A Primer on Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts

"I'm proud to pay taxes in the United States; the only thing is, I could be just as proud for half the money."

Entertainer Arthur Godfrey

The irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT) can be an important estate strategy tool that may accomplish a number of estate objectives; however, it may not be appropriate for every individual.

Using a trust involves a complex set of tax rules and regulations. Before moving forward with a trust, consider working with a professional who is familiar with the rules and regulations.

Several factors will affect the cost and availability of life insurance, including age, health, and the type and amount of insurance purchased. Life insurance policies have expenses, including mortality and other charges. If a policy is surrendered prematurely, the policyholder also may pay surrender charges and have income tax implications. You should consider determining whether you are insurable before implementing a strategy involving life insurance. Any guarantees associated with a policy are dependent on the ability of the issuing insurance company to continue making claim payments.

What Is an ILIT?

An ILIT is created by an individual (the grantor) during his or her lifetime. The ILIT owns a life insurance policy on the grantor's life via the transfer of ownership of an existing policy or through the grantor's annual contribution of cash to pay the premiums on a policy purchased by the trust.

The grantor designates beneficiaries, usually family members, who will typically receive the proceeds upon the death of the grantor.

The trust is irrevocable, meaning that the grantor forfeits all rights to the property contained in the trust. Its irrevocable nature is integral to accomplishing the ILIT's objectives.

What Can an ILIT Accomplish?

The ILIT may be able to accomplish several estate objectives, including:

1. Meeting liquidity needs;
2. Managing estate taxation on the policy proceeds;
3. Providing income to survivors.

How Does an ILIT Work?

When you die, the trust is designed to receive a payment equal to the policy coverage amount, e.g., $500,000. Since the trust's ownership of the policy is irrevocable, the proceeds are not considered your property. Consequently, they do not fall into your estate, thus potentially avoiding estate taxation. (Remember, generally no income tax is due on such life insurance proceeds.)1

Keep in mind, this is a hypothetical example used for illustrative purposes only. It is not representative of any specific estate or estate strategy. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation.

The trust provisions should be set up to provide direction about how and to whom payments may be made. You may direct that the trust pay out cash to cover certain expenses, e.g., funeral costs, probate, taxes, final medical expenses, and debts.

This may obviate the need to sell less liquid assets at an inopportune time to cover such costs.

The trust's beneficiaries may receive the proceeds (after any payments are made to satisfy liquidity needs), creating an inheritance free of estate taxes.

Finally, creditors should not be able to attack these assets since they belong to the trust, not you.

Creating an ILIT should be done only with the assistance of a qualified estate planning attorney. It is a complicated exercise in which mistakes may result in losing the benefits ILITs offer.

We may be reached at 800-916-9860.

www.wenadvisory.com

This material does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment."

Prevent a Rift: Money Tips for Newlyweds

One survey found that 35% of couples attribute stress in their relationship to financial issues. This could explain why some experts say financial problems are one of the top reasons marriages fail.

Fortunately, when couples work together to address their finances, they may be able to mitigate many of the problems money may cause in a marriage.

10 Tips for Newly Married Couples

1. Communication - Couples should consider talking about their financial goals, memories, and habits, as each partner may come into the marriage with fundamental differences in experiences and outlooks driving their behaviors.

2. Set Goals - Setting goals establishes a common objective that both partners become committed to pursuing.

3. Create a Budget - A budget is an exercise for developing a spending and savings plan that is designed to reflect mutually agreed-upon priorities.

4. Set the Foundation for Your Financial House - Identify assets and debts. Look to begin reducing debts, while building your emergency fund.

5. Work Together - By sharing the financial decision-making, both spouses are vested in all choices, reducing the friction that can come from a single decision-maker.

6. Set a Minimum Threshold for Big Expenses - While possessing a level of individual spending latitude is reasonable, large expenditures should only be made with both spouses’ consent. Agreeing to a purchase amount should require a mutual decision.

7. Set Up Regular Meetings - Set aside a predetermined time once or twice a month to discuss finances. Talk about budgeting, upcoming expenses, and any changes in circumstances

8. Update and Revise - As a newly married couple, you may need to update the beneficiaries on your accounts, reevaluate your insurance coverage, and revise (or create) your will.

9. Love, Trust, and Honesty - Approach contentious subjects with care and understanding, be honest about money decisions you know your spouse might be upset with, and trust your spouse to be responsible with handling finances.

10. Consider Speaking with a Financial Professional - A financial professional may offer insights to help you work through the critical financial decisions that all married couples face

We may be reached at 800-916-9860.

www.wenadvisory.com

This material does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment.".

 

Choosing a Business Structure

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were over five million new business applications submitted in 2022 alone. All individuals pursuing the dream of exercising their entrepreneurial muscles will face the same question, “Which business structure should I adopt?”

Each strategy presents its own set of pros and cons. To complicate matters a bit, the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act created several key changes that may benefit certain business structures. For example, the new law added a 20 percent deduction of qualified business income for certain pass-through entities. However, service industries (e.g., health, law, professional services) are generally excluded, except where income is below $364,200 for joint filers and $182,100 for other filers. This provision is set to expire on December 31, 2025.

This overview is not intended as tax or legal advice and may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding the most appropriate business structure for your organization.

Sole Proprietorship/Partnership

This structure is the simplest. But it creates no separation from its owner. Income from the business is simply added to the individual’s personal tax return.

Advantages: Easy to set up and simple to maintain.

Disadvantages: Owners are personally liable for the business’s financial obligations, thus, exposing their personal assets (house, savings, etc.). It does not offer the prestige or sense of permanence of a corporation or LLC.

C-Corporation

A C-corporation is a separate legal entity from its owners, making it easier to raise money, issue stock, and transfer ownership. Its life is perpetual and will survive the owner’s death.3

Advantages: There may be tax advantages, including more allowable business expenses. It protects owners from personal liability for the company’s financial obligations and may lend a measure of prestige and permanence.

Disadvantages: More expensive to set up, the paperwork and formality are greater than for a sole proprietorship or LLC. Income may be taxed twice, once at the corporate level and once when distributed to owners as dividend income.

S-Corporation

After forming a corporation, an owner may elect an “S-Corporation Status” by adopting a resolution to that effect and submitting Form 2553 to the IRS.

The S-corporation is taxed like a sole proprietorship, i.e., the company’s income will pass through to shareholders and be reported on their respective personal tax returns.

Advantages: S-corporations avoid the double taxation issue associated with C-corporations, while enjoying many of the same tax advantages. Owners are shielded from personal liability for the company’s financial obligations. It provides the prestige of a corporation for small businesses.

Disadvantages: S-corporations do not have all the tax-deductible expenses of a C-corporation. The cost of set up, the paperwork, and formality are greater than for a sole proprietorship or LLC. S-corporations have certain restrictions, including a "100 or fewer" shareholders requirement. Shareholders must be U.S. citizens, and the business cannot be owned by another business.

Limited Liability Company

An LLC is a hybrid between a corporation and a sole proprietorship, offering easy management, pass-through taxation, and the liability protection of a corporation. Similar to a corporation, it is a separate legal entity, but there is no stock.

Advantages: LLCs provide the protections of a corporation but are taxed similar to a sole proprietorship.

Disadvantages: Typically more expensive to form than a sole proprietorship, LLCs require more paperwork and formalized behavior.

Remember, the choice of business structure is not an irreversible decision. You may amend your business structure to accommodate your changing needs and circumstances.

                                        We may be reached at 800-916-9860.

www.wenadvisory.com

The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG Suite is not affiliated with the named broker-dealer, state- or SEC-registered investment advisory firm. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Copyright 2023 FMG Suite.

 

 

A Decision Not Made Is Still a Decision

Whether through inertia or trepidation, investors who put off important investment decisions might consider the admonition offered by motivational speaker Brian Tracy, "Almost any decision is better than no decision at all."

This investment inaction is played out in many ways, often silently, invisibly, and with potential consequences to an individual's future financial security.

Let's review some of the forms this takes.

Your 401(k) Plan

One of the worst decisions may be the failure to enroll, although more and more companies are automatically enrolling workers into their retirement plans. Not only do nonparticipants sacrifice one of the best ways to save for their eventual retirement, but they also forfeit the money that any employer matching contributions represent. Not participating holds the potential to be one of the most costly indecisions one can make.

The other way individuals let indecision get the best of them is by not selecting the investments for the contributions they make to the 401(k) plan. When a participant fails to make an investment selection, the plan may have provisions for automatically investing that money. And that investment selection may not be consistent with the individual's time horizon, risk tolerance, and goals.

In most circumstances, you must begin taking required minimum distributions from your 401(k) or other defined contribution plan in the year you turn 73. Withdrawals from your 401(k) or other defined contribution plans are taxed as ordinary income, and if taken before age 59½, may be subject to a 10 percent federal income tax penalty.

Non-Retirement Plan Investments

For homeowners, "stuff" just seems to accumulate over time. The same may be true for investors. Some buy investments based on articles they have read or based on the recommendations of a family member. Others may have investments held in a previous employer's 401(k) plan.

Over time, we can end up with a collection of investments that may have no connection to our investment objectives. Because of the dynamics of the markets, an investment that may have once made good sense at one time may no longer be advantageous today.

By not periodically reviewing what we own, which would allow us to cull inappropriate investments – or even determine if the portfolio reflects our current investment objectives – we are making a default decision to own investments that may be inappropriate.

Whatever your situation, your retirement investments require careful attention and may benefit from deliberate, thoughtful decision-making. Your retired self will be grateful that you invested the time... today.

We may be reached at 800-916-9860.

www.wenadvisory.com

The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG Suite is not affiliated with the named broker-dealer, state- or SEC-registered investment advisory firm. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Copyright 2023 FMG Suite.

 

Catch-Up Contributions

A recent survey found that 28% of workers are very confident about having enough money to live comfortably through their retirement years. At the same time, 27% are not confident.1

In 2001 congress passed a law that can help older workers make up for lost time. But few may understand how this generous offer can add up over time.2

The “catch-up” provision allows workers who are over age 50 to make contributions to their qualified retirement plans in excess of the limits imposed on younger workers.

How It Works

Contributions to a traditional 401(k) plan are limited to $22,500 in 2023. Those who are over age 50 – or who reach age 50 before the end of the year – may be eligible to set aside up to $30,000 in 2023.3

Setting aside an extra $7,500 each year into a tax-deferred retirement account has the potential to make a big difference in the eventual balance of the account, and by extension, in the eventual income the account may generate. (See accompanying chart.)

Catch-Up Contributions and the Bottom Line

This chart traces the hypothetical balances of two 401(k) plans. The blue line traces a 401(k) account into which $22,500 annual contributions are made each year. The red line traces a 401(k) account into which an additional $7,500 in contributions are made each year, for a total of $30,000 in contributions a year.

Upon reaching retirement at age 67, both accounts begin making withdrawals of $7,000 a month.

The hypothetical account without catch-up contributions will be exhausted before its beneficiary reaches age 80. Keep in mind, the IRS regularly updates these maximum contribution limits.

We may be reached at 800-916-9860.

www.wenadvisory.com

This hypothetical example is used for comparison purposes and is not intended to represent the past or future performance of any investment. Fees and other expenses were not considered in the illustration. Actual returns may vary.

Both accounts assume an annual rate of return of 5%. The rate of return on investments will vary over time, particularly for longer-term investments.

In most circumstances, you must begin taking required minimum distributions from your 401(k) or other defined contribution plan in the year you turn 73. Withdrawals from your 401(k) or other defined contribution plans are taxed as ordinary income, and if taken before age 59½, may be subject to a 10% federal income tax penalty.

1. EBRI.org, 2022
2. Economic Growth and Tax Relief Act of 2001
3. IRS.gov, 2023. Catch-up contributions also are allowed for 403(b) and 457 plans. Distributions from 401(k) plans and most other employer-sponsored retirement plans are taxed as ordinary income and, if taken before age 59½, may be subject to a 10% federal income tax penalty. In most circumstances, you must begin taking required minimum distributions from your 401(k) or other defined contribution plan in the year you turn 73.

The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG Suite is not affiliated with the named broker-dealer, state- or SEC-registered investment advisory firm. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Copyright 2023 FMG Suite.

Password Protection Strategies

We all know that the more complicated a password is, the better. They should include a mixture of numbers, punctuation marks, symbols, and uppercase and lowercase letters. But are these precautions enough to keep your digital information safe?

Twitter, Yahoo, and LinkedIn have all fallen prey to online attackers who have stolen entire databases full of passwords. The passwords are scrambled for security, but this offers little comfort when computer programs can make millions of guesses in just a few hours. Because most passwords are based on words in a dictionary combined with a number or symbol, it can take these sophisticated programs even less time to hack them.

The end result is that common password policies don't prevent the theft of many users' passwords, which creates a complex, sophisticated, and lucrative shadow industry. Believe it or not, stolen passwords can fetch big money on the black market.

So, what does that mean to you? It means that every password you’ve created is a valuable and vulnerable commodity worth protecting.

To do so, you should go a step beyond choosing passwords that are hard for a human to guess. Your passwords need to also be difficult for a computer to figure out. Here are some tips.

Favor Length Over Complexity

Longer passwords are more difficult to crack. A minimum of 12 characters is recommended. Consider stringing together the first couple letters of a favorite movie quote, song lyric, or poem. For extra-sensitive accounts, it may make sense to change your passwords on a regular basis. If you like the idea of optimal password protection, but worry you won’t be able to handle many, frequently changing passwords, password managers can help you organize, store, and use multiple passwords safely.

No Plain English

Simple strings of numbers, along with passwords that can be found in the dictionary, are the easiest to crack. A strong password should contain one or more uppercase and lowercase characters, numbers, symbols, and even Unicode characters.

Mix It Up

Many people use the same password for multiple accounts because it’s easier to remember. But this could lead to serious consequences. You may not be too concerned about the personal information stored in your LinkedIn or Twitter accounts, but what would happen if hackers used your compromised password to access your email, brokerage, or bank accounts? If you have trouble remembering multiple passwords, you may want to keep a list on your computer, but don’t store it on your desktop or in your inbox. Give the file a misleading name and bury it in a folder where only you can find it.

There’s no such thing as an impregnable password. Still, putting personal information behind a basic password is like leaving your Porsche in a parking lot with your keys on the dash. By taking preventative measures to strengthen your password, you may be able to help safeguard your sensitive personal data and your privacy.

We may be reached at 800-916-9860.

www.wenadvisory.com

The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG Suite is not affiliated with the named broker-dealer, state- or SEC-registered investment advisory firm. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Copyright 2023 FMG Suite.

Countering Counterfeit Currency

Believe it or not, the agency responsible for protecting U.S. currency is the United States Secret Service. The agency was founded on July 5, 1865, as part of the Department of the Treasury to combat the widespread counterfeiting of currency happening at the end of the Civil War.

Combating counterfeiting remains core to preserving the integrity of the nation’s money.

Money Matters

The advent of high-tech printers and inks continues to raise the bar on what the federal government needs to do to limit counterfeiting, leading to a range of new strategies.

To make U.S. paper currency more difficult to copy, there have been continual changes to the artwork, paper, and ink. Summarized below are some of these recent changes.

Portrait - The portrait has become much more sophisticated by becoming closer to a lifelike picture than the screen-like background it was previously. On counterfeit bills, the portraits often appear to be unclear or unnaturally white.

Border - The border design is now composed of intricate, crisscrossing lines that are clear and unbroken, distinguishing them from the smudged or broken lines of counterfeit bills.

Paper - The paper is now embedded with tiny red and blue fibers. A polyester thread is also woven inside $10, $20, $50, and $100 bills with “USA TEN, USA TWENTY” printed on them to match the denomination. This makes it nearly impossible for photocopiers to reproduce.

Ink - The ink used is a special, “never-dry” ink that can be rubbed off. This is not foolproof, however, since ink on some counterfeit bills can be rubbed off as well.

Microprinting - Surrounding the portrait are the words “The United States of America” in miniature letters. It appears to be a black line to the naked eye, and is how a photocopier would reproduce it.

Keep in mind that you are not reimbursed for any counterfeit currency that may come into your possession. So you are advised to be careful about the large bills you accept for payment.

                                            We may be reached at 800-916-9860.

www.wenadvisory.com

The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG Suite is not affiliated with the named broker-dealer, state- or SEC-registered investment advisory firm. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Copyright 2023 FMG Suite.