In the past week, you may have seen that the House Ways and Means Committee released a draft of significant tax legislation.  While the bill will not be debated in Congress and finalized in the weeks to come, I want to summarize eleven key proposed changes so that you can start taking action before the legislation is signed and specific planning windows are closed. 

With anticipating changes in tax laws happening next year, it's time to review your estate plan to ensure it will continue to achieve your goals by minimizing estate taxes. 

The federal government currently imposes a gift tax on lifetime gifts and an estate tax on transfers on death.  A properly structured estate plan can reduce taxes by taking full advantage of the available tax exemptions, specifically the gift and estate tax "unified credit".  The unified credit permits every individual to transfer a specific amount of assets (an "exemption") tax-free either during their lifetime or at death. 

When I worked as a tax CPA for KPMG in the late 90s, I served many corporate executives and wealthy families as their senior tax specialist and prepared many individual income tax returns, trust returns, and gift tax returns. Now, I use that knowledge and expertise to help my affluent and high-income clients plan ahead to keep more money in their pockets by using smart tax savings strategies. 

Looking at this Historical Tax Rate Chart 1913-2021, you can see that the current top income rate is relatively low. Like the importance of diversification in investing, I believe that tax diversification is just as relevant as you plan for your financial future.

I have five tax savings strategies I’d like to share with you today to help you keep more of your money.

One of the keys to wealth building is protecting as much of your income as possible, making it crucial for high-income earners to develop a smart tax savings strategy. Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are a great tool to help you accomplish this goal, yet they are often overlooked or misunderstood. When you do take advantage of an HSA – and you use it correctly – it provides an easy annual income tax deduction, but it can also create dedicated, tax-free savings for your healthcare needs in retirement.

Think of your retirement savings (IRAs and 401(k) as going to pay for other retirement expenses such as food, shelter, and clothes, and you can see that you need to jump-start saving in your HSA for your health care costs (including Medicare premiums) in retirement.  Moreover, an HSA is a savings account with a unique triple tax benefit. All contributions are tax-free, their growth within the account is tax-free, and qualified withdrawals (that is, ones that are used to cover qualified medical expenses) are tax-free, too.

Though this may sound promising, one-size-fits-all investment strategies don’t exist. Would an HSA make good financial sense for you? Read on to find out.

There is so much to consider when making investment decisions, especially when you’re working toward meeting specific short- and long-term financial goals. This is certainly true of the tax implications of your investment strategy, as taxes can reduce your investment returns from year to year and jeopardize your ability to achieve your goals. This is especially true if you fall into a higher federal income tax bracket, making it even more important to consider the impact of taxes when making any changes to your investments. While you should always consult with a tax professional regarding your unique investment and tax scenarios, the following six tax-efficient investing strategies may be beneficial to your finances.