Learn more about Capital Advantage through our latest news, press releases and recent media coverage.
The bipartisan COVID-19 stimulus bill just signed by President Trump includes welcome tax relief for retirees: The required minimum distribution rules for Individual Retirement Accounts and 401(k)s are waived for 2020[…]
As you probably know, there is a profusion of misinformation out there on social media about the coronavirus outbreak It is so widespread that it’s being dubbed an “infodemic”[…]
If you let a $10,000 deposit sit in a standard savings account for a year, you’d earn a mere dollar in interest That’s because most major banks out there[…]
Most tax filers look for every opportunity to reduce what they owe the IRS And one of the biggest ways to reduce your tax bill is to be smart[…]
Municipal bonds may seem like a perfect investment Income that isn’t subject to taxes—what could possibly go wrong? Not much, especially if you stick to the higher-rated issues, but that[…]
Do presidential elections influence the stock market? While the stock market is cyclical and it’s tempting for investors to look to history as they try to time their decisions,[…]
As 2020 dawns, the changes to the tax code are more evolutionary than revolutionary Most of the changes amount to tweaks to income or contribution limits, reflective of the[…]
The new law took effect January 1, 2020 and changes some rules about retirement savings
President Trump signed the SECURE on December 20, 2019 as part of the government’s spending[…]
Getting things in order before ringing in the new year can be stressful There are holiday preparations, work deadlines and family gatherings to attend But for many, tackling the[…]
The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady following its two-day meeting this week and indicated that no action is likely next year amid persistently low inflation
Concluding a year that[…]
Home is where the heart is And it can also be where the assets are As of 2011, home equity made up about three-quarters of the average American’s net[…]
Several significant tax and savings deadlines are fast approaching Before you flip your calendar to December, consider making some of these smart money moves
As you approach the end of[…]
2019 US home prices are falling as the market absorbs the 2017 Tax Act changes Meanwhile, other factors are hampering the housing market and point to a potential recession[…]
Many people have an all-or-nothing view of work But there can be a downshifting phase before full retirement that brings both fulfillment and increased savings
I have a friend who[…]
The US could be headed for negative interest rate territory Experts from Wharton and Michigan State University discuss the implications for the US economy
First it was former Federal Reserve[…]
The composition of household wealth tends to change a lot as people move up the economic ladder
Most of middle class household’s wealth will be derived from their principal residence,[…]
A lack of knowledge leaves individual retirees dumping thousands of dollars out of their own pockets
The graph below says it all The age at which most people claim Social[…]
An expanding economy, falling bond yields, and a Fed that is poised to cut interest rates have pushed the Dow, NASDAQ, and S&P 500 Index to new highs, countering[…]
If you believe the hype, families these days have their kids applying to 10 or more schools, and acceptance rates are at record lows What’s going on? Lynn O’Shaughnessy,[…]
When Social Security was first instituted in 1935, most women did not work So, in 1939, as part of a sweeping series of amendments, the system made spousal benefits[…]
As the bond market drives yields down because of the economic turmoil, mortgage rates moved in concert, dropping below 4% for the first time since January 2018, according to[…]
Price sluggishness, sales declines strike most of Bay Area housing market
The Bay Area housing market turned noticeably sluggish during April, according to a report released May 30 that sketched[…]
A House bill would make it easier to convert retirement savings into a steady lifetime income
The retirement bill the House of Representatives passed on May 23 includes an assortment[…]
Question: What is a yield curve, and what does it mean when it’s inverted?
Answer: In simple terms, the yield curve shows the price of borrowing money in the bond[…]
This article provides insights from my personal experience with phased retirement and that of friends and others, and about what has made retirement work well for us, as well[…]
Maintaining adequate health insurance as you transition through the various stages of retirement plays a key role in the retirement decision
While you are working, you generally have employer-sponsored insurance[…]
In a recent Journal of Financial Planning article, I analyzed the costs and implications of selling investments during downturns By my estimates, and others in the field, the cost[…]
Run an internet search for “Medicare for all and seniors,” and you’ll see plenty of posts explaining just how harmful single payer health care would be for retirees
The Medicare[…]
We know this: Affluent retirees love to hate their required minimum distributions
Taxes are the major reason The amounts that people who are age 70 1/2 or older must begin[…]
It has been nearly 10 years since US stocks were in a bear market Time to brush up on some proven techniques
Many investors might have forgotten (or, for the[…]
The current tax season–for the 2018 tax year–is likely to be pretty different from years past
The key reason is that changes in the tax code that went into effect[…]
In 2019, a large national experiment will take shape that tests two very different approaches[…]
Here’s a trick question: what is the biggest danger to your long-term investment results? If you answered something like “market downturns” or “downside volatility,” you’re[…]
The year 2018 ushered in seismic tax-code changes that you’re likely to see reflected on your 2018 return: notably, the end of personal exemptions as well as higher standard[…]
The Internal Revenue Service recently announced the official estate and gift tax limits for 2019: The estate and gift tax exemption is $114 million per individual, up from $1118[…]
While many investors are focused on asset allocation – finding the right mix of asset classes for their level of risk tolerance, goals and investment time frame – smart investors[…]
The newly raised standard deduction means taxpayers need to get strategic to reap tax benefits from their deductions and charitable donations Here’s how
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has[…]
Most retirees just want to visit Oahu and pamper their grandkids, but there are critical financial tasks to handle throughout retirement Here, we round up the important dates and[…]
There is an ancient Chinese curse – “may you live in interesting times” The saying has a sort of wry truth to it After all, quiet and persistent growth[…]
Where should you go on your next vacation? Your satisfaction and enjoyment level may depend on who you are, according to psychologist Joshua Jackson, associate professor at Washington University[…]
IRA distribution planning is entering a new world, a departure from the days when simply dropping dollars into a traditional IRA was the sensible thing to do With the[…]
If some random person off the street handed you $10,000 in cash, no strings attached, and would pay the taxes on this windfall, what would you do with it?
Researchers[…]
It’s interesting to watch economists and tech prognosticators go back and forth over whether artificial intelligence, robots and other thinking machines will kill or create jobs Most recently, the[…]
Paying extra on your mortgage can be a good idea It can shave years off your home loan and save tens of thousands of dollars in interest charges
The one[…]
If you are age 70½ or older, IRS rules require you to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) each year from your tax-deferred retirement accounts This additional taxable income may[…]
Recent reports about the US economy were a case of good news and bad news The good news is that, in the second three months of the year, the US[…]
In all the debate over how or whether we need affordable care, state registries, guaranteed coverage despite pre-existing conditions etc etc, few Americans realize that our US healthcare system[…]
Two 5-year rules are the benchmarks that determine whether distributions from a Roth IRA are subject to income tax and/or the 10% early distribution penalty
A Roth IRA is funded[…]
The Greeks called it akrasia—so that’s just how long we humans have been failing to follow through on good intentions—and getting filled with regret! Modern science offers three surprisingly effective,[…]
In the last 50 years, women have made unprecedented strides toward equity in work, family, and social settings Yet when it comes to securing a financially safe retirement, they[…]
In 2017, the standard deduction was $6,350 for individuals and $12,700 for married couples However, as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017, the[…]
A recent global survey of more than 18,000 adults in nine countries asked a simple question: “All things considered, do you think the world is getting better or worse, or[…]
Each year, thousands of professionals use their creativity and ingenuity to try to figure out the best ways to lower your federal taxes You know you’re living in interesting times[…]
