Financial Planning Articles — Avantax® Wealth Management

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DINK Dilemmas: Should I Spend or Should I Save?

Should those without children feel less guilty about spending since they don’t have child-related expenses?

DINK Dilemmas: How Can I Maximize My “Disposable Income?”

When you don’t have to budget for childcare, kids’ college education, or other child-related expenses, how can you maximize this “disposable” income?

DINK Dilemmas: Do I Need to Save More for Elder Care?

Should people without kids save more for elder care than those who have children?

DINK Dilemmas: How Can I Leave a Legacy?

How can those without children leave a legacy when they pass away? What legacy and estate planning details should they consider?

‘Tis the Tax-Intelligent Season of Giving: Charitable Bunching and DAFs

With a little bit of planning (and a tax-intelligent Financial Professional by your side, of course) you can take advantage of charitable bunching to help save on taxes.

Tax-Free Income in Retirement: Mega Backdoor and Backdoor Roth Strategies

How can backdoor and mega backdoor Roth strategies potentially help your clients set aside tax-free income to use in retirement? Avantax Senior IRA Solutions Manager Carol Ventura breaks down the details.

How a Divorce This Year Will Affect Next Year’s Tax Bill: Five Tax-Intelligent Tips

With the divorce rate for first marriages hovering around 43%, it’s likely only a matter of time before you’ll need to guide a client through this life-altering event. Here are five tax-intelligent considerations to keep in mind as you guide soon to be divorced clients for next year’s tax return.

The Cost of Forgiveness: Preparing Clients for Tax Implications of Student Loan Forgiveness

Income-driven repayment options that qualify for loan forgiveness are an attractive option – but many don’t realize that this forgiveness can come with a surprise tax bill.

Divorce, Death and Designations: Updating Estate Plan Documents

The last thing your client probably wants to think about during or immediately after splitting with their spouse is their own mortality. But the truth is that their priorities and goals in life will likely change after a divorce – which means their estate plan will need to be adjusted accordingly.

Five Ways to Focus Client Conversations During Election Season

When fear and uncertainty find their way into headlines, investors can feel a sense of uncertainty or panic. As their trusted Financial Professional, how can you guide them to stay the course with the long-term financial plan you’ve carefully constructed for them?

Avantax Welcomes Sylvan Financial Advisors

New Jersey-based Sylvan Financial Advisors recently joined the Avantax Community, concluding their search for a partner who could meet their clients’ growing financial planning needs.

Tax-Intelligent Tips for Back-to-School Season

Between shopping lists and adjusting to new routines, back-to-school season can be overwhelming – but it’s a wise time for Financial Professionals to check in with their clients about tax-intelligent ways to plan for educational expenses.

Untying the Financial Knot: QDROs & Beneficiaries

While your client is preoccupied unraveling various intricacies related to their marriage dissolution, you can play a pivotal role by providing guidance on the finer financial specifics, including details surrounding a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO) and ensuring beneficiaries are updated on all their accounts, assets and policies.

When Grandparents Call it Quits: Guiding Clients Through a “Gray” Divorce

What’s leading to the increase in divorce among seniors – and how can you potentially guide clients through this emotional and complicated time?

When 50/50 Isn’t Fair: Splitting Marital Assets with Tax Intelligence

Whether it’s credit card reward points or funds in a peer-to-peer payment app or cryptocurrency account, a comprehensive review of your client’s financial picture may help uncover forgotten pieces of the puzzle.

The Liquidity Tool Your Small Business Clients Might Not Know to Ask For

How can you get your small business owner clients to a place where they have affordable liquidity to account for their everyday business needs while navigating a tumultuous fiscal environment? The solution may be something your clients don’t even know to ask for.

Married Filing Student Loans

Isn’t the box you check when filing determined by your marital status? What else is there to think about? For married couples with federal student loans, the tax-filing status selection and repayment option may impact student loan payments.

SECURE 2.0: A win-win for small businesses, employees and forward-thinking advisors

The new law bolsters small businesses' ability to provide retirement benefits to their employees by offering tax credits to offset costs; however, for advisors, it's an unprecedented opportunity to tap into a new revenue stream.

Emotional Investing: Overcoming the Challenges

As every seasoned financial professional knows, the type and intensity of emotions tied to financial beliefs and actions are different for everyone. But one recurring source of emotional stress that seems inescapable is election season.

Changing Jobs? What To Do With Your Old 401(k)

Amid the chaos of a job change, there’s one task that often falls through the cracks: remembering your 401(k) with your previous employer. In fact, based on research by Capitalize, 1 in 5 U.S workers have forgotten or left behind a 401(k) plan when changing jobs.

Is My Client Being Scammed?

Scammers may manipulate clients into withdrawing funds from their investment accounts. As their trusted Financial Professional, you should closely review and question requests that seem sudden or unusual.

Boost your tax practice's bottom line with a wealth manager

Tax professionals (including CPA, Enrolled Agents and others) and financial advisors play critical roles in guiding their clients through complex financial matters. Whether it's managing and optimizing tax efficiency or creating comprehensive financial plans, these highly trusted professionals bring immense value to their clients' financial lives.

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