Your insurance needs will obviously depend in part on the type of business you operate. However, all business owners should consider at least three types of insurance.
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Are My Student Loan Payments Tax Deductible?
Your actual student loan payments aren’t deductible, but the interest portion might be, thanks to the student loan interest deduction. In 2023, the maximum deduction is $2,500. You don’t need to itemize to claim this deduction.
Understanding Probate
When you die, you leave behind your estate. Your estate consists of your assets — all of your money, real estate, and worldly belongings. Your estate also includes your debts, expenses, and unpaid taxes. After you die, somebody must take charge of your estate and settle your affairs. This person will take your estate through probate, a court-supervised process that winds up your financial affairs after your death.
Transferring Your Family Business
As a business owner, you’re going to have to decide when will be the right time to step out of the family business and how you’ll do it. There are many estate planning tools you can use to transfer your business. Selecting the right one will depend on whether you plan to retire from the business or keep it until you die.
What Makes Up My Taxable Estate?
Your gross estate for federal estate tax purposes includes:
What’s Happening in the World of Higher Education?
A big reason many Americans are foregoing college is the cost. For the 2022-2023 year (most recent data available), the average one-year cost for tuition, fees, room, and board was $23,250 for in-state students at a four-year public college, $40,550 for out-of-state students, and $53,430 at a four-year private college. But many schools, especially “elite” private colleges, cost substantially more, with some over the $80,000 mark.
RMD Relief and Guidance for 2023
In early 2022, the IRS issued proposed regulations regarding required minimum distributions (RMDs) to reflect changes made by the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act of 2019. The IRS has held off on releasing final regulations so that it can address additional changes to RMDs made by the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022, which was passed in late 2022. In the meantime, the IRS has issued interim RMD relief and guidance for 2023. Final RMD regulations, when issued, will not apply before 2024.
SECURE 2.0 Offers New Options for 529 Plans and Student Loan Payments
In December 2022, Congress passed the SECURE 2.0 Act. It introduced two new rules relating to 529 plans and student debt that will take effect in 2024. The first provision allows for tax- and penalty-free rollovers from a 529 plan to a Roth IRA. The second provision allows student loan payments made by employees to qualify for employer retirement matching contributions. The overall goal is to help young adults start saving for retirement.
SECURE 2.0 Adds New Early Withdrawal Exceptions
The SECURE 2.0 Act, passed as part of an omnibus spending bill in December 2022, added new exceptions to the 10% federal income tax penalty for early withdrawals from tax-advantaged retirement accounts.
Five Ways SECURE 2.0 Changes the Required Minimum Distribution Rules
SECURE 2.0 includes significant changes to the rules that apply to required minimum distributions from IRAs and employer retirement plans. Here’s what you need to know.
Recent News
2024 Shred Days Smash Records While Supporting the Local Community
SESLOC’s 2024 Shred Day events break nine years of records by serving 746 visitors and shredding nearly 42,000 pounds of paper! Thanks to our members who attended the events at our San Luis Obispo, Atascadero, Arroyo Grande, Paso Robles and Santa Maria branches, plus our new Lompoc event location. In total, we recycled 133 total bins with about 21 tons of shredded paper— saving 357 trees, 147,000 gallons of water, 63 cubic yards of landfill space, and 84,000 kilowatts of electricity!
Establishing Financial Foundations: SESLOC Equips High Schoolers with Budgeting Skills
On Friday, October 11, SESLOC returned to Pacific Beach High School in San Luis Obispo for a second year to engage 55 students in the Bite of Reality simulation. This hands-on event immerses students in a realistic budgeting app, providing them with valuable insights into managing finances. Through interactive scenarios, participants learn to navigate the distinction between needs and wants, equipping them with essential budgeting skills for real life.
SESLOC Cares for Community Award: Len Hoskins
We’re partnering with News Channel 12 to honor nonprofit volunteers who make our community thrive. Each month, we’re choosing a different nonprofit and asking them to select a valuable volunteer to receive the SESLOC Cares for Community Award. We’re thrilled to introduce Len Hoskins, from the DANA Adobe.
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month Tips + Tools
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and we’re offering tips, webinars, and services to help make the internet safer and more secure.
SESLOC Cares for Community Award: David Cook
We’re partnering with News Channel 12 to honor nonprofit volunteers who make our community thrive. Each month, we’re choosing a different nonprofit and asking them to select a valuable volunteer to receive the SESLOC Cares for Community Award. We’re thrilled to introduce David Cook, from Community Partners in Caring.
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