While there are a fair amount of tax techniques that can be used next year to reach back to this current year, since this is the last Newsletter of the year we wanted to remind of a few timely tax reminders.
Is your DOB between 7-1-48 to 6-30-49?
Then you turn 70.5 in 2019 and you CAN defer your RMD until 2020, however you will have two RMD’s next year — be careful, large distributions could toss you into an extra tax bracket.
The mandatory commencement date of RMD’s is the year AFTER you turn 70.5 years young, under current tax law. If you accept this first year deferral, you will incur two RMD’s in the year you commence your first RMD.
Depending on the situation, it may be advisable to distribute your first year RMD a year early so as not to clump your taxable distribution.
401k and other Company Retirement Plans Maximization–
For 2019 the maximum 401(k) contribution is $19,000, if you are 50 or over you can put an additional $6000 making a total of $25,000.
Now is a good time to check and make sure you’re on schedule to maximize your deferral, especially if your age 50 or over and extra especially if you turned 50 this year, we find that employers sometimes need a nudge to allow us to do that extra $6000 catch up provision.
529 Distributions or Contributions
Contributions and distributions should be made by the end of the year for this fiscal year as there is no look back feature on 529 plans. Distributions for this years education expenses should be made this year, allowing a matching of expenses with distributions in the same year.
Charitable Donations
Make your donations by year end if you want to take a charitable deduction this year. Charitable donations are not allowed any look back, and as such must be made by the end of the year if you wish to deduct them on this year‘s taxes.
Well there are a fair amount of look back tax deductions, many of which we will discuss in the next newsletter and after the turning of the new year, these tax deductions have an ironclad ending date, which is the end of this year if you wish to meet the deductibility requirements.
You have plenty of time now, but the clock is ticking!
Have a Great “End Of Year Tax” Reminders Day!
John A. Kvale CFA, CFP
$treet-¢ents 