Tax

Top 7 tax stories in the first half of 2023

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The tax stories that have caught the eyes of financial advisors so far this year range from sweeping changes in retirement laws to scrutiny by the Internal Revenue Service of pandemic loans to businesses. 

Scroll through our slideshow to see what's top of tax mind for wealth advisors so far in 2023:

SECURE 2.0

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Tax law changes can be minor, and they can be major. The follow-up legislation known as SECURE 2.0 affects everything from required minimum distributions to Roth accounts.

Read more: 7 tax-planning provisions in SECURE 2.0 now that filing season is over

Cashing out 401(k)s

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Americans job hop frequently, and their retirement portfolios pay a price. That's because many workers cash out their employer-sponsored retirement plan when switching jobs — a self-defeating move that financial advisors should watch out for.

Read more: Cashing out 401(k) accounts: the new retirement crisis

Wealthiest counties in the U.S.

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Financial advisors are constantly hunting for the richest clients. Where are the wealthiest people in America? Here's where advisors should look.

Read more: The 30 richest counties in America

PPP loan fraud

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Government money that's fast and free usually invites scammers and illegal activity. Small-business owners are under the microscope for their Paycheck Protection Program loans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read more: PPP loans and fraud scrutiny: What financial advisors and small businesses need to know

Worst fixed-income ETFs of the past 10 years

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Exchange-traded funds are known as low-cost, no-brainer investments. But some of them really stink.

Read more: The worst-performing fixed-income ETFs of the past 10 years

Tax-free Roths and college savings plans

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It's not often that tax-free Roth accounts intersect with those designed to bankroll a specific life event. But that's what happened recently with the college savings plans known as 529s.

Read more: College savings plan money left over? Hello, tax-free Roth

Top index funds over 10 years

Bloomberg News
When the long bull market came to an end in 2022, it rang in a terrible year for stocks and bonds. And while some index funds focused on technology and complex leveraging strategies got clobbered, they've done quite well over the past 10 years.

Read more: Top index funds over the past 10 years
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