1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: Welcome to How to Money. I'm Joel and I am 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 1: Matt and today we're talking tax planning to shrink what 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 1: you owe with Sean Mulaney. 4 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 2: That's right, Joel, We've got Sean Mullaney back on. He 5 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:33,520 Speaker 2: is a repeat guest and we've talked about his accolades 6 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:35,840 Speaker 2: a previous episode. You s work for the irs back 7 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:38,519 Speaker 2: in the day there, but he now writes over at 8 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 2: five tax guy dot com. He's a fiduciary financial advisor. 9 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 2: And indeed we are going to be talking about the 10 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 2: importance of long term tax planning today. And so let's 11 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:51,479 Speaker 2: start with a quick analogy. Right, Imagine you've got a 12 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 2: nail in your tire. Imagine it's slowly leaking air. Joel, 13 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:59,640 Speaker 2: maybe I'm thinking of your car which recently had this. 14 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 2: If you just notice that this is the case, right, 15 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 2: that your tire is looking a little bit flat, then 16 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 2: of course you're gonna want to bust out the air 17 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:09,400 Speaker 2: pump or find some free air at a gas station 18 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:13,039 Speaker 2: or something, or costco, Costco, get that tire back to 19 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 2: the proper PSI so you can move on with your day. 20 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 2: And you can do that a couple of times, but 21 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 2: it's not a permanent solution. In a similar way, if 22 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 2: you are only looking to the short term fixes, if 23 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 2: you are only looking at the current year, you're not. 24 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 2: It's not a permanent fix. And when it comes to 25 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 2: making sure that you're fully optimized to pay as little 26 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:33,679 Speaker 2: tax as possible, you need to take more of a 27 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 2: long term look. That being said, today we are gonna 28 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 2: talk about some of the year in tax moves you 29 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:42,319 Speaker 2: can make, because the urgent is also still important in 30 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 2: the here and now. But we're gonna discuss why a 31 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 2: long term approach is best. We're gonna discuss why Sean 32 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 2: favors a traditional over rough account at least in one 33 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,639 Speaker 2: specific instance. We're gonna talk about the best retirement account 34 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 2: if you're self employed. I'm sure we'll talk about plenty 35 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 2: more today. Sean, thank you for joining us to on 36 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 2: the podcast. 37 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 3: Joel, always a pleasure. Thanks so much for having. 38 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: Me, of course, Shawn, we're glad to have you man. 39 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 1: Always good to chat with you, and we got to 40 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: catch up recently at finn conon New Orleans, which is 41 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 1: a good time. You didn't have this smashing go tee 42 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 1: that you now have, but you look magnificent. 43 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:17,560 Speaker 2: It is all clean cut professional and now he's in 44 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 2: his uh winter hibernations. 45 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 1: Right, that's right. Well, obviously, Sean, you've been ont before. 46 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: The first question we ask everybody as Matt and I 47 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 1: drink a craft beer while we talk money, Well, it's 48 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: something we splurge on in the here and now while 49 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:31,680 Speaker 1: we're also trying to be smart, save and invest for 50 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:33,919 Speaker 1: our future. What's that for you? What's that splurge? I 51 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,520 Speaker 1: think last time it was going to Hawaii, but those 52 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:39,359 Speaker 1: splurgs just change over the years too. 53 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 3: Absolutely, And so for me, the splurge right now is 54 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 3: four flying Dutchmen at in and Out Burger, very California answer. So, 55 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:54,639 Speaker 3: the problem with the splurge is it's both money and time. 56 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 4: Right. 57 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 3: So, where I live in the West Valley in Los Angeles, 58 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:00,960 Speaker 3: we have a limited number of in and Out Burgers, 59 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 3: and you can spend twenty minutes plus in the drive 60 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 3: through waiting for your four flying Dutchmen, which costs sixteen 61 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 3: forty three. I believe you know it's it's by the way, 62 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 3: it happens to be Joe Rogan's favorite fast food item 63 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:16,640 Speaker 3: these days too, which I'm okay psyched. 64 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:17,799 Speaker 2: It, But I don't know what that okay, So I've 65 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 2: heard of like animal style or yeah, what is for 66 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 2: flying Dutchmen? 67 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 3: So a flying Dutchman is two burger patties and they 68 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 3: put American cheese in between the two burger patties and 69 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 3: then on top of the two burger patties. So when 70 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 3: I get it, I get it in an unmarked box. 71 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 3: It's so weird, right, no branding, no logo, no nothing, right, 72 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 3: So it's you know, very carnivore. Now I'm able to 73 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 3: get it, even though I don't have the wealth profile 74 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 3: of Joe Rogan, but you know it's a splurge, right, 75 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 3: so they taste great and yeah, no carbs, right, trying 76 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,400 Speaker 3: to avoid cars, sol oil and stuff like that. 77 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 1: So it's literally just literally not a burger, Like there's 78 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: no bun. 79 00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, there's no bun. 80 00:03:58,440 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 4: Right. 81 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 3: Apparently you can get it like mustard style, where they 82 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 3: grill it with mustard on the grill. I've never done that, 83 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 3: but I'm yeah, I love the flying Dutchman, but like 84 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 3: in my area, you have to spend some time on it. 85 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 3: They are fortunately putting in a new in and out 86 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 3: burger near to where I live, so I'm looking forward 87 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 3: to that. But until then you have to time. 88 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:19,360 Speaker 4: It's just right. 89 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:21,160 Speaker 3: If you go at four pm, it's too late. You're 90 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 3: spending twenty or thirty minutes. And I usually don't have 91 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 3: that time in the afternoon to spend, so I try 92 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 3: to get there, you know, too too thirty ish after 93 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:32,159 Speaker 3: the lunch rush, but before the dinner rush, before school's 94 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 3: let out, and you got a shot to maybe be 95 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 3: there for ten minutes or so. In the drive through, 96 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:39,039 Speaker 3: I was thinking, you know, that's going to be a 97 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 3: great time to catch up on my How to Money episodes, right, 98 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:44,800 Speaker 3: maybe it's gonna be me and that and Joel waiting 99 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:46,279 Speaker 3: for my four flying Dutchmen. 100 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:48,840 Speaker 1: There you go. I was gonna say, Sean, you're you're 101 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:50,919 Speaker 1: known for your optimization. I love that you even like 102 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: to optimize when you go to burner to avoid too 103 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:54,479 Speaker 1: much time. 104 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 2: And while he's getting his protein fixed. 105 00:04:57,760 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: Yeah right, all right. 106 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 2: So I I feel like in the entro I kind 107 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 2: of bashed the short term fix, right, like I bashed 108 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 2: Joel and his multiple fill ups on his flat hire 109 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 2: as opposed to actually getting his hire fixed. But it 110 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 2: is important to look at some of those short term 111 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 2: tax moves that folks could potentially make this year. If 112 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:19,480 Speaker 2: they find themselves in a situation where basically they've made 113 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 2: more money than they thought, that's certainly a good problem 114 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:24,719 Speaker 2: to have. But that can result in a larger tax book. 115 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 2: Maybe it could even because of those HIGO savings account 116 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 2: rates that are contributing to a higher AGI. 117 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:31,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, but what levers. 118 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 2: Are there, sean at this point in the year that 119 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 2: folks can pull in order to reduce their taxable income 120 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 2: before the end of the year. 121 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, there's a few matts. So what I'd say is 122 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 3: for those who are in the accumulation phase, right, we're 123 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 3: still working, look at maybe maxing out those traditional four 124 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:49,360 Speaker 3: to one k's at work. Right, we'll come back to that. 125 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 3: But maybe your end, you're going to get a big 126 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:54,279 Speaker 3: bonus and you say, oh boy, that's gonna shoot up 127 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 3: my income this year. So maybe maxing out the traditional 128 00:05:57,320 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 3: four to one k maybe too late at this point, 129 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:01,600 Speaker 3: depending on when you're listening to the episode. But there 130 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:03,600 Speaker 3: are other things that could be done, right, something called 131 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 3: a donor advised fund. I'm a big fan of this 132 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 3: tactic where hey, you know what we want to do 133 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 3: a year end charitable contribution, and we're not even sure 134 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 3: which charity. We want to get that money. So maybe 135 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 3: what we do is we move money or maybe even 136 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 3: better appreciated stock from our taxable brokerage account to a 137 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 3: donor advice fund. We take the deduction in this year, 138 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:27,479 Speaker 3: which might be very impactful depending on our circumstances, and 139 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:29,840 Speaker 3: then over the next few years we can dole that 140 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 3: money out to charities from the so called donor advice fund. 141 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:37,160 Speaker 3: What it does is accelerates a big tax deduction for us, 142 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 3: but it also normalizes our relationship with the charity, right, 143 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 3: because we don't only want to go to our favorite 144 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:45,720 Speaker 3: charity and say, hey, you know what, here's a very 145 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:49,280 Speaker 3: large donation December of twenty twenty three, and please don't 146 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 3: contact me. I'll be back in touch in four or 147 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 3: five years. I'll start giving again. Right. We like to 148 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 3: generally give, you know, on a consistent basis. The donor 149 00:06:57,560 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 3: Advice Fund lets us do that, but up you know, 150 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 3: accelerates puts up front that big tax reduction. 151 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 4: So we like that. 152 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:07,599 Speaker 3: And then in terms of another thing that some folks 153 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 3: in the audience might be able to pull a plug 154 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 3: on is tax loss harvesting. Right. That's where hey, we 155 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 3: have a built in loss. It could be an old 156 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 3: cat and dog in our portfolio. It could be some 157 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 3: other assets in our taxable account where hey, look, if 158 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 3: we sell this will trigger a loss. That loss can 159 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 3: do one of two things, right, It can offset other 160 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,080 Speaker 3: capital gains we happen to have this year. So if 161 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 3: we had a big capital gain earlier in the year, 162 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 3: maybe we should be looking through our portfolio to find 163 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 3: some losses and maybe we sell that before the end 164 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 3: of the year. If we didn't have capital gains or 165 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 3: only a limited amount of capital gains, we still might 166 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:46,800 Speaker 3: want to do this tax loss harvesting because we can 167 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 3: deduct every year up to three thousand dollars against our 168 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:53,800 Speaker 3: ordinary income. What is our ordinary income, our W two income, 169 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 3: our self employment income, our retirement account distributions, our interest income, 170 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 3: those sorts of things. We could take a small deduction 171 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 3: against that too through tax loss harvesting. So it's a 172 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 3: few things to sort of keep in mind as we 173 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 3: approach your end. Maybe we could pull the trigger on 174 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 3: some of those things and get some nice benefits now, 175 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 3: which doesn't hurt, And why not think about it when 176 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 3: the year is about to be over, and maybe this 177 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,840 Speaker 3: year is a much higher income year. Than maybe next 178 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 3: year is going. 179 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 1: To be Yeah, yeah, No, I like that there's at 180 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:25,360 Speaker 1: least a few levers that you can look to right 181 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:28,120 Speaker 1: now in order to reduce the taxes that you're going 182 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 1: to owe. What come filing time next spring? Right, But 183 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:33,199 Speaker 1: drill down on giving a little bit for me, Sean, 184 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 1: because I too, am kind of obsessed with donor advice funds. 185 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:38,319 Speaker 1: Once I kind of figured out what those were, how 186 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 1: to use them effectively, and that there was actually, you know, 187 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:42,320 Speaker 1: a great low cost provider out there, I was like 188 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: hook line and sinker. I'm sold. But in order to 189 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 1: take advantage of the tax benefits of charitable giving, it 190 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:51,679 Speaker 1: takes donating a pretty massive chunk of money in order 191 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: for itemizing to make sense for a whole lot of folks. 192 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:57,679 Speaker 1: Most people are taking the standard deduction, which means a 193 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 1: charitable giving doesn't offer them any sort of a tax break. 194 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:03,520 Speaker 1: And what do you think about batching as you're giving 195 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 1: strategy in order to help some of those folks itemize 196 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:07,680 Speaker 1: in one year and take the standard in another. 197 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, great question, Joel. So when we think about deductions, right, 198 00:09:12,920 --> 00:09:15,320 Speaker 3: we're either going to take the standard deduction on our 199 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 3: tax return Federal tax return or we're going to itemize. 200 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,120 Speaker 3: And for itemization today, we have what I refer to 201 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:24,800 Speaker 3: as the Big three. We have state and local taxes, 202 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,080 Speaker 3: but those are limited to what we actually paid or 203 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 3: ten thousand dollars. So for the high tax states, a 204 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:32,079 Speaker 3: lot of folks are just limited at ten thousand dollars. 205 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 3: Second thing we've got is home mortgage interest, right, so 206 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 3: if you already have a paid off home, well, there's 207 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:41,560 Speaker 3: no deduction there. And then the third thing are these 208 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:45,319 Speaker 3: charitable contributions. And we live in an environment with very 209 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 3: high standard deductions. So if my itemized deductions are italium up, 210 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:52,880 Speaker 3: it's only fifteen thousand dollars, and I'm married, and I 211 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 3: believe the number is twenty seven two hundred for the 212 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 3: year twenty twenty three. Well, I'm just going to take 213 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 3: the standard deduction that twenty seven thousand, two hundred. So 214 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 3: if I'm thinking about a donation to a donor advise fund, 215 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 3: I sort of need to get to critical mass for 216 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 3: to make the most sense. So what I mean by 217 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:13,120 Speaker 3: that is I should take a look at where my 218 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 3: deductions are today on the itemized side, Right, what's my 219 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 3: home mortgage interest this year? My other charitles. I've already 220 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 3: made any state local taxes, and am I close to 221 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:26,520 Speaker 3: the standard deduction? Or am I way below the standard deduction? 222 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 3: And if I'm way below the standard deduction, maybe the 223 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 3: donor avice fund doesn't make a. 224 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 4: Lot of sense. 225 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:34,120 Speaker 3: But maybe oh boy, you know, I'm at say twenty 226 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 3: four to twenty five thousand already in itemized deductions. I'm 227 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 3: not quite the standard deduction. But if I did, say 228 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 3: a twenty thousand dollars donor advice fund, now I'm over 229 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:47,560 Speaker 3: forty thousand dollars, and I'm really getting a lot of 230 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 3: benefit from having done that donor advised fund. So this year, 231 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 3: what I'm gonna do is I'm going to do a 232 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 3: large contribution to the donor revised Fund. Great, I'm going 233 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 3: to take a forty four forty five thousand dollars deduction 234 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 3: in my example this year, and then next year I'm 235 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 3: going to go back on the high standard deduction. 236 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:05,200 Speaker 4: Am I you know? 237 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:07,719 Speaker 3: I believe it's over twenty nine thousand next year? It's 238 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 3: some big number for if we're married. So I'm basically 239 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:13,680 Speaker 3: playing this game. And what I've done is I've essentially 240 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 3: bunched deductions by doing that now in theory, you don't 241 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:18,840 Speaker 3: need a donor Revised Fund to do that. You could just, 242 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 3: you know, in December, find you your favorite charities and 243 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 3: bunch and just do a whole bunch this year and 244 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 3: not as much next year. I mean, that's possible. But 245 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 3: that's part of the reason I like the Donor Revised 246 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 3: Fund is it normalizes the relationship between donor and charity. 247 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:35,120 Speaker 3: One last thing just to keep in mind, though, as 248 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:37,280 Speaker 3: much as we're all fond of the Donor Revised Fund, 249 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 3: you do have to remember that money is no longer 250 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:43,320 Speaker 3: your yes, so it can't come back to you to 251 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 3: fix the roof or put it in a pool or 252 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 3: you know, go to Vegas or whatever it is you 253 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 3: might need. So you do want to be just you 254 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:52,160 Speaker 3: want to be careful, right, Can I really afford to 255 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 3: separate myself from these particular assets. 256 00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:55,319 Speaker 4: Yah? 257 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 2: It's not like a roth Ira where you're, yeah, can 258 00:11:57,559 --> 00:11:59,319 Speaker 2: I just go ahead and pull out my contributions? 259 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 1: It's like, sorry, that as a backup emergency. 260 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 2: Fund, you can't do that. Se what about donating securities? 261 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:08,720 Speaker 2: When does that make sense? Or actually, maybe, like who 262 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 2: does that benefit the most? When it comes to finding 263 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 2: a way to reduce your agi. 264 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:16,720 Speaker 3: Matt, great question. There are going to be some people 265 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 3: who should only be donating securities, in my opinion, and 266 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 3: then there are going to be some people who should 267 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 3: never donate security. 268 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:24,559 Speaker 4: So let's do the never right. 269 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 3: The folks who should never donate securities are people with 270 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:31,679 Speaker 3: built in loss positions, right. So what you you should 271 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 3: do is if you're thinking, Hey, you know what I 272 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:35,959 Speaker 3: want to give to charity, but I am thinking about 273 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:39,760 Speaker 3: giving XYZ stock and it has a built in loss, 274 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 3: what you should do is sell it first, trigger the loss, 275 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:45,480 Speaker 3: and then give the cash to the charity. Because if 276 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 3: we just give those uh that x y Z stock 277 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 3: with the built in loss, that loss goes away. We've 278 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:54,319 Speaker 3: eliminated that loss, we've helped the. 279 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 1: Irs have harvested it. 280 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:58,480 Speaker 3: Yes, we haven't harvested it. So if we have built 281 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 3: in loss securities, we want to sell those first and 282 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 3: then give cash. 283 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:02,920 Speaker 4: Right. 284 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 3: So that's one person who should never give, at least 285 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:08,559 Speaker 3: with respect to that built in lost stock. They should 286 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 3: never give, appreciate, or depreciate securities to charity. But what 287 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 3: if we have ACME stock instead, And ACIME stock is 288 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:18,600 Speaker 3: a big built in capital gain and by the way, 289 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 3: there are people for whom this applies. There are people 290 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 3: who bought you know stock in the eighties or nineties 291 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 3: and it's you know, gone up twenty five fifty, one 292 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 3: hundred x. That's the sort of stock that should be 293 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:34,200 Speaker 3: donated to charity because what you what you do is 294 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 3: when you don'ate appreciate stock to charity, you get rid 295 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:41,160 Speaker 3: of the capital gain for all of human history. It's 296 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:44,079 Speaker 3: really cool. So it can be a double benefit. When 297 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:47,679 Speaker 3: we're thinking about charitable contribution strategies, we should look through 298 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 3: our portfolio. Is their stock that maybe I don't want 299 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:54,120 Speaker 3: to invest in right now for whatever reason, and it 300 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 3: has a built in capital gain. Boy, that's a nice 301 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 3: asset to move directly, either directly to the charity or 302 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 3: directly to the donor advised fund. Do not sell it first, 303 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:07,400 Speaker 3: right If we sell it, that triggers the gain, even 304 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:10,640 Speaker 3: if we donate the resulting cash to a charity or 305 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:13,840 Speaker 3: to a donor revised fund. So most donor advised funds 306 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:18,559 Speaker 3: will accept publicly traded stock individual equities. That's something I 307 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:21,280 Speaker 3: myself do. I've actually I just did it this week, 308 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 3: literally moved some appreciated stock from my taxable portfolio to 309 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:30,120 Speaker 3: a donor advised fund and you eliminate the built in 310 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:32,600 Speaker 3: capital gain for all of human history. So it's a 311 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:35,440 Speaker 3: really it's a double benefit of using a donor revised 312 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:37,440 Speaker 3: fund or even a charitable cond you know, just a 313 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 3: direct contribution to a charity. 314 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:42,280 Speaker 1: Yeah. So I guess just streams like streamlines things when 315 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:44,640 Speaker 1: you're using the donor advice funds kind of, and then 316 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: you can decide where you parse off those donations to 317 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:50,240 Speaker 1: after the fact. And I love those the Great Year 318 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:52,520 Speaker 1: and advice like, but we want the main thrust of 319 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 1: this conversation to be about optimizing tax rate tax rates 320 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:57,560 Speaker 1: over the years in the decades, right, We're not just 321 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 1: thinking like, oh, how do I maximize just a minimize 322 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 1: taxes for tax you're twenty twenty three. We're thinking about 323 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 1: tax minimization over the long haul. And I know you're 324 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 1: all about that, Sean. I know that's kind of where 325 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 1: your brain naturally goes to. What are the broad strokes 326 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 1: of thinking holistically about our tax situation. If someone comes 327 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:17,960 Speaker 1: to you and say, like, tax planning, what do you 328 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:21,080 Speaker 1: mean by tax planning and how does that differ from 329 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 1: just kind of trying to reduce current year taxes. 330 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:27,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, so what I'd say is this, you should be 331 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 3: thinking about how do I reduce my total lifetime taxation 332 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:34,760 Speaker 3: and think about that in terms of a world with 333 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:38,280 Speaker 3: imperfect information. We don't have perfect information, but we have 334 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 3: good information. I'll come back to some of that information 335 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 3: in a moment. Second thing I want to say is this, 336 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 3: having money in a traditional retirement account and having money 337 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 3: in a wrath retirement account are both good things. 338 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 4: Right. 339 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 3: So I'm going to give you some analysis and some opinions, 340 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 3: but do keep in mind an overarching principle, which is this, 341 00:15:57,120 --> 00:15:59,080 Speaker 3: it is not a bad thing to have money in 342 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 3: a traditional retire account, and it's not a bad thing 343 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 3: to have money in a wroth retirement account. But now 344 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 3: let's step back and say, well, what information do we 345 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 3: have we what we know is this, when we contribute, 346 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 3: say at work, to a four to one k, we 347 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 3: get a deduction at our marginal rate. So I bet 348 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 3: most of the listeners are familiar with the progressive tax rates. Right, 349 00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 3: If you make one hundred million dollars, the rate you 350 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 3: pay on that last you know, million is a lot 351 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 3: different than the rate that the secretary pays at work 352 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 3: on their w two right now, sure. 353 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 4: How you do? 354 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 1: That's income there, Sean, but way to go. 355 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:38,200 Speaker 3: But we have these progressive tax rates, and what happens 356 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 3: is when you're thinking about, Okay, do I do a 357 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 3: traditional four to one K contribution at work? Well, what's 358 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 3: the upfront tax benefit of that? You have to look 359 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 3: at your so called marginal rate. What's the rate you 360 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:50,080 Speaker 3: pay on. 361 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 4: The last dollar. 362 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 3: I bet for a lot of folks in the audience, 363 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:56,160 Speaker 3: it's going to be for federal purposes, twenty two percent, 364 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 3: twenty four percent or thirty two percent. Right, that's a 365 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 3: number we can for many in the audience, and look 366 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 3: for some in the audience, it's going to be smaller. 367 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 3: For some in the audience, it's gonna be greater. But 368 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:08,080 Speaker 3: I'd say twenty two, twenty four, thirty two. 369 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:09,560 Speaker 4: Is probably going to be where a lot of the 370 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:10,399 Speaker 4: audience lands. 371 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,880 Speaker 3: Okay, great, that's the benefit upfront of a traditional four 372 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:18,520 Speaker 3: to one K contribution. But Sean, what about withdrawals in retirement? Well, yes, 373 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:21,320 Speaker 3: that's very important because what happens is we have these 374 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 3: traditional four to one ks, maybe they're traditional irrays, whatever 375 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 3: it is, but you got to pay the piper at 376 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:30,199 Speaker 3: some point. So in retirement, you've got to take that 377 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 3: money out and it's fully taxable. Isn't that a problem? Well, 378 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 3: let's think about what that taxation looks like. And you 379 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:40,239 Speaker 3: got to remember when you're retired, other than maybe some 380 00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:42,400 Speaker 3: social Security, although that could be delayed all the way 381 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:46,160 Speaker 3: to seventy other than maybe some social Security, and that's 382 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 3: not going to be a huge amount. Most retirees do 383 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:51,880 Speaker 3: not tend to produce a lot of taxable income. There 384 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 3: might be some interesting income, some dividend income, but even 385 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:57,800 Speaker 3: for the relatively affluent, that's going to be a small number. 386 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 3: So all right, I want to live off my four 387 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:04,960 Speaker 3: to one K or traditional IRA. I know it's taxable. Well, 388 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 3: how is it taxed? Well, it comes back into taxable 389 00:18:08,359 --> 00:18:11,800 Speaker 3: income going through those tax brackets, and in fact, some 390 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:14,359 Speaker 3: of it might just go against the standard deduction, like 391 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:17,080 Speaker 3: we mentioned, can be very high. So some of it's 392 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 3: going to be taxed at zero percent rate, a bunch 393 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:22,080 Speaker 3: of it's going to be tax in the first tax bracket, 394 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:24,640 Speaker 3: the ten percent rate, and then the twelve percent rate, 395 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:27,880 Speaker 3: and then the twenty two percent rate. And it turns 396 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:32,919 Speaker 3: out most retirees have an effective tax rate in the 397 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:37,280 Speaker 3: high single digits or low to mid maybe upper teens. 398 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:41,720 Speaker 3: So what that's telling us is, while there's no risk 399 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:45,359 Speaker 3: free position here, why are we not deducting at twenty 400 00:18:45,359 --> 00:18:48,920 Speaker 3: two percent, twenty four percent, thirty two percent when even 401 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:52,720 Speaker 3: many affluent retirees pay an effective tax rate on those 402 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 3: four to one K withdrawals in the high single digits, 403 00:18:56,119 --> 00:18:59,439 Speaker 3: low mid high teens. If I if I take a 404 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:03,200 Speaker 3: deduction twenty two percent and then years later have taxable 405 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 3: inclusions at maybe a nineteen or eighteen or seventeen percent rate, and. 406 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:10,280 Speaker 4: By the way, for many Americans, it's going to be lower. 407 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 3: But even that example, I'm making money off the IRS, 408 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:17,040 Speaker 3: I'm winning and the IRS is losing. And what I 409 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:21,439 Speaker 3: think that tells us is, for many Americans, an optimal 410 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:24,400 Speaker 3: path from a tax perspective is going to be take 411 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:27,399 Speaker 3: those deductions in your working years while you're at work, 412 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:31,160 Speaker 3: and then you know, okay, fine, we have traditional retirement 413 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 3: account distributions to live off of, but they're not that 414 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:37,560 Speaker 3: big a deal because many Americans are making money. That's 415 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:41,439 Speaker 3: called tax rate arbitrage. And you know, I think for 416 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:44,000 Speaker 3: many Americans that's going to work out very well. 417 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:47,119 Speaker 2: Yeah, this kind of segues perfectly into a conversation that 418 00:19:47,119 --> 00:19:49,680 Speaker 2: we had at fin Con. But you were kind of 419 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:52,800 Speaker 2: talking about this and specifically like you're a fan of 420 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:56,640 Speaker 2: the roth Ira but less enthusiastic about the roth four 421 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:59,919 Speaker 2: oh one k. That many folks now have access to 422 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:02,840 Speaker 2: the Wroth four o one K, and we talk about the 423 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 2: benefits of roths, and so I think a lot of 424 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:07,119 Speaker 2: folks might hear, oh sweet, well, now I have a 425 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:09,560 Speaker 2: Wroth four one K, it's even better, right, But it 426 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:13,840 Speaker 2: sounds like oftentimes you're probably going to steer folks away 427 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:16,399 Speaker 2: from the Wroth four one K and instead towards a 428 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:17,320 Speaker 2: traditional four one k. 429 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:18,040 Speaker 1: Is that accurate? 430 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 4: Matt? 431 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:21,480 Speaker 3: Absolutely? So let's step back and we have to think 432 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 3: about a roth Ira contribution versus a Wroth four one 433 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:29,000 Speaker 3: K contribution. Roth four one K contribution again, not an 434 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:32,680 Speaker 3: evil thing, right, It has attributes, it has benefits, But 435 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:35,360 Speaker 3: there's a trade off there. Every dollar I put into 436 00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 3: my Wroth four one K is a dollar I cannot 437 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:41,360 Speaker 3: deduct today at work into my traditional four to one k. 438 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:44,720 Speaker 3: So there's a real opportunity cost. Right, there's a real 439 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 3: trade off there. Well, let's think about at home, right, 440 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 3: wroth Ira people love wroth iras myself included. Well, let's 441 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:54,520 Speaker 3: think about well, if I contribute to my roth ira, 442 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 3: is that a foregone tax deduction for most Americans? The 443 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:03,960 Speaker 3: answers No. If we have a workplace retirement account based 444 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:07,440 Speaker 3: on income limits, it's very difficult to deduct a traditional 445 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:11,560 Speaker 3: IRA contribution. So there's not that trade off that I 446 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:14,679 Speaker 3: have at work. At home, it's either do a wroth 447 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 3: ira contribution or maybe something called a backdoor wroth ira. 448 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 3: We can talk about that, or just invest in a 449 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:25,680 Speaker 3: taxable brokerage account. Because I can't deduct my traditional IRA contribution, 450 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 3: I can do a non deductible IRA contribution that has 451 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:31,160 Speaker 3: a limited benefit unless we're doing the back door wroth 452 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:34,919 Speaker 3: But boiling it down is I like to do what 453 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 3: I sometimes refer to as dynamic duo planning. Optimize for 454 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 3: the tax deductions at work, so traditional four to one k, 455 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:44,959 Speaker 3: and then at home do the wroth ira or the 456 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:48,480 Speaker 3: back door wroth if I can, because I generally speaking 457 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:50,760 Speaker 3: can't deduct into a traditional. 458 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 4: IRA at home. 459 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:54,520 Speaker 3: So now I'm doing a large traditional deductible four to 460 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:56,359 Speaker 3: one k. And oh, by the way, I've got my 461 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:59,480 Speaker 3: wroth ira and I'm doing some dynamic duo planning there. 462 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:04,000 Speaker 1: Well, you also you talk about rothification risks, right, how 463 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:07,480 Speaker 1: people then if they're funneling more into their traditional four 464 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 1: O one K, they have to pay attention right when 465 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:13,000 Speaker 1: they opt to convert pre tax dollars, the traditional four 466 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 1: oh one K money into ROTH dollars later on down 467 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 1: the road. In your opinion, is that like a DIY 468 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 1: maneuver that people can figure out? Do you need the 469 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:23,840 Speaker 1: help of like a tax professional? How do people eventually 470 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 1: eventually down the road convert those dollars in lower earning 471 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 1: years without kind of screwing things up? 472 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:31,919 Speaker 3: Look, I myself use the wroth iray. 473 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:34,480 Speaker 4: I'm a fan of the wroth diarray. 474 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:36,680 Speaker 3: But I'm saying let's not have all our eggs in 475 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:39,160 Speaker 3: the wroth basket. And part of the reason I'm saying 476 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:43,480 Speaker 3: that is roth contributions end the planning, right. It basically 477 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:45,399 Speaker 3: means we're never going to be able to do a 478 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:49,359 Speaker 3: wroth conversion with that money. Why don't we get a 479 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:51,960 Speaker 3: bunch of money in those traditional retirement accounts so that 480 00:22:52,040 --> 00:22:55,400 Speaker 3: when we get to retirement, we've got planning opportunities. Right, 481 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:58,200 Speaker 3: we can do wroth conversions when our tax bill income 482 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 3: is otherwise low. They're gonna be t plenty of people 483 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:02,640 Speaker 3: in the audience who get to retirement, say at age 484 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:05,600 Speaker 3: fifty five and sixty something like that, and they've got 485 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:07,920 Speaker 3: a bunch of taxable assets. They'll just live off those 486 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 3: for the first few years of retirement. Capital gains tend 487 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:14,160 Speaker 3: to be lightly taxed. You have basis recovery and capital gains, 488 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:16,240 Speaker 3: so you might be in a very low tax bracket. 489 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:18,560 Speaker 3: And oh, by the way, I could do ROTH conversions 490 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 3: at that point because I don't even need the traditional 491 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:23,800 Speaker 3: retirement account to live off of. So there's just a 492 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 3: lot of opportunity with these traditional retirement accounts, and I 493 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:30,560 Speaker 3: think folks should not overlook that opportunity, even though ROTH 494 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:31,920 Speaker 3: gets all this great publicity. 495 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly, well, and it does, because it truly is fantastic. 496 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 2: But like you said, not putting all of your retirement 497 00:23:39,640 --> 00:23:42,520 Speaker 2: eggs and a single basket as a good approach, and 498 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 2: it just leaves you with a lot of options down 499 00:23:44,359 --> 00:23:47,639 Speaker 2: the road to optimize. Sean, We're going to continue talking 500 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:49,439 Speaker 2: with you. We're going to discuss some changes that are 501 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:52,160 Speaker 2: going to be coming to four to one k's as 502 00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:53,919 Speaker 2: well as just an excellent retirement account. 503 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 1: If you've got a side business. We'll get to all 504 00:23:55,560 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 1: of that right after this. Right, we're back. We're still 505 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 1: talking with Sean Malaney about tax planning in order to 506 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:11,280 Speaker 1: shrink your taxes, but not necessarily just for twenty twenty three, 507 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:17,080 Speaker 1: hopefully shrinking your overall tax bill over for forever exactly. 508 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:21,119 Speaker 1: And Sean, I wish the tax landscape wasn't this like 509 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:23,560 Speaker 1: ever shifting sort of sort of thing, Like it feels 510 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 1: like shifting sands sometimes, but tax policy and rates change 511 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:29,960 Speaker 1: over time. The Tax Cuts and Job Act is set 512 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:32,320 Speaker 1: to expire. Who knows what politicians are gonna that's supposed 513 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:33,679 Speaker 1: to expire at the end of twenty twenty five. So 514 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:36,640 Speaker 1: in the not too distant future, how would you say, 515 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:39,399 Speaker 1: how does not being able to predict future tax rates 516 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:43,200 Speaker 1: inform how you think about shifting your tax burden from 517 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:44,640 Speaker 1: the here and now to down the road. 518 00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:49,760 Speaker 3: That's a great question. And all financial planning has imperfect information, right, 519 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:52,719 Speaker 3: because we don't know future outcomes. We don't know future 520 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:56,439 Speaker 3: spending perfectly, we don't know future stock market, bond market 521 00:24:56,480 --> 00:25:00,639 Speaker 3: returns perfectly, right, So we're always working with imperfect information. 522 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:04,000 Speaker 3: And you mentioned tax cuts and job back, which has 523 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:07,400 Speaker 3: been very helpful to many Americans, particularly early retirees. 524 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:08,600 Speaker 4: Right, we have a higher. 525 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 3: Standard deduction because of that bill. We have a twelve 526 00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:14,160 Speaker 3: percent bracket instead of fifteen percent bracket because of that bill. 527 00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:17,919 Speaker 3: That's very helpful for early retirees, people looking to do 528 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:21,120 Speaker 3: affirmative tax planning in terms of roth conversions and those 529 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:21,720 Speaker 3: sorts of things. 530 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:23,400 Speaker 1: A lot of low income earners too, right. 531 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:27,239 Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely, one hundred percent. So we say, well, wait 532 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:29,359 Speaker 3: a minute, what's going to happen in the future. And 533 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:33,720 Speaker 3: all I can do is I can look at congressional motivation, 534 00:25:34,119 --> 00:25:37,000 Speaker 3: and I can look at what they've done in recent vintage. 535 00:25:37,040 --> 00:25:37,159 Speaker 4: Right. 536 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 3: And this is both Democrats and Republicans. So I'm not saying, oh, 537 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 3: it's this party to that party. If you look at 538 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:47,879 Speaker 3: what they've done in recent tax bills, they keep uncutting 539 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:49,399 Speaker 3: taxes for retirees. 540 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:49,760 Speaker 4: Right. 541 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:53,119 Speaker 3: They delayed r and ds first from age seventy and 542 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 3: a half to seventy two. Well, they weren't satisfied with that. 543 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:58,040 Speaker 3: Then they said, well, no, we're going to do it 544 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:00,440 Speaker 3: from seventy two to seventy three, and then for many 545 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:05,520 Speaker 3: Americans to seventy five. Right, they increase the standard deduction. 546 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:08,720 Speaker 3: They issued a new R and D table which lowers 547 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:09,320 Speaker 3: rm ds. 548 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:11,840 Speaker 4: Now that wasn't Congress, but it was still a government, right. 549 00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:15,919 Speaker 3: So every time Washington sneezes, it seems like retirees are 550 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:18,879 Speaker 3: getting another tax cut, right, and you look at the 551 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:22,600 Speaker 3: political motivation, right, retirees tend to show up on election day. 552 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:26,760 Speaker 3: So my thesis is that these so called expiring tax 553 00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:30,159 Speaker 3: cuts that from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that 554 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:33,160 Speaker 3: are scheduled to go away January first, twenty twenty six, 555 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:36,280 Speaker 3: are most likely not going away, particularly in terms of 556 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:38,880 Speaker 3: things like the standard deduction, the twelve percent bracket, those 557 00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 3: sorts of things. Look, if you disagree with my thesis 558 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:45,879 Speaker 3: and you're in early retiree right now, yeah, you'd probably 559 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 3: want to do more roth conversions in twenty three, twenty 560 00:26:48,359 --> 00:26:51,359 Speaker 3: four to twenty five because you're worried about future tax 561 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:54,399 Speaker 3: rates increasing. But if you agree with my thesis, then 562 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:56,439 Speaker 3: I think what you'd do is you'd step back and say, well, 563 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:59,439 Speaker 3: what are my personal circumstances, right, what does my income 564 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:01,440 Speaker 3: look like in twenty three, twenty four to twenty five, 565 00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:03,720 Speaker 3: and what's gonna look like in twenty six twenty seven, 566 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:06,760 Speaker 3: twenty eight, and I'm gonna do roth conversions as an 567 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:10,840 Speaker 3: early retiree based much more on my personal circumstances than 568 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:13,040 Speaker 3: on speculation in terms of future tax rates. 569 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:15,800 Speaker 2: Which makes a lot of sense to base your decisions 570 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 2: on what you know and or at least what you 571 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:20,080 Speaker 2: know that you want at least in the in the 572 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:22,399 Speaker 2: here now. But like you said, trying to predict what 573 00:27:22,440 --> 00:27:26,240 Speaker 2: the government's going to do, that's a perpetually losing battle. 574 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:29,200 Speaker 2: But what you're saying, I think is generally true, because 575 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:31,480 Speaker 2: like what we're talking about is austerity and cutting back, 576 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:35,719 Speaker 2: removing benefits from individuals, whether that's a benefit in the 577 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:38,360 Speaker 2: form of actual payouts or whether that's in the form 578 00:27:38,359 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 2: of tax cuts. It's difficult that once those have been 579 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 2: let out of the bag, to put them back in 580 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:46,000 Speaker 2: the bag. It takes the rare Margaret Thatcher type, right, Yeah, 581 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 2: and maybe who does Maybe we will actually experience that, 582 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:52,520 Speaker 2: but gosh, it really does seem like it's difficult. As 583 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:55,560 Speaker 2: a country, we get used to some of these quote 584 00:27:55,600 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 2: unquote luxuries that then turn into needs as viewed through 585 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:02,480 Speaker 2: the eyes of the public. So one of the different 586 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:04,520 Speaker 2: changes to the law that we've seen was with the 587 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:07,679 Speaker 2: Secure Act. It made a lot of changes to the 588 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:10,719 Speaker 2: retirement system. But that being said, the changes are being 589 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 2: rolled out gradually. It's sort of like student loan repayment. 590 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:16,359 Speaker 2: There's a nice long on ramp here, but there's going 591 00:28:16,440 --> 00:28:18,199 Speaker 2: to be a few new rules that are going to 592 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:21,959 Speaker 2: be coming into being soon. For instance, companies are going 593 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:26,639 Speaker 2: to be able to match student loan payments with retirement contributions. 594 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:29,280 Speaker 2: That is that right, And so employees they're not even 595 00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:31,199 Speaker 2: going to have to make a contribution to their four 596 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:32,440 Speaker 2: to one k. All they got to do is work 597 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:34,280 Speaker 2: on paying off those student loans. 598 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:37,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, there's a provision in SECURE two point zero, which 599 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:40,880 Speaker 3: was passed December twenty twenty two, which says that for 600 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:46,400 Speaker 3: purposes of determining a employer matching contribution into something like 601 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:49,080 Speaker 3: a four to one K, what they can treat as 602 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:52,080 Speaker 3: a four to one k contribution is a student loan repayment. 603 00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:54,719 Speaker 3: And I don't know all the mechanics of that, and frankly, 604 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:56,800 Speaker 3: I don't think even the IRS knows all the mechanics 605 00:28:56,880 --> 00:29:00,080 Speaker 3: of that right now, But that is coming into play, 606 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:02,040 Speaker 3: and I think it may be for twenty twenty four. 607 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:03,000 Speaker 4: Don't quote me on that. 608 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:06,480 Speaker 3: Because, like you said, Matt, unfortunately there are all these 609 00:29:06,480 --> 00:29:09,600 Speaker 3: different effective dates, so I'd have to go back into 610 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:12,840 Speaker 3: the bill text. But that is absolutely out there. And look, 611 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:15,680 Speaker 3: if you're repaying student loans, you should look into whether 612 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:18,920 Speaker 3: your four to one K plan has that feature because look, 613 00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:22,480 Speaker 3: matching contributions matter from employees into four to one K. 614 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:25,360 Speaker 3: So that's absolutely out there something to be thinking about 615 00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:28,280 Speaker 3: in terms of a positive change from Secure two point zero. 616 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:31,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, there's I think a mandate to about auto enrolling 617 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:33,320 Speaker 1: all employees into four to one K accounts, but I 618 00:29:33,320 --> 00:29:35,200 Speaker 1: don't think that one hits till twenty twenty five. For 619 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:36,840 Speaker 1: some reason. Now one got delayed a little bit further 620 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:40,280 Speaker 1: talk about. There's another change in Secure Act two point zero, 621 00:29:40,320 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 1: like penalty free withdrawals for emergency expenses from your four 622 00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:46,400 Speaker 1: to one K. That's a new thing, I think starting 623 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:48,880 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty four. I think it's just a thousand 624 00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 1: bucks or something like that. But Matt and I we're 625 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:54,360 Speaker 1: typically loathed to tell anyone to take money out of 626 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:57,360 Speaker 1: a retirement account for any reason, but this seems like 627 00:29:57,560 --> 00:29:59,920 Speaker 1: a place, I guess where people could have used their 628 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:02,560 Speaker 1: retirement account as an emergency fund. 629 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:05,040 Speaker 3: So a couple things on that, and this one gets 630 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:07,959 Speaker 3: so complicated in detail. I have a separate blog post 631 00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:09,800 Speaker 3: I could give you guys for the show notes. 632 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:10,680 Speaker 1: Nice, we'll share it. 633 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:14,320 Speaker 3: Because there's so many new provisions in Secure two point zero. 634 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:18,080 Speaker 3: So one provision. I refer to this as minor emergency withdrawals. 635 00:30:18,440 --> 00:30:18,600 Speaker 4: Right. 636 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:21,520 Speaker 3: This is a one thousand dollars provision, and this applies 637 00:30:21,640 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 3: to my understanding to all retirement accounts where you're going 638 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 3: to be able to take one thousand dollars out of 639 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:32,880 Speaker 3: any retirement account for an emergency situation and not pay 640 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:35,680 Speaker 3: that ten percent early withdrawal penalty. So that's out there, 641 00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 3: and in fact, there's usually a mechanism. I believe it's 642 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:40,760 Speaker 3: a refunding mechanism. You have three years to put it 643 00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:43,760 Speaker 3: back into the retirement account. So that's one. But then 644 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:47,320 Speaker 3: there's another thing. It's an emergency account that's going to 645 00:30:47,360 --> 00:30:50,800 Speaker 3: be added to for one k's but it's up to 646 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:54,360 Speaker 3: the employer. It's a twenty five hundred dollars maximum on 647 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:55,959 Speaker 3: my account. 648 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:57,120 Speaker 4: So it's not a very large number. 649 00:30:57,160 --> 00:31:00,280 Speaker 3: But I recently saw a YouTube video that claim that 650 00:31:00,360 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 3: Starbucks and Delta are adding this to their four to 651 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:05,520 Speaker 3: one K plans. I suspect many four one K plans 652 00:31:05,520 --> 00:31:08,880 Speaker 3: will not add this, but I mean apparently Starbucks and Delta, 653 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:12,080 Speaker 3: those are two large employers as we know, they've apparently 654 00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 3: added this. I believe it's effective twenty twenty four where 655 00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 3: you can contribute to an emergency account up to twenty 656 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:21,080 Speaker 3: five hundred dollars. It's a WROTH account. It has to 657 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:26,120 Speaker 3: be invested in like cash and cash like investments, but 658 00:31:26,280 --> 00:31:28,920 Speaker 3: you can then take that money, no tax, no penalty, 659 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:31,600 Speaker 3: for an emergency situation. So that's something that at least 660 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:34,200 Speaker 3: look into. And in fact, even if you're not too 661 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:37,080 Speaker 3: worried about emergencies, you might want to look into that 662 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:40,480 Speaker 3: because maybe you work at Starbucks for five years and 663 00:31:40,520 --> 00:31:43,160 Speaker 3: you have a twenty five hundred dollars WROTH four one 664 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 3: K emergency account you leave there, you could just roll 665 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:48,720 Speaker 3: that out into a ROTH iratum my understanding, So it 666 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:50,520 Speaker 3: could be just another way to get some money into 667 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:53,040 Speaker 3: a ROTH account where hey, you know what if you're 668 00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:56,160 Speaker 3: maxing out the deductible account. Anyway, maybe that makes a 669 00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:58,080 Speaker 3: lot of sense. I'd have to think about it, and 670 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:01,280 Speaker 3: you have to look at each individual situation. So there 671 00:32:01,320 --> 00:32:06,240 Speaker 3: are these emergency withdrawal provisions, and frankly, to my mind, 672 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:08,920 Speaker 3: they're a little too complicated and a little too lengthy. 673 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:10,800 Speaker 3: But I do have a blog post that goes into 674 00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:11,760 Speaker 3: detail and a lot. 675 00:32:11,640 --> 00:32:12,280 Speaker 1: Of nice Yeah. 676 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:15,360 Speaker 2: Again, we'll certainly link to that if folks are if 677 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:17,720 Speaker 2: folks do find that interesting, because on one hand, I 678 00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:20,040 Speaker 2: like it because it's like, Okay, let's go ahead and 679 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:23,760 Speaker 2: get folks started investing, and let's assume all goes well 680 00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:25,280 Speaker 2: and they don't have to draw on that. Well, guess what, 681 00:32:25,320 --> 00:32:27,880 Speaker 2: they've already got a head start in effect when it 682 00:32:27,920 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 2: comes to investing. But if something were to happen, okay, 683 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:32,800 Speaker 2: you can pull that out without penalty. I don't like 684 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:35,479 Speaker 2: that though, because it seems like it's a retirement account. 685 00:32:35,480 --> 00:32:38,240 Speaker 2: The whole point of that account is that you don't 686 00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:41,480 Speaker 2: touch it. It could be a behavioral nightmare, yes, until retirement, 687 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:44,680 Speaker 2: and so it feels like potentially the waters could be 688 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:47,400 Speaker 2: gett muddied a little bit, and I guess from that aspect, 689 00:32:47,440 --> 00:32:47,959 Speaker 2: I don't like it. 690 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:50,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it solves for something that isn't that 691 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:53,960 Speaker 3: much of an issue, right, because there's something that could 692 00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:56,920 Speaker 3: be used for emergencies very easily, and that's called a 693 00:32:57,000 --> 00:33:00,479 Speaker 3: savings account or even a checking account. Because here's the thing. 694 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:03,160 Speaker 3: If I had an emergency situation, do I want to 695 00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:06,680 Speaker 3: now interface with my employer four to oh one K? Right, 696 00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:09,400 Speaker 3: I probably don't want to interface with them. They're not designed, 697 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:13,040 Speaker 3: like you said, they're retirement plans. They're not designed for 698 00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:15,920 Speaker 3: emergency withdrawals. That's the other thing too. If I'm an employer, 699 00:33:16,280 --> 00:33:18,479 Speaker 3: do I want my employees coming to me in an 700 00:33:18,640 --> 00:33:21,480 Speaker 3: urgent situation where they're looking to get two thousand bucks 701 00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:24,080 Speaker 3: out of my plan on an urgent basis? My plan 702 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:26,280 Speaker 3: generally isn't set up for that. I'd rather them go 703 00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:29,320 Speaker 3: to their online savings account and those things are set 704 00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:31,920 Speaker 3: up to take money out pretty quickly. So that's my 705 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:35,320 Speaker 3: own personal perspective on it. But look, we're not here 706 00:33:35,320 --> 00:33:36,760 Speaker 3: to give individual advice. 707 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:37,400 Speaker 4: To anybody in the audience. 708 00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:40,200 Speaker 3: We're here to raise awareness and look, it's something at 709 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:43,240 Speaker 3: least worth considering if your employer happens to offer. 710 00:33:43,320 --> 00:33:45,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, all right, let's talk about solopreneurs. So just a 711 00:33:45,640 --> 00:33:47,520 Speaker 1: second ago, we're talking about people with traditional foural one 712 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:50,560 Speaker 1: K plans W two sort of employees and their ability 713 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:52,800 Speaker 1: to take money out of these retirement accunts and stuff 714 00:33:52,800 --> 00:33:54,840 Speaker 1: like that. But this is something you've got a lot 715 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:57,920 Speaker 1: of expertise on, Sean, you even wrote the Definitive book. 716 00:33:57,920 --> 00:34:00,360 Speaker 1: I would say about solo four one K accounts, which 717 00:34:00,360 --> 00:34:02,040 Speaker 1: I want to talk about in just a second, but 718 00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:05,120 Speaker 1: before we get to the specifics of the solo for 719 00:34:05,320 --> 00:34:07,280 Speaker 1: one K and why it's such a great account, what 720 00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:11,400 Speaker 1: are solopreneurs usually doing wrong from a tax perspective? And 721 00:34:11,520 --> 00:34:13,400 Speaker 1: you might be able to highlight actually a number of 722 00:34:13,440 --> 00:34:14,560 Speaker 1: things on this front. I'm not sure. 723 00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:17,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, So being a solopreneur is a great way to 724 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:20,040 Speaker 3: pay a whole lot of taxes, right, and so what 725 00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:22,520 Speaker 3: are folks doing wrong? I would say the first thing 726 00:34:22,680 --> 00:34:25,800 Speaker 3: is not having the right systems and processes in place 727 00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:28,840 Speaker 3: in terms of their accounting, right, because you start running 728 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:31,319 Speaker 3: up expenses and it can be a difficult way to 729 00:34:31,480 --> 00:34:34,160 Speaker 3: sustain those or it could just become a mess. 730 00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:34,399 Speaker 4: Right. 731 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:37,719 Speaker 3: So thinking about things like hiring a bookkeeper, I think, 732 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:40,120 Speaker 3: depending on the enterprise, that might be a really good thing, 733 00:34:40,200 --> 00:34:43,520 Speaker 3: or at least having some accounting software where you're entering 734 00:34:43,560 --> 00:34:46,640 Speaker 3: your expenses and your business bank account, having a business 735 00:34:46,640 --> 00:34:49,000 Speaker 3: bank account, those sorts of things. That's the first thing 736 00:34:49,040 --> 00:34:51,880 Speaker 3: I think a lot of solopreneurs get wrong. So just 737 00:34:51,920 --> 00:34:53,920 Speaker 3: having the right systems in place, and it doesn't have 738 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:58,040 Speaker 3: to be that complicated, right. There are bookkeepers who work virtually, 739 00:34:58,120 --> 00:35:01,400 Speaker 3: there's online accounting software, there are solutions that are not 740 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:03,719 Speaker 3: that painful in that regard. So that's the first thing. 741 00:35:04,239 --> 00:35:06,799 Speaker 3: Second thing is the tax planning. And I'll give you one. 742 00:35:06,840 --> 00:35:09,840 Speaker 3: And you alluded to my book on solo four one ks. 743 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:14,160 Speaker 3: A lot of self employed folks use something called a sepira, 744 00:35:14,640 --> 00:35:17,279 Speaker 3: and look, a set ira is not a bad thing, right, 745 00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:19,399 Speaker 3: But let's step back and say, well, if we're looking 746 00:35:19,440 --> 00:35:23,040 Speaker 3: to optimize for our retirement account contributions, wouldn't it be 747 00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:25,279 Speaker 3: better to have an account that allows both so called 748 00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:30,200 Speaker 3: employee contributions and employer contributions? I think for those looking 749 00:35:30,239 --> 00:35:35,000 Speaker 3: to maximize retirement account savings, that's probably true. Set Ira 750 00:35:35,160 --> 00:35:39,080 Speaker 3: is an okay account, but it only has employer contributions. 751 00:35:39,120 --> 00:35:41,440 Speaker 3: So I give an example of well, what if you 752 00:35:41,480 --> 00:35:44,680 Speaker 3: had one hundred thousand dollars They call it Schedule C income, right, 753 00:35:45,120 --> 00:35:48,319 Speaker 3: so you know what's your sep ira max contribution. It's 754 00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:50,960 Speaker 3: a little over eighteen thousand, five hundred dollars. A lot 755 00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:53,279 Speaker 3: of money where I come from. But what if you 756 00:35:53,280 --> 00:35:55,680 Speaker 3: had a solo four one k instead, Well, that would 757 00:35:55,680 --> 00:35:58,600 Speaker 3: be over forty thousand dollars because you can contribute as 758 00:35:58,600 --> 00:36:02,879 Speaker 3: both an employer and an employee. Right, So I would say, look, 759 00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:05,840 Speaker 3: you know, for a lot of solopreneurs out there, thinking 760 00:36:05,880 --> 00:36:08,239 Speaker 3: about something like a solo for one k makes a 761 00:36:08,239 --> 00:36:11,360 Speaker 3: whole lot of sense because it can be a user 762 00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:16,200 Speaker 3: friendly account and it can offer very generous tax deductions. 763 00:36:16,320 --> 00:36:18,480 Speaker 3: Or hey, maybe you disagree with me on ROTH, Well 764 00:36:18,520 --> 00:36:19,880 Speaker 3: guess what, maybe you can get on a bunch of 765 00:36:19,920 --> 00:36:22,200 Speaker 3: money into a ROTH solo for a one K. That's 766 00:36:22,239 --> 00:36:23,680 Speaker 3: a valid planning tactic too. 767 00:36:23,719 --> 00:36:25,200 Speaker 1: All right, John, we got a few more questions we 768 00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:27,040 Speaker 1: want to get to with you, including like how to 769 00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:30,520 Speaker 1: find the right tax professional to help you think more holistically. 770 00:36:30,600 --> 00:36:32,480 Speaker 1: We'll get to a few questions on that right after this. 771 00:36:40,440 --> 00:36:42,440 Speaker 2: All right, we are back and again we're talking with 772 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:45,440 Speaker 2: Sean mulaney on how you can play in your taxes 773 00:36:45,440 --> 00:36:47,120 Speaker 2: so that you can shrink what it is that you 774 00:36:47,239 --> 00:36:48,120 Speaker 2: owe the irs. 775 00:36:48,239 --> 00:36:49,840 Speaker 1: Can I just say, we tried to get John m'laney 776 00:36:49,880 --> 00:36:51,840 Speaker 1: for this episode, but he said no, and so we 777 00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:53,640 Speaker 1: had to go with Sean. But The good news is 778 00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:54,120 Speaker 1: I don't. 779 00:36:53,920 --> 00:36:56,520 Speaker 2: I would much rather be talking to Sean mlaney about 780 00:36:56,560 --> 00:36:57,640 Speaker 2: taxes the John Mullaney. 781 00:36:57,640 --> 00:36:59,400 Speaker 1: Don't think John would have had much to offer on this, Yea. 782 00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:03,560 Speaker 2: You know, Sean, I saw a quote recently that was 783 00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:06,920 Speaker 2: talking about how we should certainly pay the irs what 784 00:37:07,160 --> 00:37:09,799 Speaker 2: we owe them, but anything that we don't have to 785 00:37:09,840 --> 00:37:12,400 Speaker 2: pay them, it's sort of like a tip. And with 786 00:37:12,640 --> 00:37:15,800 Speaker 2: tipping culture today, I don't think anybody wants to pay 787 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:18,160 Speaker 2: more than what they feel like they have to or 788 00:37:18,160 --> 00:37:20,480 Speaker 2: what they should. And that's what you're all about, is 789 00:37:20,480 --> 00:37:22,319 Speaker 2: trying to find ways to make sure that we're not 790 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:26,359 Speaker 2: over paying our taxes to the government. But we've talked 791 00:37:26,360 --> 00:37:29,200 Speaker 2: through some complicated I guess maneuvers. In particular, we're kind 792 00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:32,160 Speaker 2: of talking about roth conversions. I think a lot of 793 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:34,799 Speaker 2: our listeners they're gonna hear all of this and they're 794 00:37:34,840 --> 00:37:36,799 Speaker 2: gonna say, Man, this all sounds great. I love it, 795 00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:39,480 Speaker 2: but I'm pretty sure I need some help. How can 796 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:42,200 Speaker 2: someone out there decide whether or not they need a 797 00:37:42,280 --> 00:37:45,279 Speaker 2: human professional to help them file their taxes, Like what 798 00:37:45,440 --> 00:37:49,840 Speaker 2: situations should maybe tip people off that or kind of 799 00:37:49,840 --> 00:37:51,400 Speaker 2: like even tip them over the edge a little bit. 800 00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:55,160 Speaker 2: From a DIY approach to actually needing to hire a pro. 801 00:37:55,640 --> 00:37:59,000 Speaker 3: Yeah. So, and this is a tough question, right. I'll 802 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:02,799 Speaker 3: give you a start off with four indicators that sort 803 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:05,080 Speaker 3: of say, you know what, I might need a professional here. 804 00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:09,520 Speaker 3: The first indicator is early retirement and we're doing things 805 00:38:09,560 --> 00:38:12,239 Speaker 3: like ROTH conversions, and we're thinking about things like the 806 00:38:12,280 --> 00:38:16,560 Speaker 3: premium tax credit because we're on a ACA medical insurance plan. Right, 807 00:38:16,640 --> 00:38:22,719 Speaker 3: early retirement ROTH conversions ACA insurance. That's a great indicator 808 00:38:22,760 --> 00:38:23,560 Speaker 3: maybe I need. 809 00:38:23,360 --> 00:38:24,440 Speaker 4: Some professional assistance. 810 00:38:25,000 --> 00:38:27,879 Speaker 3: Second one is what we just talked about, self employment. Right, 811 00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:31,040 Speaker 3: if I've got a business, I'm thinking about retirement plan 812 00:38:31,160 --> 00:38:34,200 Speaker 3: contributions with respect to that business. Those sorts of things 813 00:38:34,560 --> 00:38:38,360 Speaker 3: absolutely a great indicator that I need a professional. Third 814 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:41,359 Speaker 3: one would be rental real estate. Right, I think most 815 00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:44,120 Speaker 3: folks should not be going it alone. When they've got 816 00:38:44,160 --> 00:38:46,880 Speaker 3: rental real estate and it's showing up on their tax return, 817 00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:49,520 Speaker 3: that's a great indicator that they might need a professional. 818 00:38:50,120 --> 00:38:53,799 Speaker 3: And then the fourth one would be a sizable inheritance, 819 00:38:53,840 --> 00:38:58,320 Speaker 3: particularly a sizeable inherited IRA inheritance. Right, and this is 820 00:38:58,360 --> 00:39:00,919 Speaker 3: going to be out there more and more, Right, your 821 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:04,400 Speaker 3: parents do not need to be very rich or affluent 822 00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:07,719 Speaker 3: to have three hundred thousand dollars in a traditional IRA right. 823 00:39:07,960 --> 00:39:11,120 Speaker 3: That does not make them a Rockefeller right, that makes 824 00:39:11,160 --> 00:39:14,920 Speaker 3: them a rather average person. They pass away, they leave 825 00:39:14,960 --> 00:39:17,080 Speaker 3: it to you. You now have a three hundred thousand 826 00:39:17,120 --> 00:39:19,600 Speaker 3: dollars tax time bomb right that you need to manage 827 00:39:19,600 --> 00:39:22,640 Speaker 3: and you may need some professional assistance there as well. 828 00:39:22,760 --> 00:39:24,759 Speaker 1: Yeah, and there's what a ten year timeline on the 829 00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:27,960 Speaker 1: drawdown of that inheritance tire, so you definitely want but 830 00:39:28,080 --> 00:39:30,120 Speaker 1: he doesn't have to be equal distribution. So it makes 831 00:39:30,120 --> 00:39:32,319 Speaker 1: it the potential to do some tax planning there with 832 00:39:32,320 --> 00:39:33,719 Speaker 1: the help of a pro as opposed to trying to 833 00:39:33,719 --> 00:39:34,640 Speaker 1: figure out on your own. 834 00:39:34,760 --> 00:39:34,920 Speaker 4: Oh. 835 00:39:34,960 --> 00:39:38,759 Speaker 3: Absolutely, And that's an area that is very convoluted in 836 00:39:38,880 --> 00:39:42,399 Speaker 3: terms of just tax rules, even for professionals. So that's 837 00:39:42,440 --> 00:39:44,960 Speaker 3: an area I would say, Boy, that says to me, 838 00:39:45,719 --> 00:39:49,799 Speaker 3: I ought to be thinking about hiring a professional, and 839 00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:52,760 Speaker 3: then folks worry about, well, what where do I find 840 00:39:52,800 --> 00:39:55,560 Speaker 3: the professional, and how do I find the professional, and 841 00:39:55,600 --> 00:39:58,080 Speaker 3: what's even the services I need? Right, Different folks need 842 00:39:58,120 --> 00:40:02,880 Speaker 3: different services when we think about maybe doing our tax return. 843 00:40:03,280 --> 00:40:06,239 Speaker 3: There's actually a model that I think is emerging out there. 844 00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:11,040 Speaker 3: There's a woman named Andrew MacDonald. Her firm Steadfast Bookkeeping, 845 00:40:11,160 --> 00:40:13,799 Speaker 3: has this model where they say, we're going to do 846 00:40:13,840 --> 00:40:17,560 Speaker 3: the tax return as the end of a defined process. 847 00:40:17,920 --> 00:40:20,319 Speaker 3: It's not just its own thing, and it's not going 848 00:40:20,400 --> 00:40:23,080 Speaker 3: to be the beginning and the end. What they do 849 00:40:23,239 --> 00:40:26,560 Speaker 3: is they say, Okay, during the year in question, we're 850 00:40:26,600 --> 00:40:28,520 Speaker 3: going to do some consulting with you. We're going to 851 00:40:28,520 --> 00:40:31,879 Speaker 3: talk to you about your circumstances, what's changed this year, 852 00:40:31,960 --> 00:40:35,680 Speaker 3: what are your goals, And there's planning during the year, 853 00:40:36,239 --> 00:40:38,960 Speaker 3: and then in the next year we do the tax return. 854 00:40:39,080 --> 00:40:42,080 Speaker 3: And the tax return is completing the sentence, right. We 855 00:40:42,239 --> 00:40:45,080 Speaker 3: worked on the sentence during the year, and then we 856 00:40:45,120 --> 00:40:48,600 Speaker 3: complete the sentence and get the punctuation right at the 857 00:40:49,040 --> 00:40:51,759 Speaker 3: in the next year by doing the tax return, but 858 00:40:51,840 --> 00:40:54,080 Speaker 3: we already are familiar with everything because we looked at 859 00:40:54,160 --> 00:40:57,560 Speaker 3: it during the year. So I like that process. The 860 00:40:57,600 --> 00:40:59,279 Speaker 3: other thing I would say for folks looking for a 861 00:40:59,320 --> 00:41:03,680 Speaker 3: tax return is consider asking them to prepare the return 862 00:41:03,920 --> 00:41:06,960 Speaker 3: on extension, right, because you have to step into the 863 00:41:07,000 --> 00:41:10,480 Speaker 3: shoes of a potential tax return preparer and think about 864 00:41:10,480 --> 00:41:14,000 Speaker 3: what is there. Late February, March, early April, look like 865 00:41:14,480 --> 00:41:18,839 Speaker 3: it looks terrible, right, So why do you want your 866 00:41:18,960 --> 00:41:22,560 Speaker 3: return preparer's time and attention in that timeframe? Why don't 867 00:41:22,600 --> 00:41:26,440 Speaker 3: you instead say, you know what, tax return preparer, here's 868 00:41:26,440 --> 00:41:29,320 Speaker 3: my information. What I want to know from you before 869 00:41:29,360 --> 00:41:31,560 Speaker 3: April fifteenth is do I owe any money? 870 00:41:31,600 --> 00:41:31,680 Speaker 4: Right? 871 00:41:31,719 --> 00:41:34,600 Speaker 3: Because we can extend the time to file the tax return, 872 00:41:34,680 --> 00:41:37,400 Speaker 3: we can't extend the time to pay. So can I 873 00:41:37,440 --> 00:41:40,239 Speaker 3: get some time and attention now? Not to dot eyes 874 00:41:40,280 --> 00:41:42,880 Speaker 3: and cross te's, but rather just take a look at 875 00:41:42,880 --> 00:41:43,560 Speaker 3: my information? 876 00:41:43,920 --> 00:41:45,160 Speaker 4: Do you think I owe? 877 00:41:45,200 --> 00:41:48,040 Speaker 3: And I can make an estimated payment by April fifteenth? 878 00:41:48,160 --> 00:41:50,480 Speaker 3: But where I want your time and attention is to 879 00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:52,239 Speaker 3: dot i's and cross tea's on. 880 00:41:52,280 --> 00:41:53,120 Speaker 4: The tax return. 881 00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:57,000 Speaker 3: But let's do that in May, June, July, August, when 882 00:41:57,040 --> 00:41:59,680 Speaker 3: you're on a much more normal sleep schedule and you're 883 00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:02,640 Speaker 3: less frazzled, and I'll get your time and attention on 884 00:42:02,680 --> 00:42:06,120 Speaker 3: the return when you're in a better place. And I 885 00:42:06,120 --> 00:42:11,160 Speaker 3: think that optimizes the chances that both return preparer and 886 00:42:11,440 --> 00:42:14,000 Speaker 3: taxpayer are going to have a good experience with that 887 00:42:14,040 --> 00:42:15,120 Speaker 3: particular tax return. 888 00:42:15,160 --> 00:42:17,360 Speaker 2: I love that, yeah, And I really do like that 889 00:42:17,400 --> 00:42:22,399 Speaker 2: process too, of providing some consultation throughout the year and then, 890 00:42:22,640 --> 00:42:25,080 Speaker 2: like you said, just adding that period at the end 891 00:42:25,080 --> 00:42:27,760 Speaker 2: of the sentence. Otherwise the tax preparer becomes the bearer 892 00:42:27,760 --> 00:42:30,839 Speaker 2: of bad news. And I'm guessing that's not something that's 893 00:42:30,840 --> 00:42:32,479 Speaker 2: not a position you want to put yourself in. Sean 894 00:42:33,200 --> 00:42:35,040 Speaker 2: somebody that comes to you, it is just like, all right, 895 00:42:35,239 --> 00:42:36,800 Speaker 2: go ahead and just tell me what it is that 896 00:42:36,920 --> 00:42:40,480 Speaker 2: I owe as opposed to having been able to work 897 00:42:40,560 --> 00:42:43,120 Speaker 2: with that person and to make some strategic changes the 898 00:42:43,120 --> 00:42:45,680 Speaker 2: previous year that would then allow you to deliver that 899 00:42:45,719 --> 00:42:46,080 Speaker 2: good news. 900 00:42:46,120 --> 00:42:48,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, So, how do you then find someone who's not 901 00:42:48,080 --> 00:42:51,400 Speaker 1: just a tax preparer, a return filer, someone who is 902 00:42:52,080 --> 00:42:55,160 Speaker 1: a tax planning helper? Is it questions that you ask 903 00:42:55,480 --> 00:42:57,960 Speaker 1: when you're kind of vetting some folks or something like that, 904 00:42:58,280 --> 00:43:00,959 Speaker 1: or how you mentioned one person in her planning firm, 905 00:43:01,200 --> 00:43:03,239 Speaker 1: But how do you find more folks who think about 906 00:43:03,239 --> 00:43:05,400 Speaker 1: it more holistically, kind of like you and Andrea do. 907 00:43:05,640 --> 00:43:08,439 Speaker 3: Yeah, So what I would do on that is I'd 908 00:43:08,520 --> 00:43:12,840 Speaker 3: understand that there's no perfect answer here. There's no group 909 00:43:13,000 --> 00:43:15,440 Speaker 3: or credential I can just look to and that's going 910 00:43:15,520 --> 00:43:19,640 Speaker 3: to give me what I'm looking for. So I will say, Unfortunately, 911 00:43:19,680 --> 00:43:23,760 Speaker 3: the tax return industry, it grew up focused on getting 912 00:43:23,800 --> 00:43:26,160 Speaker 3: those returns out the door and getting paid for getting 913 00:43:26,200 --> 00:43:30,160 Speaker 3: those returns out the door. And that is a misincentive, right, 914 00:43:30,200 --> 00:43:33,080 Speaker 3: That incentivizes folks to focus on the returns and not 915 00:43:33,160 --> 00:43:35,480 Speaker 3: so much on the planning, because they focus on where 916 00:43:35,560 --> 00:43:37,640 Speaker 3: the check came from, right, and it's on the return. 917 00:43:38,360 --> 00:43:40,920 Speaker 3: What I would do is this, I would take advantage 918 00:43:40,960 --> 00:43:42,759 Speaker 3: of being in the year twenty twenty three. 919 00:43:42,920 --> 00:43:43,520 Speaker 4: Right. Think about it. 920 00:43:43,520 --> 00:43:47,080 Speaker 3: If you're looking for a tax return preparer who's planning focused, 921 00:43:47,560 --> 00:43:49,880 Speaker 3: you would you know, fifteen years ago, you would have 922 00:43:49,920 --> 00:43:54,040 Speaker 3: to drive all over creation around you, right, going and 923 00:43:54,080 --> 00:43:57,839 Speaker 3: getting off the highway, interviewing people going to their offices. 924 00:43:58,280 --> 00:44:00,600 Speaker 3: It's the year twenty twenty three. You don't need a 925 00:44:00,640 --> 00:44:03,799 Speaker 3: tax return prepare in your own state, right, think about that. 926 00:44:03,840 --> 00:44:06,080 Speaker 3: You can work virtually now with a tax return prepare. 927 00:44:07,000 --> 00:44:11,080 Speaker 3: What I would recommend is do some research and find 928 00:44:11,160 --> 00:44:13,279 Speaker 3: folks who are willing to have a thirty minute you know, 929 00:44:13,360 --> 00:44:17,480 Speaker 3: potential client meeting virtually, And you can now do this 930 00:44:17,520 --> 00:44:20,800 Speaker 3: from the comfort of your own couch. Right. Meet with folks, 931 00:44:21,160 --> 00:44:23,800 Speaker 3: see what their process looks like, see what their fees 932 00:44:23,880 --> 00:44:26,719 Speaker 3: look like, and see how you relate with them. And 933 00:44:27,120 --> 00:44:28,719 Speaker 3: just take advantage of the fact, I don't have to 934 00:44:28,719 --> 00:44:31,759 Speaker 3: get on the highway and you know, go to five 935 00:44:31,800 --> 00:44:35,880 Speaker 3: different offices scattered throughout my area. I can interview folks 936 00:44:36,000 --> 00:44:39,279 Speaker 3: all across this great country and figure this out from 937 00:44:39,320 --> 00:44:41,480 Speaker 3: the comfort of my own living room. I like that, 938 00:44:41,520 --> 00:44:43,359 Speaker 3: and so that's what I would do, is I would 939 00:44:43,400 --> 00:44:47,040 Speaker 3: interview a few potential providers and see what they offer 940 00:44:47,120 --> 00:44:49,520 Speaker 3: and see how I click with them, and make a 941 00:44:49,560 --> 00:44:50,319 Speaker 3: decision from there. 942 00:44:50,880 --> 00:44:53,520 Speaker 2: Nice I think that's awesome advice, Sean. Do you think 943 00:44:53,560 --> 00:44:55,360 Speaker 2: that is there anything else that we should be aware of? 944 00:44:55,440 --> 00:44:57,960 Speaker 2: Any changes that might might be coming down the pipe 945 00:44:57,960 --> 00:45:01,520 Speaker 2: that might impact whether it be retreronment or taxes. Do 946 00:45:01,520 --> 00:45:02,839 Speaker 2: you have any final thoughts for us? 947 00:45:03,000 --> 00:45:05,520 Speaker 3: I'll just mention two sort of current events for you. 948 00:45:05,800 --> 00:45:08,560 Speaker 3: One is my prediction for the year twenty twenty four 949 00:45:08,800 --> 00:45:11,360 Speaker 3: is it's an election year, so I tend to think 950 00:45:11,600 --> 00:45:13,560 Speaker 3: there's not going to be much in the way of 951 00:45:13,719 --> 00:45:17,759 Speaker 3: tax legislation coming out of Washington, DC. Look all free 952 00:45:17,760 --> 00:45:20,120 Speaker 3: predictions wrong, are your money back? But I think twenty 953 00:45:20,120 --> 00:45:22,120 Speaker 3: twenty five is where we're going to see some real 954 00:45:22,200 --> 00:45:25,520 Speaker 3: tax legislation that would affect retirement planning, those sorts of things. 955 00:45:26,000 --> 00:45:29,719 Speaker 3: Second thing, is there is a Supreme Court case on 956 00:45:29,800 --> 00:45:32,799 Speaker 3: taxes right now, which is very rare. It's very exciting, 957 00:45:33,320 --> 00:45:36,520 Speaker 3: and it's a case it's called More versus the United States, 958 00:45:37,160 --> 00:45:39,880 Speaker 3: and it deals with a very esoteric tax issue that 959 00:45:39,920 --> 00:45:43,640 Speaker 3: could have all sorts of ramifications for Americans in the future. 960 00:45:44,120 --> 00:45:46,839 Speaker 3: Oral arguments in that case are in early December, so 961 00:45:46,920 --> 00:45:50,520 Speaker 3: watch for some news around that, and the decision is 962 00:45:50,520 --> 00:45:53,200 Speaker 3: going to come sometime in twenty twenty four. It may 963 00:45:53,239 --> 00:45:56,319 Speaker 3: be a very narrow decision that has no impact on 964 00:45:56,400 --> 00:45:59,239 Speaker 3: most listeners, or it could be something that's a lot 965 00:45:59,280 --> 00:46:02,440 Speaker 3: more far r It's called More versus the United States. 966 00:46:02,440 --> 00:46:05,160 Speaker 3: Sort of an interesting case. I did a YouTube video 967 00:46:05,200 --> 00:46:08,560 Speaker 3: about a while back. So it's one of those things that, 968 00:46:08,719 --> 00:46:12,200 Speaker 3: in theory, could have wide ranging impact or it could 969 00:46:12,239 --> 00:46:14,640 Speaker 3: have absolutely no impact. It's just something to watch out for. 970 00:46:14,840 --> 00:46:17,080 Speaker 1: Nice love it all right, Well, maybe once that verda 971 00:46:17,120 --> 00:46:18,759 Speaker 1: comes down, we'll bring you on to talk about it. 972 00:46:18,800 --> 00:46:21,000 Speaker 1: So Sean, we always enjoy talking to you man. Thanks 973 00:46:21,000 --> 00:46:23,000 Speaker 1: so much for joining us. Where can our listeners find 974 00:46:23,040 --> 00:46:25,279 Speaker 1: out more about you, what you're up to and your 975 00:46:25,280 --> 00:46:26,680 Speaker 1: awesome book about solo for one. 976 00:46:26,640 --> 00:46:29,240 Speaker 3: Case, Thanks so much, Matt and Joel, So you guys 977 00:46:29,239 --> 00:46:32,120 Speaker 3: can find me at fi tax guide dot com. That's 978 00:46:32,120 --> 00:46:33,920 Speaker 3: my blog. I tend to refer to that as my 979 00:46:33,960 --> 00:46:36,680 Speaker 3: internet home. You can also find me on YouTube Sean 980 00:46:36,760 --> 00:46:39,960 Speaker 3: mulaney videos, and on Twitter Sean Money Intact. 981 00:46:40,080 --> 00:46:40,360 Speaker 1: Nice. 982 00:46:40,360 --> 00:46:42,760 Speaker 2: We'll make sure to link to all of that, including 983 00:46:42,800 --> 00:46:46,440 Speaker 2: that More versus Us video that you toss up there 984 00:46:46,480 --> 00:46:47,040 Speaker 2: on YouTube. 985 00:46:47,280 --> 00:46:47,560 Speaker 3: Sean. 986 00:46:47,600 --> 00:46:48,840 Speaker 2: Thanks so much for joining us today. 987 00:46:49,040 --> 00:46:49,719 Speaker 3: Thanks so much. 988 00:46:50,120 --> 00:46:53,359 Speaker 1: All right, Matt gotta love Sean Malaney, his sweet new 989 00:46:53,360 --> 00:46:55,600 Speaker 1: go tea that he sported and his wonderful advice you 990 00:46:55,680 --> 00:46:56,160 Speaker 1: text planning. 991 00:46:56,200 --> 00:46:58,480 Speaker 2: You can't tease. I mean you mentioned it earlier as well, 992 00:46:58,520 --> 00:47:00,480 Speaker 2: but we a little picture of it, a little people 993 00:47:00,480 --> 00:47:02,520 Speaker 2: behind the curtain. We always leave the video on for 994 00:47:02,560 --> 00:47:04,879 Speaker 2: a second when we started an interview. 995 00:47:04,520 --> 00:47:05,520 Speaker 1: With folks, just to say hi. 996 00:47:05,560 --> 00:47:07,839 Speaker 2: But we always cut the videos that because we sit 997 00:47:07,880 --> 00:47:09,400 Speaker 2: over here at our table and he wouldn't be able 998 00:47:09,400 --> 00:47:09,960 Speaker 2: to see us. Yeah. 999 00:47:10,000 --> 00:47:11,480 Speaker 1: If some folks would say, oh, you should put your 1000 00:47:11,480 --> 00:47:13,880 Speaker 1: podcast up on YouTube, but it's too much work or not, 1001 00:47:13,960 --> 00:47:16,120 Speaker 1: it seems kind of onerous. Yeah, we like the audio stuff, 1002 00:47:16,120 --> 00:47:18,160 Speaker 1: not the video as much. But yeah, no, this is 1003 00:47:18,200 --> 00:47:20,880 Speaker 1: a great combo. Love Sean, love his advice and a 1004 00:47:20,880 --> 00:47:23,040 Speaker 1: lot of practical stuff I think for for people to 1005 00:47:23,600 --> 00:47:27,080 Speaker 1: hopefully help benefit their tax situation so that yeah, they're 1006 00:47:27,120 --> 00:47:29,040 Speaker 1: they're paying less of the irs, they have more of 1007 00:47:29,080 --> 00:47:31,919 Speaker 1: their money to use for building wealth, for giving away, 1008 00:47:31,960 --> 00:47:33,600 Speaker 1: for whatever they choose to do with it. But what 1009 00:47:33,880 --> 00:47:35,280 Speaker 1: are your thoughts, Matt? Do you have a big takeaway 1010 00:47:35,280 --> 00:47:35,719 Speaker 1: from this one? 1011 00:47:35,760 --> 00:47:35,960 Speaker 3: Yeah? 1012 00:47:36,000 --> 00:47:39,480 Speaker 2: Mat, he gave some awesome takeaways. I mean, he mentioned 1013 00:47:39,640 --> 00:47:42,040 Speaker 2: sort of those four indicators as to whether or not 1014 00:47:42,200 --> 00:47:44,640 Speaker 2: you need to hire a professional. But I think my 1015 00:47:44,680 --> 00:47:46,600 Speaker 2: actual takeaway is going to be is going to have 1016 00:47:46,600 --> 00:47:49,719 Speaker 2: to do with starting your own small side business or 1017 00:47:49,719 --> 00:47:53,280 Speaker 2: if you're a solopreneur. And he mentioned a couple ways 1018 00:47:53,400 --> 00:47:56,399 Speaker 2: that small business owners make mistakes, and one of them 1019 00:47:57,000 --> 00:47:59,520 Speaker 2: was poor accounting practices basically, and he was just pointing 1020 00:47:59,560 --> 00:48:03,480 Speaker 2: out how with either free software that's available, I mean, 1021 00:48:03,520 --> 00:48:06,760 Speaker 2: gosh it, yes, or on Monday's episode, we talked about 1022 00:48:06,920 --> 00:48:10,799 Speaker 2: Lily and the features that it includes when it comes 1023 00:48:10,840 --> 00:48:12,080 Speaker 2: to keeping up with your books. 1024 00:48:12,200 --> 00:48:16,080 Speaker 1: There are other fairly inexpensive softwares too that are they're 1025 00:48:16,320 --> 00:48:17,160 Speaker 1: able to help people do that. 1026 00:48:17,160 --> 00:48:20,040 Speaker 2: There's solutions out there, and you want to make sure 1027 00:48:20,120 --> 00:48:22,359 Speaker 2: that you're keeping up with those expenses that you're able 1028 00:48:22,360 --> 00:48:26,040 Speaker 2: to deduct those so just the general accounting like that 1029 00:48:26,120 --> 00:48:28,759 Speaker 2: being a mistake, but then also the solo or the 1030 00:48:28,840 --> 00:48:32,400 Speaker 2: self employed for one K. If you are a solopreneur 1031 00:48:32,440 --> 00:48:34,759 Speaker 2: and you are not taking advantage of that account, you 1032 00:48:34,800 --> 00:48:38,680 Speaker 2: are missing out on an incredible way to sock away 1033 00:48:38,719 --> 00:48:42,080 Speaker 2: a ton of money. Because again we've mentioned this before, 1034 00:48:42,080 --> 00:48:44,839 Speaker 2: but Sean touched on it, the ability to contribute not 1035 00:48:44,920 --> 00:48:48,279 Speaker 2: only as an employer, which is what you would were 1036 00:48:48,320 --> 00:48:50,759 Speaker 2: to do if you were to open a sep ira, 1037 00:48:50,880 --> 00:48:54,279 Speaker 2: which stands for I think it's a simplified pension, right, 1038 00:48:54,280 --> 00:48:56,000 Speaker 2: and so that pension is the key word. You can 1039 00:48:56,040 --> 00:48:58,880 Speaker 2: only contribute as an employer. It's a plan that the 1040 00:48:58,880 --> 00:49:01,719 Speaker 2: employer sets up. But with a self employed four one 1041 00:49:01,800 --> 00:49:04,120 Speaker 2: K or solo four onin K, you can obviously contribute 1042 00:49:04,160 --> 00:49:06,680 Speaker 2: as an employee just like you would with a traditional 1043 00:49:06,760 --> 00:49:08,960 Speaker 2: four onin K. So there are a lot of avenue, 1044 00:49:08,960 --> 00:49:11,080 Speaker 2: there are multiple paths that you can take to be 1045 00:49:11,160 --> 00:49:13,080 Speaker 2: able to sock away a ton of money, and that's 1046 00:49:13,080 --> 00:49:17,400 Speaker 2: incredibly important, especially if you're interested in early retirement. If 1047 00:49:17,400 --> 00:49:18,759 Speaker 2: that's a goal of your it's going to help you 1048 00:49:19,280 --> 00:49:21,799 Speaker 2: throw more dollars into that account. And it's also going 1049 00:49:21,840 --> 00:49:24,719 Speaker 2: to reduce your taxable burden even more significantly in the 1050 00:49:24,760 --> 00:49:25,279 Speaker 2: here and now. 1051 00:49:25,360 --> 00:49:27,480 Speaker 1: So I think the less taxes, yeah, there you go, 1052 00:49:27,520 --> 00:49:29,080 Speaker 1: solo four one k makes sense for a lot of 1053 00:49:29,120 --> 00:49:31,799 Speaker 1: those folks when when although actually maxing it out on 1054 00:49:31,840 --> 00:49:36,560 Speaker 1: both both ends, I mean, it's incredibly hard, but even 1055 00:49:36,600 --> 00:49:38,960 Speaker 1: still the ability to go above and beyond. Yeah, all right, 1056 00:49:39,000 --> 00:49:40,880 Speaker 1: So I think my big takeaway from this combo was 1057 00:49:41,000 --> 00:49:43,319 Speaker 1: when Sean said that we have imperfect information, but it's 1058 00:49:43,320 --> 00:49:45,799 Speaker 1: still important to plan, and so we don't know what 1059 00:49:45,840 --> 00:49:47,360 Speaker 1: things are going to be, like I mean, like, gosh, 1060 00:49:47,360 --> 00:49:50,040 Speaker 1: you look back at tax rates from the nineteen sixties 1061 00:49:50,040 --> 00:49:51,840 Speaker 1: and seventies and eighties and stuff, and it's like, but 1062 00:49:51,880 --> 00:49:55,360 Speaker 1: things have changed a lot since then for the better 1063 00:49:55,800 --> 00:49:58,440 Speaker 1: for most American taxpayers, And we don't really know where 1064 00:49:58,480 --> 00:50:01,200 Speaker 1: things are going to go from here exactly, but there's 1065 00:50:01,200 --> 00:50:03,200 Speaker 1: still a lot that we can bank on. And I 1066 00:50:03,239 --> 00:50:06,279 Speaker 1: love kind of his philusphy on traditional four O one 1067 00:50:06,320 --> 00:50:08,080 Speaker 1: K through work, especially if you're in one of those 1068 00:50:08,120 --> 00:50:10,959 Speaker 1: higher tax brackets. And then roth I ray at home 1069 00:50:11,040 --> 00:50:13,880 Speaker 1: in that personal account that you can open. That's a 1070 00:50:13,920 --> 00:50:16,160 Speaker 1: good way to kind of mix up your tax planning. 1071 00:50:16,320 --> 00:50:19,040 Speaker 1: But it also gives you the ability to actually continue 1072 00:50:19,040 --> 00:50:21,279 Speaker 1: to plan over time, because he said, you know, when 1073 00:50:21,280 --> 00:50:23,240 Speaker 1: you stick it just directly in the rock in the beginning, 1074 00:50:23,400 --> 00:50:25,880 Speaker 1: you end the ability to plan. You end the ability 1075 00:50:26,000 --> 00:50:27,759 Speaker 1: no future moves that you can then make. 1076 00:50:27,840 --> 00:50:28,120 Speaker 4: You can't. 1077 00:50:28,360 --> 00:50:30,839 Speaker 1: You can't shift the amount of tax you owe. You've 1078 00:50:30,840 --> 00:50:33,120 Speaker 1: already paid the tax. And so it is. I think 1079 00:50:33,239 --> 00:50:34,800 Speaker 1: that that's a helpful way to think about it. 1080 00:50:35,040 --> 00:50:35,279 Speaker 4: You and I. 1081 00:50:35,360 --> 00:50:37,200 Speaker 1: We had a nice ten minute discussion with him in 1082 00:50:37,200 --> 00:50:39,080 Speaker 1: New Orleans about the very topic. We're like, wait a second, 1083 00:50:39,400 --> 00:50:40,000 Speaker 1: there's a lot here. 1084 00:50:40,040 --> 00:50:41,320 Speaker 2: This guta sounds like an episode. 1085 00:50:41,400 --> 00:50:42,560 Speaker 1: We need to talk to you about that. So I'm 1086 00:50:42,560 --> 00:50:44,120 Speaker 1: glad he was able to come on and talk about 1087 00:50:44,120 --> 00:50:46,959 Speaker 1: why that's so important. So yeah, big thanks to Sean 1088 00:50:46,960 --> 00:50:48,600 Speaker 1: for coming on, Matt. Let's get back to the beer, though, 1089 00:50:48,760 --> 00:50:51,520 Speaker 1: let's share it. We shared it, but let's see let 1090 00:50:51,600 --> 00:50:53,960 Speaker 1: folks know what we drank. This was a petit MC 1091 00:50:54,320 --> 00:50:57,480 Speaker 1: by Monday night, and this one was donated to the 1092 00:50:57,480 --> 00:51:00,520 Speaker 1: show by our friend Ryan, actually a real friend of 1093 00:51:00,560 --> 00:51:01,319 Speaker 1: mine since high school. 1094 00:51:01,440 --> 00:51:01,600 Speaker 3: Yeah. 1095 00:51:01,600 --> 00:51:04,160 Speaker 1: I actually think we might have gone an elementary sholder again. Really, yeah, 1096 00:51:04,160 --> 00:51:05,440 Speaker 1: he's a new friend of mine. We go a way 1097 00:51:05,440 --> 00:51:08,279 Speaker 1: of course, but Ryan, anybody that brings my beers, it's 1098 00:51:08,320 --> 00:51:11,160 Speaker 1: my new bestie. Yeah, exactly right. By the way, I 1099 00:51:11,160 --> 00:51:13,920 Speaker 1: think the MC, I think it stands for mixed culture. 1100 00:51:14,000 --> 00:51:17,480 Speaker 1: This is a table beer age in French barrels. But 1101 00:51:17,560 --> 00:51:20,640 Speaker 1: what your thoughts on it? I loved it. I so good. 1102 00:51:20,719 --> 00:51:23,200 Speaker 1: I thought it was like I had like fruit zest notes. 1103 00:51:23,560 --> 00:51:25,840 Speaker 1: It was light, it had a slight funkiness. It was 1104 00:51:25,880 --> 00:51:28,200 Speaker 1: exactly what I wanted a table beer where it's got 1105 00:51:28,239 --> 00:51:30,480 Speaker 1: some punch, it's got some pizazz, but it's also not 1106 00:51:30,600 --> 00:51:34,560 Speaker 1: like overwhelming, no palette fatigue, It's it's zero pallet fatigue. 1107 00:51:34,680 --> 00:51:36,400 Speaker 2: So it's all the table beer because oftentimes it's the 1108 00:51:36,440 --> 00:51:38,080 Speaker 2: kind of beer that you have at the table with 1109 00:51:38,160 --> 00:51:40,720 Speaker 2: a meal, so it doesn't overpower the flavors of the food. 1110 00:51:40,719 --> 00:51:42,600 Speaker 2: And typically they're low abb so you can drink a 1111 00:51:42,600 --> 00:51:44,160 Speaker 2: lot of it. This one was four percent, yeah, so 1112 00:51:44,200 --> 00:51:46,680 Speaker 2: you don't have to worry about especially for us. I 1113 00:51:46,719 --> 00:51:49,799 Speaker 2: mean it's a little risky for us to throw down 1114 00:51:49,840 --> 00:51:53,319 Speaker 2: a fourteen percent stout, but something like this, man, it 1115 00:51:53,320 --> 00:51:54,200 Speaker 2: puts us at ease. 1116 00:51:54,800 --> 00:51:55,120 Speaker 1: That's right. 1117 00:51:55,520 --> 00:51:56,880 Speaker 2: I'm all about doing our job. 1118 00:51:57,440 --> 00:51:59,200 Speaker 1: Beers, and I feel like in the past few years, 1119 00:51:59,200 --> 00:52:02,320 Speaker 1: we've just seen a resurgence of really high quality, really 1120 00:52:02,320 --> 00:52:05,200 Speaker 1: tasty beers that are low low, low in alcoholic. 1121 00:52:04,840 --> 00:52:06,719 Speaker 2: And Jim are really swung to that far end of 1122 00:52:06,800 --> 00:52:09,720 Speaker 2: high gravity beers thinking that that is what was required 1123 00:52:09,719 --> 00:52:12,399 Speaker 2: in order to have good flavor, and this just proves 1124 00:52:12,520 --> 00:52:13,000 Speaker 2: that that's. 1125 00:52:12,920 --> 00:52:13,839 Speaker 1: Not that's exactly right. 1126 00:52:13,880 --> 00:52:16,080 Speaker 2: There's a whole lot of oakiness that comes from those 1127 00:52:16,120 --> 00:52:19,000 Speaker 2: French barrels as well, which I absolutely love and. 1128 00:52:19,040 --> 00:52:21,200 Speaker 1: Just like, yeah, the mixed culture, just like the yeast, 1129 00:52:21,200 --> 00:52:24,279 Speaker 1: and it just really brings out a whole bunch of notes. 1130 00:52:24,320 --> 00:52:27,200 Speaker 1: So big thanks to Ryan for donating this one to us. 1131 00:52:27,280 --> 00:52:28,799 Speaker 1: We appreciate it. All right, mattlet's going to do it 1132 00:52:28,800 --> 00:52:31,240 Speaker 1: for this episode. We'll put links to everything that we mentioned, 1133 00:52:31,440 --> 00:52:34,640 Speaker 1: including Seawn's website and Shawn's book up on the website 1134 00:52:34,680 --> 00:52:35,680 Speaker 1: at how toomoney dot com. 1135 00:52:35,680 --> 00:52:37,839 Speaker 2: That's right, man, So that's gonna be it until next time. 1136 00:52:38,040 --> 00:52:40,040 Speaker 2: Best Friends Out and best Friends Out.