Taxes & Tax Planning
Can You Deduct Financial Advisor Fees in 2026? The Answer (and Why It Just Got Permanent)
Every tax season, it starts with a phone call. Last week, it was a client I'll call Amanda. She’s a diligent saver and a sharp professional, but she sounded completely frustrated.
"Michael," she said, "I just got my annual fee statement, and I can't find where to enter it...
How Inheritance Tax & Estate Tax Affect You: A Planner’s Guide for 2025
Just last fall in October 2024, a client I'll call 'Grieving Grace' sat in my office, completely overwhelmed. Her mother had passed, leaving her a modest estate worth about $2 million.
And she was terrified she'd lose 40% of it to the 'death tax' she'd heard about on the...
Capital Gains Tax on Real Estate: A Planner’s 2026 Guide to Keeping Your Profits
The ink on the purchase agreement is barely dry, and that champagne-popping high is already fading. In its place, one terrifying question takes root: "What's the IRS's capital gains tax on real estate cut?"
Earlier this year, I sat with a couple, "the Jacksons," who were selling their starter home...
2026 Short & Long Term Capital Gains Tax Rates: Brackets, Strategies & Hidden Traps
That brief euphoria from selling a winning stock? It gets crushed quickly by a single, nagging question: "What's the IRS's tax cut?"
Yes, as an investor, understanding the 2026 short-term and long-term capital gains tax rates is vital. But here is the reality most advisors won't tell you: The 15%...
Unexpected Refund Check From The IRS: Scam or Legit? Here’s What to Do
Receiving an unexpected refund check from the Internal Revenue Service triggers a strange mix of excitement and suspicion. Is this a surprise windfall or a sophisticated trap?
Here's the deal: Treat every unexpected check from the government as a question, not a deposit. In my nearly 30 years as a...