In accessible language this guide will explain the tax law changes, answer common questions about tricky issues, and outline for the reader the best ways to invest money, organize small business, plan for retirement, and more.
In order to understand how the 2008 tax laws will affect you?and properly plan your financial future?you need clear explanations, not complicated tax jargon. With this accessible guide, the tax professionals at PricewaterhouseCoopers take a straightforward approach to explaining how today?s tax rules may affect your personal finances and how you may benefit from available opportunities. Throughout the book, they outline ways to handle your investments, plan for your retirement, pay for your children?s education, realize tax savings, and much more.
PricewaterhouseCoopers' Private Company Services practice is an integrated team of audit, tax, and advisory professionals who focus on the unique needs of private companies and their owners. Within the practice, our professionals concentrate on the needs of manufacturing, retail, wholesale and distribution, construction, and food and beverage companies, as well as on the needs of law firms and other professional service organizations. They are committed to delivering cost-effective, practical solutions and proactive services with the quality clients expect from PricewaterhouseCoopers. For more information about PricewaterhouseCoopers' Private Company Services practice, visit www.pwc.com/pcs.
Acknowledgments.Introduction.
About PricewaterhouseCoopers.
How to Use This Book.
Let’s Get Started.
Tax Law Changes and Financial Planning.
Chapter 1: The Year Ahead.
Recent Legislation.
The Alternative Minimum Tax.
Individual Rates on Income, Capital Gains, and Dividends.
Estate Tax.
Be Prepared
Chapter 2: Getting Ready for 2010.
Income Tax.
Income Tax Rates.
Phaseout of Phaseouts for Higher-Income Taxpayers.
Reduction in Child Tax Credit.
Reduced Tax Rate on Qualified Dividends.
Reduced Tax Rate on Long-Term Capital Gains.
Expensing of Business Property.
Mortgage Insurance Premiums.
Mortgage Foreclosure Forgiveness.
Roth IRA Conversions Available to all Taxpayers.
Estate Tax.
Gift Tax.
Generation-Skipping Tax.
Chapter 3: Investments and Stock Options.
Tax Issues Related to Investing.
Capital Gains.
Exceptions to the 15 Percent Rate.
Collectibles, Qualified Small Business Stock, and Depreciated Real Estate.
No More Advantage for Five-Year Gains.
Netting Rules.
Capital Losses.
Wash Sale Rule.
Protecting and Postponing Stock Gains.
Qualified Small Business Stock.
Careful Record Keeping: Identification of Securities.
Dividends.
Short Sales.
Foreign Tax Credit.
Margin Accounts.
Interest Expense and Investment-Related Expenses.
Investment Vehicles and Stock Options.
Mutual Funds.
Exchange-Traded Funds.
Real Estate Investment Trusts.
Preferred Stocks.
Alternative Investments.
At-Risk Rules.
Passive Activity Losses.
Tax-Exempt and Taxable Bonds.
Taxable Tax-Exempt Bonds.
Bond Premium or Discount.
Nonqualified Stock Options.
Incentive Stock Options.
Stock Option Exercise Methods.
Restricted Stock and Other Stock-Based Compensation.
Putting It All Together: Structuring a Tax-Efficient, Diversified Portfolio.
Idea Checklist.
Chapter 4: Retirement Planning.
Employer Plans.
Qualified Retirement Plans.
Defined Contribution Plans.
Defined Benefit Pension Plans.
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans.
Your Resources.
Keogh Plans.
Simplified Employee Pension Plans.
Traditional and Roth Individual Retirement Accounts.
Roth 401(k).
Higher Contribution Limits.
Traditional Individual Retirement Accounts.
Conversions to Roth Individual Retirement Accounts.
Tax Credit for Retirement Saving.
Charitable Remainder Trusts.
Tax-Deferred Annuities.
Universal Variable Life Insurance.
Professional Retirement Services.
Social Security.
Required Retirement Plan Distributions.
Idea Checklist.
Chapter 5: Life Insurance.
Types of Life Insurance.
Term Life Insurance (and Variations).
Universal Life Insurance.
Whole-Life or Ordinary Life Insurance.
Mixed Whole-Life and Term Insurance.
Variable Life Insurance.
Second-to-Die or Survivorship Insurance.
Insuring the Breadwinner.
How Much is Enough?
For How Long?
The “Pension Max” Technique.
Liquidity for Estate Taxes.
Whose Life?
How Much Coverage Is Enough?
For How Long?
What Kind of Insurance?
Diversification.
Owner and Beneficiary.
Policy Owner.
The Insured as Owner.
The Spouse as Owner.
The Children or Grandchildren as Owners.
A Qualified Plan as Owner.
An Irrevocable Trust as Owner.
The Three-Year Rule.
A Partnership or Limited Liability Company as Owner.
A Corporation as Owner.
Policy Beneficiary.
The Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust.
Withdrawal Right.
Contingent Marital Deduction.
Choice of Trustee and Trustee Powers.
Generation-Skipping Consideration.
Survivorship Life Insurance Complications.
Community Property Complications.
Life Insurance as an Investment.
Private Placement Variable Life Insurance.
Hedge Fund Life Insurance.
Education Funding.
Retirement Accumulation, aka the Private Pension.
Charitable Contributions.
Donations of Life Insurance.
Charitable Remainder Trust and Asset Replacement Trust.
Insuring Businesses and Their Owners.
Key Person Life Insurance.
Survivor Income, Estate Taxes, and Inheritances.
Insurance Funding for Buy-Sell Agreements.
Insurance Funding for Cross-Purchase Agreements.
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation.
Split-Dollar Insurance Arrangements.
Employee Split-Dollar.
Shareholder Split-Dollar.
Private Split-Dollar.
Arrangements before September 13, 2003.
Income Tax Rules.
Life Insurance Defined.
Modified Endowment Contracts: When Life Insurance Is an Annuity.
Income Tax Advantages.
Interest on Policy Loans.
Lapse or Surrender of Policy.
Foreign Life Insurance.
Life Insurance Terminology and Illustrations.
Quick Pay Premiums.
Minimum Depositing.
Life Insurance Illustrations.
Policy Selection and Servicing.
Idea Checklist.
Chapter 6: Tax Advantages of Home Ownership.
Tax Benefits of Owning a Home.
Mortgage Interest.
Home Equity Loans.
Mortgage Insurance Premiums.
Vacation Homes.
Rental Properties.
Home Office Deduction.
Exclusive and Regular Use.
Principal Place of Business.
Personal Residence Trust.
Home Sales.
Principal Residence Gains Exclusion.
Qualifying for the $500,000 Exclusion.
Partial Exclusion.
Partial Exclusion Rule for Joint Filers.
Property Previously Used for Nonresidential Purpose.
Home Purchases.
Real Estate Taxes.
Mortgage Points.
First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit.
Reverse Mortgages.
Idea Checklist.
Chapter 7: How to Maximize Savings for Education.
Qualified Section 529 Tuition Programs.
What Expenses Qualify?
Gift and Estate Tax Breaks.
Coverdell Education Savings Accounts.
Roth IRAs.
Traditional IRAs.
HOPE (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally) Scholarships and Lifetime Learning Credits.
U.S. Savings Bonds.
Home Equity Loans.
Student Loans.
Relatives.
Income Shifting and Capital Gains.
Employer Education Assistance.
Idea Checklist.
Chapter 8: Account-Based Health-Care Arrangements.
Health Savings Accounts.
Eligibility.
Contribution Limits.
Health Reimbursement Arrangements.
Flexible Spending Accounts.
Chapter 9: Estate Planning Ideas.
How Estate and Gift Taxes Work.
Amounts Exempt from Tax.
Gift and Estate Tax Rates.
Planning for Phasedown and Repeal of the Estate Tax.
Draft a Will.
Review How Your Property Is Owned.
Consider State Death Taxes.
Give Gifts.
Consider Valuation Discounts.
Consider Trusts.
Credit Shelter or Family Trust.
Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust.
Grantor Retained Annuity Trust.
Qualified Personal Residence Trust.
Dynasty Trust.
Charitable Remainder Trust.
Charitable Lead Trust.
Intentionally Defective Trust.
Qualified Domestic Trust.
Stock Option Trust.
Effect of Reduced Tax Rates on Dividends.
Trustee’s Investment Decisions.
Allocation of Expenses.
Give a Roth IRA.
Pay Gift Taxes Now.
Idea Checklist.
Chapter 10: Charitable Giving.
Defining Charitable Deductions.
Making Charitable Contributions.
Deductible Contributions—Quick Guide.
Nondeductible Contributions—Quick Guide.
Valuation Issues.
Retail Property.
Stocks and Bonds.
Closely Held Businesses.
Notes.
Life Insurance.
Real Estate.
Artwork: Paintings, Antiques, and Other Art Objects.
Jewelry and Gems.
Used Cars, Boats, and Aircraft.
Used Clothing and Household Goods.
Hobby Collections.
Appraisals and Substantiation Requirements.
Penalties for Overvaluation.
Reduction of Contribution Amount.
Limitations on Your Deduction.
The 50 Percent Limitation.
The 30 Percent Limitation.
The 20 Percent Limitation.
Private Foundations.
Nonoperating Foundations.
Operating Foundations.
Pass-Through Private Foundations.
Tax Compliance and Operating Rules for Private Foundations.
Alternatives to Private Foundations.
Donor-Advised Funds.
Other Alternatives.
Year-End Tax Savings Strategies.
Chapter 11: Quick Planning Guide.
Tax Reduction.
Tax Deferral.
Income Shifting.
Year-End Capital Gains Checkup.
Year-End Alternative Minimum Tax Diagnosis.
Chapter 12: Accelerating Deductions.
State and Local Taxes.
Real Estate Property Taxes.
Interest.
Home Mortgage Interest.
Business Interest.
Investment Interest.
Passive Activity Interest.
Student Loan Interest.
Personal Interest.
Medical Expenses.
Charitable Contributions.
Property Donations.
Substantiation Requirements.
Deferred Giving.
Passive Activity Losses.
Casualty Losses.
Miscellaneous Itemized Deductions.
Moving Expenses.
Idea Checklist.
Chapter 13: Deferring Income.
Year-End Bonuses.
Deferred Compensation.
Stock Options or Stock Appreciation Rights.
Treasury Bills and Bank Certificates.
Dividends.
Installment Sales.
U.S. Savings Bonds.
Annuities.
Individual Retirement Accounts.
Regular 401(k) Plans and Roth 401(k) Plans.
Shifting Income to Family Members.
Chapter 14: Alternative Minimum Tax.
Understanding the Alternative Minimum Tax.
Alternative Minimum Tax Computation.
The More, the Not-So-Merrier.
Minimum Tax Credit.
Top Ten Items That May Cause the AMT.
An Unpleasant Surprise for Many.
Alternative Minimum Tax-Planning Strategies.
Taxpayers Subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax for 2008 Only.
Taxpayers Subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax for 2008 and Beyond.
Chapter 15: Year-End Planning for Business Owners.
Increased Section 179 Expense Election.
Increased Bonus Depreciation.
Retirement Plans.
Bonuses and Deferred Compensation.
Income Deferral or Acceleration.
Taxation of C Corporations.
Alternative Minimum Tax Planning.
Accounting Method Changes.
Personal Holding Company Tax.
Succession Planning.
Buy-Sell Agreements.
Deferred Compensation Elections.
Covenant Not to Compete.
Earn-Out (Contingent Sale Price).
Importance of Early Planning.
Do Not Wait to Plan.
International Financial Reporting Standards.
C Corporation versus S Corporation Comparison.
A Nuts-and-Bolts Review.
Chapter 16: Fundamental Tax Concepts.
Gross Income.
Adjusted Gross Income.
Modified Adjusted Gross Income.
Itemized or Standard Deductions.
Personal and Dependent Exemptions.
Marital Status.
A Tax Credit or a Deduction.
Taxable Income.
Marginal and Effective Tax Rates.
Social Security Taxes and Benefits.
Marriage Penalty.
Accountable Plan.
Tax Effects of Alimony.
Social Security Taxes for Domestic Employees.
Estimated Tax Payments.
January Tax Strategy Idea Checklist.
Conclusion.
About the Authors.
Index.