Favorable Dividend and Capital Gains Tax Rates Extended—for Now
The 2010 Tax Relief Act extended the 15% maximum tax rates on qualified dividends and long-term capital gains through December 31, 2012. But without further legislation, dividends will be taxed at ordinary income tax rates and capital gains tax rates will return to 20% (23.8% for investors in the two highest tax brackets) in 2013.
Getting to Know Your Beneficiaries
Estate conservation issues may be uncomfortable to face, but there's probably no other aspect that is as simple or inexpensive as designating beneficiaries for employer-sponsored retirement plans, IRAs, and life insurance policies.
HOT TOPIC: Breaking Down the Debt-Ceiling Compromise
The Budget Control Act of 2011 raised the federal debt ceiling, mandated modest but significant caps on discretionary spending over the next ten years, and left the details of larger deficit reduction to a 12 member, bipartisan “super committee.” The main provisions of the law include the assumption that higher tax rates will return in 2013.
The Dynamics That Can Drive Inflation
High unemployment and slow wage growth seem to have kept consumer spending and core inflation from growing very rapidly in the first half of 2011. This article reminds investors to keep the potential risk of inflation in mind, because even modest price increases compounded over time can erode the purchasing power of the assets in their portfolios.
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