Have you seen the price for private and even public universities lately? If so, it’s likely you experienced a bit of sticker shock. The national average net price increase for the cost of attendance is bordering on 5% for both private and public universities in recent years, so this is a common challenge many families are facing.  Despite the temptation to bury your head in the sand it’s worth facing the fact that college is still very much worth the investment.

Usually, owners of pass-through entities pay federal and state income taxes on the net income “passed through” to them on their personal tax returns. The business entity itself does not pay income taxes. Virginia’s General Assembly developed a system where the business entity itself is taxed at the state level, effectively allowing a federal deduction for the full amount of income taxes paid to the state.

Usually, owners of pass-through entities pay federal and state income taxes on the net income “passed through” to them on their personal tax returns. The business entity itself does not pay income taxes. Recognizing that combined state and local income taxes plus property taxes generally exceed $10,000 for many business owners, some states have developed a system where the business entity itself is taxed at the state level.

There are endless combinations of investment strategies and products when it comes to building an asset allocation. The obvious questions are always: how to select the best strategies/products, and how to manage them. I want to focus on the “how to manage them” part. Many people prefer to simply invest their savings in low cost, passive exchange-traded funds (ETFs), or mutual funds; parking them there as broad diversification to the equity markets.

As a Private Wealth Advisor, it’s my job to ensure our high-net-worth clients aren’t over-exposed to risk in their portfolios. It’s very easy to get in a position of taking too much risk. For example, a human tendency known as recency bias can drive you to chase higher returns, especially during long bull markets. The problem is, you could be gambling on your future and not even realizing it.

The federal government sets a lifetime estate tax exemption amount that can be gifted during life or at death free of taxes. If the value of your gross estate exceeds the exemption amount in the year you pass away, your estate may be subject to estate taxes. Amounts above the exemption will be subject to a 40% tax (as of current law).

When you’ve grown significant wealth over the years and you want to use it to make a positive impact on the world, there are much more effective ways to do that than simple “checkbook giving” to your favorite charities. Each method of charitable giving has its own benefits and setbacks, rules and regulations, so it’s important you see all your options and understand why it’s worth considering one over another.

A SLAT is an irrevocable trust where one spouse (aka “Donor Spouse”) makes a gift into the trust that: Benefits the other spouse (aka “Non-Donor Spouse”), and Removes those gifted assets from their combined estates