Las Vegas Trusts and Estates

Retirement: The Best of Times or the Worst of Times?

Retirement can go many ways, including very well or badly.

A number of problems can arise in a lifetime that can have a negative impact on your plans to prepare for retirement. However, there are five tips that may be helpful along the way, according to The Motley Fool in “5 Retirement Tips for 2019—and Beyond.”

Some tips that may be helpful to follow:

For starters, don’t center your retirement finances on Social Security. Many workers can’t or don’t set aside enough funds for their retirement. They think that they’ll be able to rely on Social Security. Doing so will put a tight crimp on your retirement lifestyle. Social Security’s average yearly benefit for most Americans is $17,532. If you can live on that, wonderful, but most people can’t. The program was designed to replace 40% of most people’s income, and most seniors need more than double that amount to live, as they did during their working years. Focus on retirement savings throughout your career.

Most retirement income is taxable. The things you paid taxes on while you were working, are still taxable when you retire. If you’re used to receiving deductions on a paycheck, having to pay quarterly taxes may be a bit of a surprise. You will need to pay taxes on IRA or 401(k) withdrawals, unless your retirement savings are all in Roth accounts. Gains from investments held in non-retirement accounts are also subject to taxes. If you can convert your IRAs or 401(k)s into Roth’s, you’ll pay taxes when you do the conversion, but not on the withdrawals.

Try to retire with friends and family. The sad truth is, retirees are 40% more likely to become depressed than working people. If that doesn’t make sense to you, consider the social aspects of your working life. Having too much time on your hands can lead to boredom and restlessness. You want to make sure that you have friends or family members who are also retired to socialize with. If no one else in your circle is ready or willing to retire, what will you do every day after the initial two-month retirement honeymoon?

Keep an open mind about returning to work. No matter how well you’ve saved, life happens. Your home may need a major repair, or you or a spouse might experience a health crisis. It’s a good idea to have a plan to be able to return to work, either on a consulting basis to a prior employer, working part time or even starting a business on your own.

Don’t skimp on the important details, like preparing your estate plan. If you created an estate plan years ago, now is the time to review it to make sure it still works for your retirement life. If you’ve never had a will prepared, call a qualified estate planning attorney and get it done. You’ll also need a power of attorney and a health care proxy, so that your family and your spouse are protected in the event of anything unexpected happening to you.

Finally, ask yourself what you want to do with the next ten or twenty years of your life. Retirement can be a fulfilling and enjoyable experience, especially if you are pursuing your dreams. That might be going fishing every day, writing a novel or dedicating yourself to grandchildren or the community. Embrace it!

Reference: The Motley Fool (June 2, 2019) “5 Retirement Tips for 2019—and Beyond”

Stretch IRA Is Useful but May Become Tool of the Past

You can call your Congressional representative but there is little else you can do.

A proposed change in Congress may make it more difficult for those who wish to provide a tool for their children to build wealth and security, according to nj.com in “Your kid’s inheritance could take a giant tax hit if these bills become law. Thanks, Congress.”

For years, non-spouse beneficiaries who inherit IRAs have had the ability to stretch out required distributions over their lifetimes. That meant that inherited IRAs could say safe and sound out of the IRS’s reach, except for annual distributions that were quite small. If a grandchild inherited the IRA, the wealth stretched even further.

Depending on the final details of the legislation, the only people who will be able stretch an IRA will be spouses.

Current rules require non-spouse beneficiaries to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) every year over the course of their life expectancy, as per the IRS life expectancy tables. Because they are taken over the lifetime of a younger beneficiary, they can be small. This means the impact of the distribution on the individuals’ income taxes are minimal and the IRA can grow tax deferred over a long period of time.

Congress is looking for revenue, and the wealth of Americans in IRA accounts is in their sight lines.

First, the House passed the SECURE Act, which says that beneficiaries must completely empty their inherited IRAs within 10 years of ownership. The Senate then passed the RESA Act, which is a little different. It would allow a stretch for the first $450,000 of aggregated IRAs, then anything over thatwould have to be distributed within five years.

Both bills call for changes to apply to inherited IRAs and inherited Roth IRAs for deaths after December 31, 2019. What’s the bottom line? The Joint Committee on Taxation expects that these changes, if they become law, will yield $15.7 billion—with a “B”—in additional tax revenue through 2029.

The government would eventually get this money anyway, but this speeds things up considerably.

Let’s compare and contrast. An 80-year old woman has a traditional IRA worth $1 million. She dies and her 55-year-old daughter is the primary beneficiary. Under the current rules, the daughter’s first RMD is roughly $35,000. If the 25-year-old granddaughter was the beneficiary, the RMD would be roughly $18,000.

If the account earns an average of 5% annually, under the current rule, the granddaughter would have distributions of some $220,000 over ten years. If she had ten years to take the money out, she’d have about $1.3 million in distribution. Under the current rule, the account would have a $1.3 million balance after ten years, since the principal would continue to appreciate. Under the proposed rules, after ten years, it would be zeroed out.

The forced larger distributions will push heirs into higher tax income brackets. That will be followed by increased Medicare premiums as heirs retire with higher income. Add to that: higher capital gains rate, from as low to zero to as high as 20%. If that’s not bad enough, it could also trigger the 3.8% net Investment Income tax.

One option is to move funds from a regular IRA to a Roth IRA, assuming the investor meets all the requirements to do so. The Roth IRA distributions would not be taxable (unless those laws change) but that also requires the current owner to pay taxes on funds moved to the Roth IRA.

Another option is to consider a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) that names a charity as the IRA beneficiary. Upon the death of the owner, the IRA is distributed to the CRT, and the IRA owner’s heir would receive a fixed percentage of the CRT’s value for the remainder of their lives. When the heir dies, the money in the CRT goes to a charity or charities designated by the IRA owner, when the trust was created.

An estate planning attorney can advise you in creating an estate plan that fits your unique circumstances and can include protecting your IRA savings for you, as well as your family.

Reference: nj.com (June 10, 2019) “Your kid’s inheritance could take a giant tax hit if these bills become law. Thanks, Congress”

Retirement Planning Important, So Start ASAP

Beginning to save late in life is better than never.

Many people begin retirement planning as soon as they get their first job, while others begin late in life. The important thing is to begin as soon as possible, according to the Martinsville Bulletin in “Retirement Planning: Start now to help Social Security, Medicare.”

It’s easier if you start earlier. Let’s consider the high school student who diligently puts away 10% of a $7.25 per hour gross minimum wage earning for a year on an average 20-hour work week. That’s $750 into a retirement plan after one year. If that student never went to college, never learned a trade, got a raise or a promotion, they would still have $34,600 in personal savings in 46 years. It’s not a lot, as retirement savings go, but it’s better than nothing.

If the same high school student put those savings into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), more would have been saved. The more time your money has to grow through compounding, the more money you’ll have.

Saving a little money every month could make a big difference later on. This year, the average monthly Social Security benefit rounds out at about $1,460 per person, calculated by combining a worker’s highest paid years in the workplace. That’s not enough for retirement. The answer? Start saving early.

It is not as easy to build a nest egg in a few years, but it’s possible.

Many people don’t wake up to the reality of retirement, until they reach age 62. There’s still time to plan. They can put money into IRA accounts, and at age 62 they can save as much as $7,000. Those IRA contributions count as tax deductions.

Roth IRAs are a little more flexible, but there are no tax deductions with contributions. On the plus side, when money is withdrawn, you’re not paying taxes on the withdrawals.

Another important planning point for seniors: if you’ve had health issues, it’s a good idea to keep working to maintain your employee health insurance. The healthier you are, the lower your health insurance costs will be during retirement. However, health costs do tend to increase with age, so that has to be factored into your retirement planning.

For people who take a lot of medication to control chronic conditions, they’ll need to look into health insurance outside of the workplace. That usually means Medicare. Most seniors are eligible for free Medicare hospital insurance, which is Part A of a four-part option, if they have worked and paid Medicare taxes.

Part A helps pay for inpatient care in a hospital or skilled nursing facility after a hospital stay, some home health care and hospice care. Part B helps to pay for doctors and a variety of other services. Part C allows HMO, PPO and other health care organizations to offer health insurance plans for Medicare beneficiaries. Part D provides prescription drug benefits through private insurance companies.

The Social Security Administration advises people to apply for Medicare three months before they celebrate their 65^th birthday, regardless of whether they plan to start receiving retirement benefits right away.

Whether you’re 26 or 56, you need to plan for retirement. You also need to have an estate plan, and that means making the time to meet with an experienced estate planning professional to discuss your life and your retirement plans. You’ll need their guidance to create a will and other documents.

Reference: Martinsville Bulletin (May 17, 2019) “Retirement Planning: Start now to help Social Security, Medicare”

IRA Needs Attention when Included in Estate Plan

Your IRA can become a legacy left to your heirs.

If you decide you don’t need your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to fund your retirement, you have some options to fit it into your estate plan. However, beware the potential complications, according to the Oakdale Leader in “Leaving An IRA As An Inheritance.”

If no beneficiary is named to the IRA, things can get complicated for both the estate and the heirs. If the IRA has a named beneficiary, but the will names someone else to receive the IRA, the beneficiary named in the IRA is the one who receives the asset. The named beneficiary in any account and especially an IRA, supersedes the will, in almost every instance.

Anytime there is a significant event, often called a “trigger” event, like a divorce, marriage or birth, the estate plan and all accounts with named beneficiaries should be reviewed. This is to ensure that the assets go where the owner wants them, and not to an unintended heir, like an ex-spouse.

There are special rules for spouses, where IRAs are concerned. Married couples typically name each other as beneficiaries on their IRAs. A surviving spouse has certain decisions to make, when inheriting an IRA. The IRA may be rolled over into a new or existing IRA in the spouse’s own name. Taking this route depends upon the age of the spouse and the need for the money.

Another option is to convert the inherited traditional IRA into a Roth IRA. However, taxes must be paid on the conversion. It is also possible to transfer the IRA assets into an inherited IRA. An estate planning attorney will be able to explain all the options and how they will work with the surviving spouse’s estate plan.

To maximize the growth of the IRA, children or grandchildren can be named as IRA beneficiaries. They will need to start taking annual Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) immediately, and the distributions will be taxable. However, the amount of the RMD will be based on their anticipated lifetimes, so the taxable distributions will be relatively small. The money in the account will have many years to grow.

When children or grandchildren are named as contingent beneficiaries, a surviving spouse has the option to disclaim the IRA, which allows the children or grandchildren to inherit the IRA and enjoy the tax-free years of growth.

Many advisors counsel against naming an estate as a beneficiary, because it helps avoid probate and strict distribution time limits.

An estate planning attorney can advise you in creating an estate plan that fits your unique circumstances and may include an IRA.

Reference: Oakdale Leader (Feb. 19, 2019) “Leaving An IRA As An Inheritance”

Reducing Your Income Taxes During Retirement

There are other options than the traditional 401(k).

Creating a tax-free income is a good way to prepare for retirement, according to CNBC in “3 tips to help boost your tax-free income in retirement.”

You can start by taking a look at the Roth IRA and the Roth 401(k). Unlike a traditional IRA, with a Roth IRA, you pay taxes when you make your contribution to the account, then the funds then grow tax-free over time and, as long as you meet certain conditions, there are no taxes on withdrawals. With a Roth IRA, there are none of those pesky RMDs (Required Minimum Distributions). However, there are withdrawal distribution requirements for a Roth (401)k.

Most employers offer Roth IRA and Roth 401(k) accounts, so there’s a good chance they are offered by your employer.

Roth IRAs are often offered along with their counterpart, the traditional 401(k). Between the two of them, it’s possible to save as much as $19,000 in 2019. For those workers who are 50 and over, you can add $6,000 as a catch-up contribution.

The power of the Roth 401(k) is the tax-free compounding that takes place over time. Don’t miss out on this, if you want to max out your tax-free savings.

There are two different types of Roth plans: the Roth 401(k) and a Roth IRA. Roth IRA plans have income limits. If your modified AGI (Adjusted Gross Income) is more than $137,000 for a single and $203,000 for a couple filing jointly, you aren’t allowed to make a direct contribution to a Roth IRA. However, there are no income caps for Roth (401)k. You can also save more for retirement in a Roth 401(k), compared to a Roth IRA. Roth IRAs are also subject to annual contribution limits: $6,000 in 2019, plus a $1,000 catch-up contribution, if you are over age 50.

Here are three steps to make your retirement savings more tax free:

Can you do an in-plan conversion? If your employer offers a Roth 401(k), you may be able to convert some of your traditional 401(k) savings to the Roth. This is called an in-plan Roth conversion. Just like a direct contribution to a Roth 401(k), it will be taxable. Therefore, make sure that you run the numbers before moving funds. You’ll be responsible for taxes on pretax principal and earnings. Don’t do it all at once, so that you don’t find yourself moved into a higher tax bracket.

What does your plan allow? If you’ve left your employer and have money in both a traditional 401(k) and a Roth (401)k, you might want to convert those accounts — if your retirement plan allows it. Remember that you may not write a check from an outside bank account to add after-tax money to a Roth 401(k).

What’s your time-frame? Just as young workers are in the best position to save early and often, they are also in the best position to make the most out of Roth savings accounts of all types. It’s likely that younger workers have not yet reached their full career and earnings stage, so now is the best time to put money into a Roth 401(k). When incomes are higher, so will taxes on Roth retirement account contributions. If you’re close to retirement, there are other timing factors to consider, primarily Medicare. How much you pay for Medicare Part B and D, which covers doctor’s visits and prescription drugs, depends upon your modified gross income from two years ago. Do the conversion to a Roth at age 62, if you intend to file for Medicare at age 65.

An estate planning attorney can advise you in creating an estate plan that fits your unique circumstances and incudes retirement planning.

Reference: CNBC (Feb. 10, 2019) “3 tips to help boost your tax-free income in retirement”

You Most Likely Will Face Taxes on Retirement Accounts

IRS doesn’t care if you are working or not … withdrawals are mandatory.

This is important! Do not miss the IRS deadline on withdrawals from retirement accounts once you pass that 70^th birthday, according to Money, in “Don’t Miss This Key Tax Deadline.”

The problem is, the IRS doesn’t care whether you are working or want to start taking withdrawals. It also does not care if you want that money to keep growing. The agreement you made back when you started putting money into those accounts, was that you could contribute pre-tax dollars and deferred paying income tax on that money and any earnings. However, once you turn 70½, withdrawals are necessary.

Starting the year that you turn 70½, Required Minimum Distributions or RMDs begin, and you must pay ordinary income taxes on it. The penalty is expensive: you’ll have to pay the IRS half of what you should have withdrawn, so you don’t want to miss this deadline.

A recent survey from Nationwide showed that only 13% of people who are 65 and still working, were able to identify when they will need to start taking RMDs. The RMD is a percentage of your total assets based on your age and life expectancy. Let’s look at these two general examples: say you are 70½ this year, and you have $200,000 in assets–your RMD is $7,300. If you are 76 and have the same asset value, then you owe the IRS $9,100. Your tax liability for RMDs should be calculated with the help of your estate planning attorney and your accountant.

How you take these distributions could have a big impact on your tax bill. For many people, the RMD bumps them into a higher tax bracket when they are combined with other retirement income sources. Another question to address is: how will the distribution impact your Social Security benefit?

By the time you start getting those notices in the mail, you should have an idea of what your retirement income will be and how to make the RMDs work within your budget. What is the biggest problem that people run into? They don’t know about these required distributions, or their tax liability, and are suddenly faced with a penalty on top of a tax bill. It’s not a happy surprise.

Roth accounts offer considerable flexibility, since the money you withdraw is post-tax. They are not subject to RMD rules, while the owner is living. RMD rules for Roth 401(k) accounts do apply.

The only way to completely avoid RMD taxes is to donate the RMD to a qualifying non-profit institution. This is a way to avoid taking the RMD, if you don’t need the income. You will avoid paying any taxes on it. There is a $100,000 annual limit on this generous strategy.

Another strategy if you don’t need the proceeds from the RMD: use the money to open a 529 college fund for a child or grandchild and fund that account. You’ll still have to pay taxes on the RMD, but the college savings account will grow tax free.

An estate planning attorney can advise you on an estate plan that fits your unique circumstances and could include retirement fund withdrawals.

Reference: Money (January/February 2019) “Don’t Miss This Key Tax Deadline”

Planning Retirement? Get Started Now!

An important consideration when looking toward retirement, is the less debt the better.

It is always a good idea to be planning for your retirement but if you feel that 2019 is the year for you than it would be best to get moving on it now, according to CNBC in “If you’re planning to retire in 2019, here’s how to make sure you’re prepared.”

The main thing is if you are planning retirement, working while retired or still thinking about it, then you want to begin the preparation as soon as possible and right now would be a really good time.

While we hope your retirement was planned, many of the people who retire—60%—do so because of health issues or because they were laid off and could not get another job. Others have continued to work long after they expected to, sometimes because they don’t see a reason to not keep working.

Whatever category you fall into, your first look should be at your finances.

Do you know what your expenses are? You can’t know how much you’ll need for retirement, unless you know what you are spending right now. Maybe you won’t be buying expensive suits for a sales career but you’re still going to need to buy clothing. If you are like most retirees, you’ll want to fill your free time with all of the recreational pursuits you couldn’t do when you were working. That may include travelling, entertainment, sports and other activities—all of which cost money.

Pay off any debt you can. The less debt, the better.

Healthcare is one of the most overlooked costs for retirees. Once you reach 65, you’re eligible for Medicare. If you retire at or past that age, the program is available to you. However, it does not cover everything. The single most expensive item not covered: long-term care. Dental, vision and hearing care are not covered either.

You will also need a Social Security strategy. You can file for benefits any time after age 62, but you’ll increase your benefits by some 6% to 8% every year if you delay filing up to age 70. We don’t see those kinds of returns too often. If you work part time, you’ll need to find out how that income impacts your monthly benefits.

Even though you’re retired, you have to pay taxes. Your taxes will depend on what kind of retirement accounts you have: traditional IRAs, 401(k)s, Roth IRAs, etc. Not all sources of income are taxed the same way.

An estate planning attorney can advise you on creating an estate plan that fits your unique circumstances. If you already have an estate plan, it would be wise to consider taking a fresh look at it, because life changes can also change your circumstances and intentions.

Reference: CNBC (Nov. 4, 2018) “If you’re planning to retire in 2019, here’s how to make sure you’re prepared.”

Save for Retirement and Don’t Make IRA Mistakes

Want a nest egg when you retire? Start early and save often.

By now, we are all pretty much aware that an IRA is a good way to support your retirement efforts. However, it is also important to avoid mistakes along the way, according to Born2Invest in “Retirement planning: 8 common IRA mistakes.”

Avoid these classic errors and keep that IRA growing!

Not contributing. This is the biggest mistake of all. Most of your retirement income will come from money you saved while you were working, not the gains they earn. Missing a single year means missing out on the compounded growth that occurs over time. Save as much as you can.

Not contributing enough. Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs let you contribute $5,500 every year. Once you turn 50, there’s a catch-up contribution so you can contribute up to $6,500. Saving the maximum amount, lets you enjoy the benefits from a tax and savings perspective.

Examining tax benefits. There are different rules for Roth IRAs, different rules for traditional IRAs and (you guessed it!) different rules for 401(k)s. Educate yourself about the different benefits that each offers. If you’re in a high tax bracket now and expect to be in a low tax bracket later in life, you might want to use a traditional IRA. However, for the opposite, a Roth might be your best bet.

Don’t forget the distributions. This is one of the costliest mistakes that people can make. Traditional IRAs have Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) that require you to take out a certain amount starting when you turn 70½. Did you miss the window? Tax penalties are steep: up to 50%. Roth IRAs don’t have RMDs, except when the account is inherited by a non-spouse beneficiary.

Pick the right retirement account for you. Far too many people just pick a traditional IRA without exploring other options. Maybe a SIMPLE or a SEP would be right for you. If you’re self-employed, there are several different retirement accounts, and you may be able to put away more pre-tax dollars.

Don’t miss rollover deadlines. When you change jobs, you can roll over an old 401(k) to an IRA with no tax penalty. However, those funds have to make it to the new account within 60 days. Best bet: do a direct rollover and remember you can only do this once every 365 days, for all your IRAs.

Invest wisely and effectively. IRAs give you some degree of choice over where you invest. Don’t just opt for the most conservative funds; diversify with a balance of higher risk and return vehicles and more stable, low-interest ones. Don’t put your money at risk but don’t let it stagnate either.

Forgetting to name beneficiaries. Just like other investment accounts, you’ll need to name a beneficiary for your retirement accounts. What your will and other estate documents say does not have any impact on the distribution of assets in your retirement accounts. You must name beneficiaries, and if possible, successor beneficiaries, so your assets go where you want them to.

An estate planning attorney can advise you in creating an estate plan that fits your circumstances.

Reference: Born2Invest (Sep. 11, 2018) “Retirement planning: 8 common IRA mistakes”

Explore the Options Beyond Roth or IRA

Retirement offerings generally begin with 401(k) and IRA. However, there is a world beyond them, when looking to save for your retirement years.

Even though an IRA is the most common offering by companies to employees to plan for their retirement, there are options beyond the norm, according to Forbes in “10 Retirement Accounts You Should Know About.”

Few of us need less money in our retirement accounts. Most of us enjoy the tax benefits we get from retirement accounts. Americans, in general, do a terrible job of saving for retirement. Some say the IRA, Roth IRA and other similar accounts were created to give us an incentive to do a better job. The tax advantages of these accounts make it more attractive to sock away money every year. These accounts were also set up with deliberate penalties, so people wouldn’t raid their accounts every time they needed a few extra dollars.

If you are among those who work for companies that have a retirement savings plan match, make the most out of it. If you put in the annual percentage or amount your plan requires, your employer will match that contribution. Most workers walk away from this money. However, it’s free money!

Employees usually are offered a 401(k), 403(b) or 457 plan from their employer. The financial institution is already chosen, the money is automatically taken out of your paycheck and often you can only make decisions about what kind of funds you can select at certain times of the year. In 2018, you can contribute up to $18,500. If you’re 50+, you can make an additional $6,000 contribution, known as a catch-up contribution.

Self-employed? You need a retirement plan more than someone who works for a company. Self-employed people have many more options. If you need help, talk to your CPA. There may be some plans that are better suited or have more tax advantages than others.

For self-employed people, the basic choices are the solo 401(k) for a sole proprietor or someone working with their spouse. You can make contributions as both the employer and the employee. You could contribute as much as $55,000 in 2018 (or, if you are 50+, $61,000). Your total contributions are determined by your net business income.

Another choice for retirement savings for the self-employed is a SEP IRA, the Simplified Employee Pension. It’s easier to set up than a 401(k)and is typically used by people with self-employment income or small business owners. As the employer, you can contribute up to a quarter of your income, or $55,000, or whichever is less. There are no catch-up contributions for a SEP IRA.

Self-employed or working for a company, your retirement plan needs to include an estate plan. Your estate planning attorney will be able to help you with a will, power of attorney and healthcare directive.

Resource: Forbes July 23, 2018 “10 Retirement Accounts You Should Know About”

Take a Good Look at Taxes at the Halfway Point

Mid-year tax planning gives you the opportunity to make any changes you think are necessary.

It is always a good idea to take a mid-year look at tax planning. However, it is especially important this year because of the new tax laws, according to Kiplinger’s article “Midyear Moves for Retirees to Rein In Their Tax Tabs.”

You could miss some real opportunities to make changes, because some taxpayers may find that they owe less taxes this year, while some will owe more. You might decide to switch from itemizing to taking the increased standard deduction. It is also possible that you’re not going to pay the AMT (alternative minimum tax) this year.

Ramp Up Your Nest Egg. Are you still working? Then max out contributions to your retirement funds to help lower your taxable income. If you are 50 and older this year, you can put away as much as $24,500 in a 401(k) and $6,500 in an IRA.

Build Health Savings Accounts. If you have an HSA, be smart and put away as much as you can. Workers with HSA-qualified health coverage can contribute $6,900 in 2018 and those with self-only coverage can squirrel away as much as $3,450. If you’re 55+, you can put in an extra $1,000. HSAs are a great tax saving tool: the money goes in pre-tax, grows tax-free and when used to pay qualified medical expenses, is withdrawn tax-free.

Consider Your Deduction Strategy. The standard deduction in 2018 is rising to $12,000 for singles and $24,000 for marrieds filing jointly, so this is the year to figure out whether to itemize. Tax reform has also limited itemized deductions. The write off for state and local income, sales and property taxes is now capped at $10,000. Seniors (65 and up) can still take an extra standard deduction of $1,300 per person for joint filers and $1,600 for singles. For a married senior couple, itemized deductions would have to be more than $26,600. If the couple uses the full $10,000 write off for state and local income, sales and property taxes, they have to come up with more than $16,600 in deductions to save by itemizing.

Medical Expenses. The medical expense deduction is still in place. It’ is better in 2018, since the threshold dropped to 7.5% of adjusted gross income. Next year, that threshold rises to 10%. If possible, you should consider bunching medical costs into 2018, so that you can take advantage of that lower threshold.

Roth IRAs. Putting money in a Roth this year won’t cut your 2018 taxes. However, if you expect tax rates to climb, now is the time to put money in a Roth and pay taxes now, rather than later. Tax reform took away the ability to reverse a Roth conversion starting in 2018, so wait until the end of the tax year when you have a clearer vision of your numbers to do any conversions.

Reference: Kiplinger (June 29, 2018) “Midyear Moves for Retirees to Rein In Their Tax Tabs”