take the plunge?   Even with a well-diversified global portfolio, the timing of retirement can expose an investor to “sequence of return risk,” which is the risk that a market downturn will occur early in retirement.    When a…

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Secure Act 2.0:  Provisions Affecting ROTH IRA Accounts and What They Mean for You

There are several provisions in Secure Act 2.0 that relate to ROTH IRAs and ROTH accounts within workplace retirement plans.   ROTH AccountsFirst, as reminder, ROTH accounts are funded with after-tax dollars.  In other words, no tax-deduction is taken when funds are contributed to the account.  The funds within the account grow tax-free and when they are withdrawn…

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