Taxes, throughout recorded human history, have been a loathsome burden. Not only are the consuming public stuck with the weight of taxes, but the financial professionals who advise them are expected to execute plans geared to reduce taxation – which can be difficult. Many Financial Advisors have a challenge finding effective tax-friendly strategies because the tax code contains few gaps. Further, it’s a balancing act because approaching tax reduction too aggressively can taint the Advisors practice.
Fortunately, life insurance offers many tax advantages. With respect to long-term care planning, properly structured policies pay benefits free of any income tax. Using life insurance to augment retirement financial security offers income-tax free distributions and legacy to heirs. Businesses use life insurance to reward key employees with tax advantaged benefits. Life insurance also serves as an efficient means of getting capital to heir free of income and estate taxes. We routinely work with clients that have a team of advisors including CPAs, estate attorneys and tax planners, along with their financial advisors, to help them better protect and optimize their retirement and estate plans. With a coordinated team in place, we can the work to identify the best tax-advantaged plans.
The links below share some concepts on ways MERiTAGE can help financial professionals create effective tax advantaged strategies for clients.
The term “tax-advantaged” refers to any type of investment, financial account, or savings plan that is either exempt from taxation, tax-deferred, or that offers other types of tax benefits. Tax-advantaged plans can include strategies such as life insurance, annuities, IRAs and qualified retirement plans such as 401(k)s.
"The taxpayer: that's someone who works for the federal government, but doesn't have to take a civil service examination."
-President Ronald Reagan