BFSG Blog

Financial Resources & News

5 Ways to Provide for Grandkids That are not Related to College

By:  Paul Horn, CFP®, CPWA® Senior Financial Planner Most of our clients as they get older want to begin to think of ways that they can take care of their grandchildren. Most commonly the discussion revolves around opening 529 plans and saving for college. Below are five alternatives that are worth considering if you are trying to take care of grandkids: Pay for their first car. Another large...

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California Tax Update: IRS Extends Tax Relief for Storm Victims

By:  Henry VanBuskirk, CFP®, Wealth Manager Our team would like to provide an update on a recent blog post discussing tax relief and the tax filing deadline for certain counties in California. The individuals in counties originally discussed in that posting will have until May 15th, 2023, to file tax returns, but some counties are automatically extending that tax filing deadline to October...

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Monthly Market Update (February 2023): 3 Things You Need to Know

There was a big repricing of inflation expectations over February, as the January Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed an uptick in inflation and the January Jobs report was much stronger than expected. Here are 3 things you need to know: 2yr U.S. inflation breakevens were up +85 basis points (bps) to 3.18%, having ended January at just 2.33%. This was the second largest monthly move higher since...

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REAL ID Deadline Extended Again

After years of numerous delays, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has once again extended the REAL ID enforcement deadline from May 3, 2023, until May 7, 2025.1 What is a REAL ID? A REAL ID is a type of enhanced identification card. The REAL ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005, set minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards. Under the Act,...

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A Brief Guide to Equity Compensation Types

By:  Paul Horn, CFP®, CPWA® Senior Financial Planner We live in a world that admires hard workers. As we grow up, we try our best to get into the best universities, graduate with honors, and have a solid start to our careers. We dream about having a job with a big title and everything that comes with it; financial liberty, luxurious trips, more time with loved ones, experience,...

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Asset Protection through Umbrella Insurance and LLCs

If you are in the minority of Americans who are contemplating purchasing another home as a rental property or already own a rental property, you are probably doing fairly well in life to be in that position. Without running the numbers on your financial situation, the main question that we hope that you have the answer to is, “What happens to me financially if someone sues me?”. If your answer...

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Federal Tax Filing Season Has Started

The IRS announced that the starting date for when it would accept and process 2022 tax-year returns was Monday, January 23, 2023. Tips for making filing easier To speed refunds and help with tax filing, the IRS suggests the following: Make sure you have received Form W-2 and other earnings information, such as Form 1099, from employers and payers. The dates for furnishing such information to...

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SECURE 2.0 is a GO!

In 2019, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act increased the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) age for retirement plan participants from age 70 1/2 to 72. Additionally, it introduced opportunities for Long Term Part Time (LTPT) employees to make deferral contributions to retirement plans in situations where they have not yet met the plan’s eligibility...

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Is it already time to complete another year-end data request?

When Plan Sponsors are asked to provide company and employee census information for a recent plan year, the details being collected affect the contributions that must be calculated and funded as well as which compliance tests the plan must satisfy. The same questions are asked year after year because changes in the company affect the plan a great deal. Information collected may include: Employee...

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Stay tuned! Secure 2.0 Act of 2022 includes some action items that may produce beneficial changes in the future.

Within 18 months: Effectiveness of notice provided for eligible rollover distributions: A 402(f) notice, often referred to as a Special Tax Notice, must be provided to the recipient of a distribution that is eligible for rollover. The notice must contain required language regarding rollover options and the tax implications that may apply. The Government Accountability Office must issue a...

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Upcoming Compliance Deadlines

February 2023 28th:  IRS Form 1099-R Copy A – Deadline to submit 1099-R Copy A to the IRS for participants and beneficiaries who received a distribution or a deemed distribution during the prior plan year. March 2023 15th:  ADP/ACP Corrections – Deadline for processing corrective distributions for failed ADP/ACP tests without a 10% excise tax for plans without an Eligible...

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Markets in Review

Global financial markets saw a rebound early in the fourth quarter as inflation pressures eased and U.S dollar weakness helped spark a strong rally in November in both fixed income and equites. However, continued hawkish global central bank policy and rising global bond yields continued to be a headwind for the market, and as a result, the market began to wane towards the tail end of the...

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Financial Misadvise: Common mistakes and assumptions made by Financial Advisors (Part 4: Annuities)

(This is the fourth article in a four-part series. Click here to read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.) By:  Henry VanBuskirk, CFP®, Wealth Manager Everyone’s had that story of their friend or family member that said they got shafted by some seedy financial advisor. However, there is a huge difference between what is legal and what is ethical. The majority of these “seedy” financial advisors are...

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Monthly Market Update (January): 3 Things You Need to Know

Overall, January continued the strong bounce back seen for most global assets since October even if the performance seen in the first half of the month wasn’t quite matched in the second half. It was still the best January in several years for many assets. Here are 3 things you need to know: Q4 2022 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) came in above expectations at 2.9%. The increase primarily...

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Financial Misadvise: Common mistakes and assumptions made by Financial Advisors (Part 3: Roth Conversions)

(This is the third article in a four-part series. Click here to read Part 1 and Part 2.) By:  Henry VanBuskirk, CFP®, Wealth Manager Mr. Hill arrived in Texas and is eager to talk to his parents about the Roth Conversion idea that he overheard his boss talking about at work last week. Mr. Hill does not know his parents’ finances and just believes that a Roth Conversion will be a good idea...

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