What should I do for year-end financial planning?

1️⃣ Make a note to INCREASE my maximum retirement plan deferrals for next year.

Before we talk about next year’s retirement vehicle contribution limits – have you maxed out your 401k deferral for THIS year? If you’re younger than 50, you should aim for the full $22,500 employee contribution. If you’re older than 50, then you can add $7,500 and get in $30,000 for this year. If you’re not on track to hit those maximums – adjust your paycheck deferrals NOW!

The IRS announced that the maximum contribution to 401k plans increases in 2024 to $23,000 from $22,500, and if you’re 50 or older, you can also add an additional $7,500 in catch up contributions (unchanged from 2023). And please note – these contribution limits do NOT include any employer contribution. So if you’re under 50, you can contribute $23,000 and if you’re over 50, you can contribute $30,500 next year – regardless of what your employer may offer.

So plan your deferrals accordingly – typically, it can take a few weeks to implement a different requested withdrawal amount – so I would recommend setting up a calendar reminder during the last 2 weeks in December, to change your deferral for next year. If you’re not sure how to do this, schedule some time with your HR or payroll contact.

Also, the annual limit on contributions to IRAs increases in 2024 to $7,000, which is up from $6,500 this year. The catch-up contribution if you’re 50 or older will not change – and remains at $1,000.

Beyond your employer retirement plan, you may also want to consider contributing to an IRA – either a Traditional IRA or a ROTH IRA. The income phase-out range for taxpayers making contributions to a Roth IRA is increased to between $146,000 and $161,000 for singles and heads of household, up from between $138,000 and $153,000. For married couples filing jointly, the income phase-out range is increased to between $230,000 and $240,000, up from between $218,000 and $228,000. The phase-outs are lower for Traditional IRA contributions so consult your tax professional.

If you’re unsure of how to think about your retirement plan contributions for next year, please schedule time with me today so we can chat about your unique situation and your options.

2️⃣ Review my long-term care (LTC) funding plan.

November is long-term care insurance awareness month. 

Did you know that Medicare does not pay for your long-term care needs? This is defined when you need help with at least 2 of 6 ADLs (activities of daily living, which include bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, eating, and continence). If you and your family do not have a plan for care, your estate assets are at risk of being depleted. If you have children or are concerned about your legacy intentions, this is an important topic to understand and address.

There are many different types of long-term care solutions in the market now. Sometimes it makes sense to focus on the long-term care benefit, however, for other clients we may discuss a hybrid solution. This may entail a life insurance policy with a long-term care or chronic care rider. In most cases, we can find a solution that works well for your unique situation.

Additionally, please note that I’m a big believer in thinking about your long-term care insurance plan earlier than many other advisors. Clients tend to be in peak earning years in their 40’s and 50’s.  Many have already experienced an aging family member who needs services whose costs add up quickly.  I’ve also seen way too many injuries, joint replacements, etc. at younger ages, as many of my clients are very active and tend to rack up the sports injuries. These types of surgeries may preclude you from qualifying for many long-term care policies.

However, even if you’re older, it is always worth having the conversation about coverage. There are many types of policies out there, and if you don’t qualify for one type, there may be other options available for you.

3️⃣ How about about capital gain or loss harvesting for the year?

I love to communicate with my clients’ tax professional about their tax bracket and planning for the year. Together we agree on a plan to harvest either capital losses OR gains, depending on what makes the most sense for their tax strategy and plan for the year.

4️⃣ Do I have access to a Health Savings Account (HSA)?

With the high cost of health care, many employers are now offering high deductible medical plan options, which may allow you to fund a Health Savings Account. These can be a great way to save in a potentially triple-tax free manner – your contributions to your HSA account are tax-deductible, your savings grow tax-deferred, and when you use those funds to pay for qualified medical expenses, they are tax-free.

5️⃣ If I’m philanthropically inclined, here are some ways to think about charitable contributions.

If you are or want to be philanthropically inclined, and especially if 2023 is a high income year for you, you may want to consider a Donor Advised Fund. A Donor Advised Fund, or DAF, allows you to take an immediate tax deduction, but then also provides you time to decide which recognized charities will receive your contributions. I love this strategy within families, where you can involve your children in the gift-making process. 

One idea is to discuss philanthropy during Thanksgiving celebrations. If you have children, decide how much you’d like to gift from your DAF, and have them research and come to consensus as to how much each philanthropy will receive from your fund. You may be surprised what they come up with, and you’ll be introducing a concept the world needs to see more of – children being raised thinking of causes that can use their support.

If you’re already required to withdraw your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) (and heads up for those who will be doing this eventually), a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) is something you may want to consider. This allows you to direct up to $100k in retirement plan distributions to a qualified charity and avoid the associated taxes that comes if you just took the distribution directly to you, and then paid the charity. But beware – this is a complex strategy in terms of logistics and timing of distributions and should be undertaken only in consultation of your tax professional.

📰 Have I seen how often Catherine and Green Bee is quoted in the Press?

I love to educate clients about financial topics, and I’m able to translate financial jargon into real-person language, while avoiding mansplaining that often blusters forward from men in my industry. As a result, I’m often contacted by the press to participate in their articles. Most of them I link to on my website, and almost all of them I post on my social media accounts. I encourage you to connect with me on social media – notably LinkedIn and Facebook.

 And please check out all our articles here.

📆 Did I already schedule my year-end review?

Have you scheduled your year-end review? If you are an existing client, please schedule a “Client Review”. If you’re not yet a client but would like to chat, schedule a “Complimentary Consult” here.

In conclusion and Happy Holidays! 🦃 🥳

Life is short, and you should be sure to plan for unexpected twists and turns to your personal life road map. I would be honored to help you or your loved ones with personal financial roadmap and finetune your financial GPS and plan. Please reach out today to schedule time with me. 

In summary, I wish you all a happy 😀, healthy 🏃♀️, prosperous holiday season and New Year. Enjoy time with family and friends and remember to be grateful for every day you have with loved ones.  I know I’ll be enjoying my girls and spending some outdoorsy time in NH. We hope to enjoy both alpine touring skiing (hike UP the mountain and ski down – the best time is pre-sunrise so you arrive at the top 🏔 for the sunrise 🌅 and get to ski first tracks down the mountain) as well as Nordic skiing – have you heard of the phrase, “Real skiiers ski UPHILL?” 🤪 That will be us.

The opinions voiced are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.