Category Archives: Others

What to Look For

A plus to continued interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve is the ability to earn more interest on cash stashed in your savings accounts. How much interest you can earn depends on where you do your banking. Consider these tips to earn as much interest as you can, even if it means opening a new account:

Earn a bank bonus.

Some banks offer a bonus if you meet specific requirements, such as depositing a minimum amount or setting up direct deposit. These bonuses can give you an incentive to try a new bank while padding your savings with a few extra hundred dollars.

Look beyond your local bank.

If you want to earn enough interest on your savings to keep up with inflation, look beyond your local bank to the range of online banks offering much higher interest rates. For example, Chase banking customers are currently earning 0.01% on their savings, while those who save with UFB Direct are earning 5.06% APY with no monthly maintenance fees or minimum balance requirements.

Take advantage of new banking tools.

Bankrate.com shows approximately 60% of consumers are very or somewhat interested in using a digital bank in the coming year. This is partly due to the digitization of nearly all other aspects of our lives, but it’s also due to convenient online tools like mobile check deposit, virtual account management and bill pay features.

Beware of  fees.

Take note that many of the best bank accounts with great rates don’t charge monthly maintenance fees or any hidden fees. However, you’ll want to read over the fine print for accounts you’re considering so you know for sure. This is especially true with CD’s at some banks that tease with high interest rates, but hide the 1% to 3% penalties of your balance for early withdrawal.

Stability is important.

When making a banking move, double check to ensure your deposits are FDIC insured. Even if insured, you still should check the press for any indication of deposit risk at your chosen bank. And if your current bank is still offering low interest rates, it may be subject to deposit flight limits that may create difficulty removing your funds. So while your money is insured, it may be hard to withdraw should this happen.

Today’s interest rates can be a boon for your finances, but you’ll need to put in some work up front to find the best bank for your situation. Shop around for a new bank and look for ways to get ahead, either through banking bonuses, great rates or both. The time and effort you spend will be worth it in the end!

This blog provides summary information regarding the subject matter at the time of publishing. Please call our office at 610-296-2500 with any questions on how this information may impact your situation. This material may not be published, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. All rights reserved.

Tax season is over and now is an excellent time to develop and maintain exceptional money habits can that can help you lay the foundation for achieving your financial goals. Here are some ideas.

Establish a budget and review it at regular intervals.

Create a workable budget every year then set aside time to review your budget periodically. This will help you think critically about where your money is going and help you eliminate old, destructive money habits.

Calculate your net worth.

Your net worth is an indicator of your financial health and how you manage your money. To calculate your net worth, add all your money and assets, and then subtract the total amount you owe to others. The result is your net worth. Often this result is negative due to things like student loans, high credit card balances, or underwater debt (e.g. you owe more on your car than it is worth). So don’t worry about the result, just know what your net worth is so you can improve it over time. Like reviewing your budget, a regular check-in on your net worth allows you to think more about your finances and take the necessary action to improve it.

Use sinking funds to plan.

A sinking fund is an account where money is set aside to repay debt or replace a wasting asset (think a car that loses value over time). So create a sinking fund in your budget. Then decide how to use it. Given the rising rate environment, the best use is typically paying down any credit card debt. Then use the fund to attack any other debt, like pre-payment of mortgages. Also consider building a sinking fund to pay for future expenses, like replacing your car, furnace, roof or other large expense so you are ready when it needs replacement.

Stay curious about personal finance.

Your financial picture changes as your life changes, which is why it’s important to always learn something new about money that you can apply to your situation. Pick several books, blogs, podcasts, and videos that look interesting, as they may offer a fresh perspective on tips to improve your finances.

Once you understand the basics of your financial situation, it’s time to sit down and proactively plan ahead. Two of the most critical areas you can prepare for are minimizing your taxes for the years to come and saving for retirement. So plan ahead and feel free to ask for help.

This blog provides summary information regarding the subject matter at the time of publishing. Please call our office at 610-296-2500 with any questions on how this information may impact your situation. This material may not be published, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. All rights reserved.

Most financial experts suggest keeping three – to – six months’ worth of household expenses in savings to help in case of an emergency. But with record inflation, that task just got a lot harder to accomplish as virtually every safe place to put your emergency funds will not provide interest rates that keep pace with inflation. But that does not mean you cannot increase the rate of return on these funds.

Here are some ideas to reduce the impact of inflation on your emergency funds.

• Actively monitor your savings account rate.

  Earlier this year the Federal Reserve increased interest rates for the first time since 2018. In addition, the head of the Federal Reserve is suggesting there may be several of these rate increases in the next twelve months. This should increase the interest you can earn on the cash in your emergency account.

What you need to know: Not all savings accounts are created equal. When the Fed increases the interest rate, your saving account rate should also go higher. . . immediately. But this is not always the case. If your bank is slow to raise your savings rate, be willing to monitor and shift funds to a bank that does. Just make sure the funds are still FDIC insured and are kept at a reputable bank.

• Take a look at Series I Savings Bonds.

  Series I Savings bonds are issued and backed by the U.S. government and feature two interest rate components: a fixed rate and an inflation rate. The fixed rate is set when the bond is issued and never changes during the life of the bond. The inflation rate resets semi-annually based on the Consumer Price Index.

What you need to know: You must hold an I bond for at least 12 months before redeeming it. And although you can redeem it after one year, you’ll have to pay a penalty worth the interest of the previous three months if you redeem the bond within five years. And remember, you must be prepared to pay the penalty if you need the funds for an emergency.

• Creative use of Roth IRA funds in an emergency. Roth IRAs are funded with after-tax dollars. Because of this, early removal of the initial contribution is tax and penalty-free. If you dip into the earnings, however, you will not only be subject to income tax but also may be subject to a 10% early withdrawal penalty.

What you need to know: Use of a Roth IRA is often a creative way to fund your emergency account while achieving higher returns with conservative investment choices, but it is not for the faint of heart. If you get this one wrong, it could cost you in taxes, penalties, and lost fund value in a bear market. Prior to removing funds from any IRA, it makes sense to conduct a tax planning session.

This blog provides summary information regarding the subject matter at the time of publishing. Please call our office at 610-296-2500 with any questions on how this information may impact your situation. This material may not be published, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. All rights reserved.

Here’s how to get your overpayment as soon as possible

Delayed tax refunds, penalties for not filing 2020 tax returns on time that were actually filed on time, and timely tax payments being flagged as late are just some of the headaches taxpayers are grappling with due to a massive backlog of several million unprocessed tax returns the IRS is trying to wade out from under.

What you need to know

Here’s how to avoid getting your tax refund delayed and steer clear from late-filing and payment penalties resulting from the IRS backlog:

• E-file your return! The secret to getting a quick tax refund is to e-file your 2021 tax return! The IRS says approximately 90% of the more than 160 million individual tax returns expected for the 2021 tax year will be e-filed. The majority of these taxpayers will avoid any issues filing their return and getting their refund. If you do e-file, don’t forget to sign Form 8879, which authorizes the e-filing of your return.
• Stay calm if you receive a letter from the IRS. You may receive an IRS notice indicating you have an unfiled tax return or that you have an unpaid balance on your account. If the notice was mailed because of the backlog and you indeed filed the tax return in question or paid the amount due listed, the IRS says there is no need to call or respond to the notice as it’s continuing to process prior-year tax returns as quickly as possible.
• Certified mail is your friend. If you receive an IRS notice for a situation not related to the backlog, you’ll want to respond in a timely fashion via certified mail. This will provide proof of your timely correspondence. So even if your response gets lost or caught up in the backlog, you’ll have evidence that you responded by the deadline listed on the notice. Remember that delays in responses could generate penalties and additional interest payments.
• Be patient if you need to talk with the IRS. The IRS received a record 282 million phone calls during its 2021 fiscal year, according to National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins. Only 32 million of these calls were answered. Collins said the best time to call the IRS are Wednesdays through Fridays, especially early mornings starting at 7 am Eastern time.

This blog provides summary information regarding the subject matter at the time of publishing. Please call our office at 610-296-2500 with any questions on how this information may impact your situation. This material may not be published, rewritten, or redistributed without permission, except as noted here. All rights reserved.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 modifies several tax provisions, including a third round of direct stimulus payments, enhancements of many personal credits meant to benefit people with lower incomes and children, extensions of highly popular payroll tax credits for employers first instituted at the beginning of the pandemic, and changes related to retirement plan funding. This blog explains the changes to the child tax credit that may affect you.

The American Rescue Plan includes a significant overhaul of the child tax credit, but only for the 2021 tax year. Under current law, the amount of the child tax credit is equal to $2,000 per child, but only $1,000 of that amount is refundable (meaning that the taxpayer receives the credit even if there is an insufficient amount of taxes to be credited against). The American Rescue Plan increases the amount to $3,000 per child (or $3,600 for a child under the age of six) and makes the credit amount fully refundable. The American Rescue Plan also increases the maximum age of qualifying children to include 17-year-old children.

The excess of the amount of the credit over the present-law $2,000 amount is phased out by $50 for every $1,000 of modified adjusted gross income in excess of the threshold amount ($150,000 for joint filers, $112,500 for head of household filers, and $75,000 for single filers). Once the excess amount is eliminated, the amount of the credit remains at $2,000 until the present law phaseout thresholds are reached ($400,000 for joint filers, $200,000 for all other filers).

The Treasury and IRS were directed by the American Rescue Plan to issue advance payments of half of the credit amount beginning in July. The advance payments are issued monthly, if feasible, or as frequently as possible if monthly payments are not feasible. The remaining half of the credit not paid in advance is received when filing 2021 returns, as the full amount is claimed on the return but reduced by the aggregate amount received in advance.

In the case of a taxpayer who received advance payments in error (for example, where a 2019 or 2020 return indicated a dependent child who is no longer a dependent in 2021), the American Rescue Plan provides a “hold-harmless” provision, protecting taxpayers from having to pay back overpayments of up to $2,000 per child. The full $2,000 amount is reduced for taxpayers with income above a threshold amount ($40,000 for single filers, $50,000 for head of household filers, and $60,000 for joint filers). The $2,000 is completely eliminated for taxpayers with income double the applicable threshold amounts, and the entirety of the overpayment must be paid back.

Congress has directed the IRS and Treasury to create a website for taxpayers to opt-out of receiving advance payments or to provide information on status changes that would impact the amount of the credit.     

https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal

If you have any questions on how the changes to the child tax credit under the American Rescue Plan affect you, please call our office at 610-296-2500.

This blog provides summary information regarding the subject matter at the time of publishing. Please call with any questions on how this information may impact your situation. This material may not be published, rewritten, or redistributed without permission, except as noted here. This blog includes, or may include, links to third-party internet websites controlled and maintained by others. When accessing these links the user leaves this blog. These links are included solely for the convenience of users and their presence does not constitute any endorsement of the Websites linked or referred to nor does ROBERT J KRATZ & CO have any control over, or responsibility for, the content of any such Websites. All rights reserved.

The first advance payment from the newly expanded child tax credit was sent out in July by the IRS. Payments are scheduled to be made on the 15th of each month through December. By this week you should have received three payments, one in July, one in August, and one in  September.

Here’s what you need to know about the child tax credit and the advance payments.

Background

For the 2021 tax year, an expanded child tax credit reduces your tax bill by $3,600 if you have a qualifying child that’s age 5 or under, or by $3,000 if you have a qualifying child from age 6 to 17. If the total amount of the child tax credit for your family exceeds the total taxes you owe, you’ll receive the amount of the credit as a refund.

Child tax credit advance payments

Instead of waiting to file your tax return to receive the entire amount of your child tax credit, the IRS is directed by Congress to send 50% of the credit to you in six monthly payments beginning in July 2021.

For example, say you have three kids, ages 10, 12 and 16. Also assume your income is not too high and your children meet the IRS definition of a qualifying child. Instead of waiting until 2022 when you file your 2021 tax return to receive the entire $9,000 child tax credit, you can get paid half of the child tax credit amount, or $4,500, in 2021.

The advance payments began July 15 and continue for six months until December 15. The family in this example would receive six payments of $750 starting July 15, for a total of $4,500.

What you need to know

The monthly payments are automatic. You’ll automatically receive advance payments if:

• You filed a 2019 or 2020 tax return and claimed the credit, OR
• You gave information in 2020 to receive the Economic Impact Payment using the IRS non-filer tool, AND
• The IRS thinks you are eligible, AND
• You did not opt-out of the early payments.

Register with the IRS. If you didn’t file a 2019 or 2020 tax return but are otherwise eligible for the child tax credit, you’ll need to register with the IRS to receive the child tax credit. Click here to visit the IRS website to find out if you need to register.

Consider if you should opt out of the advance payments. Getting half of your child tax credit ahead of time may not be the right move for everyone. For example, if your 2021 income ends up higher than expected, you may need to pay back the advance payments when you file your tax return. To opt out, click here to visit the IRS’s child tax credit update portal.

This blog provides summary information regarding the subject matter at the time of publishing. Please call our office at 610-296-2500 with any questions on how this information may impact your situation. This material may not be published, rewritten, or redistributed without permission, except as noted here. This blog includes, or may include links to third-party internet websites controlled and maintained by others. When accessing these links the user leaves this blog. These links are included solely for the convenience of users and their presence does not constitute any endorsement of the Websites linked or referred to nor does ROBERT J KRATZ & CO have any control over, or responsibility for, the content of any such Websites. All rights reserved.

The IRS is highlighting reasonable cause assistance available through IRS procedures for failure to file, failure to pay and failure to deposit penalties. First time abatement relief is also available for the first time a taxpayer is subject to one or more of these tax penalties.

• For individual taxpayers receiving notices (letters about a tax bill) with tax liabilities up to $250,000 for Tax Year 2019 only, the IRS can offer one Installment Agreement opportunity with no lien filed.
• The IRS is extending the short-term payment plan timeframe to 180 days (normally 120 days).
• The IRS is easing paperwork requirements to allow individuals more flexibility to get non-streamlined Installment Agreements up to $250,000 without financial verification, if their case is not yet assigned to a revenue officer.
• Extend guidance to automatically include new tax year balances accrued in existing Installment Agreements. (Individuals and Out of Business entities only)
• The IRS will provide relief for taxpayers having difficulty meeting the terms of previously accepted offers.

Have questions? Call our office at 610-296-2500.

This blog provides summary information regarding the subject matter at the time of publishing. Please call with any questions on how this information may impact your situation. This material may not be published, rewritten, or redistributed without permission, except as noted here. This blog includes, or may include, links to third party internet web sites controlled and maintained by others. When accessing these links the user leaves this blog. These links are included solely for the convenience of users and their presence does not constitute any endorsement of the Websites linked or referred to nor does ROBERT J KRATZ & CO have any control over, or responsibility for, the content of any such Websites. All rights reserved.