Articles
Tax Law Changes for Tax Year 2011
A good mantra, for investing and for the rest of your life, is “Focus on what you can control.” While most people are inclined to put taxes into the "out of my control" bucket, that doesn't have to be the case. Where taxes are concerned, it is always a good idea to consult with a tax professional. This article is intended only as a starting point to help you become informed about tax-law changes; it does not constitute tax advice. Some of these changes have an impact only on those in very high tax brackets, while others affect individuals of all income levels.
Social Security payroll taxes have dropped from 6.2% to 4.2% for 2011, giving an effective boost in pay to all workers. (As in the past, you won't pay Social Security tax on any earnings over a certain level-- currently $106,800.) This provision is designed to get people out there spending, but a better idea, assuming you can afford it, is to divert that money to another retirement fund: your own. Increase your 401(k) plan contribution as close as you can to the annual limit; in 2011, that limit remains $16,500 for those under 50 and $22,000 to those over 50. And if you're already funding your 401(k), 403(b), or 457 plan to the max—or if you would rather save outside the confines of your company plan—you can direct that money to an IRA instead. IRA contribution limits are also unchanged from 2010: $5,000 for individuals under 50 and $6,000 for those over 50.
Toward the end of 2010, Congress put in place a so-called patch to keep a new group of taxpayers from having to pay the alternative minimum tax, a parallel tax system that disallows many of the credits and deductions that taxpayers are entitled to under the conventional tax system. That's good news, but if you've fallen into the AMT zone in the past, the latest patch isn't likely to keep you out of it. However, by taking steps to control your AMT-subject income and managing your deductions, you may be able to reduce your AMT tax hit.
Some key strategies that you can employ include carefully managing the exercise of stock options (a well-versed tax advisor should be able to help with this) and watching out for private-activity municipal bond funds, which aren't taxable under the conventional tax system but are for the purposes of AMT.
Retirement Planning Ann Arbor
Social Security Payroll Tax HolidaySocial Security payroll taxes have dropped from 6.2% to 4.2% for 2011, giving an effective boost in pay to all workers. (As in the past, you won't pay Social Security tax on any earnings over a certain level-- currently $106,800.) This provision is designed to get people out there spending, but a better idea, assuming you can afford it, is to divert that money to another retirement fund: your own. Increase your 401(k) plan contribution as close as you can to the annual limit; in 2011, that limit remains $16,500 for those under 50 and $22,000 to those over 50. And if you're already funding your 401(k), 403(b), or 457 plan to the max—or if you would rather save outside the confines of your company plan—you can direct that money to an IRA instead. IRA contribution limits are also unchanged from 2010: $5,000 for individuals under 50 and $6,000 for those over 50.
Financial Advisors Ann Arbor
Alternative Minimum TaxToward the end of 2010, Congress put in place a so-called patch to keep a new group of taxpayers from having to pay the alternative minimum tax, a parallel tax system that disallows many of the credits and deductions that taxpayers are entitled to under the conventional tax system. That's good news, but if you've fallen into the AMT zone in the past, the latest patch isn't likely to keep you out of it. However, by taking steps to control your AMT-subject income and managing your deductions, you may be able to reduce your AMT tax hit.
Some key strategies that you can employ include carefully managing the exercise of stock options (a well-versed tax advisor should be able to help with this) and watching out for private-activity municipal bond funds, which aren't taxable under the conventional tax system but are for the purposes of AMT.