First Tax Reform and then we will get into some things you must do to help you this time of year. Tax Reform keeps the 3.8% tax on investment income for higher-income taxpayers. See my Tax Summary. Tax Reform likewise retains the lower rates on long-term capital gain and qualified dividends. This year you can use investments that have lost value to offset those that have gained. If you have margin interest, you can deduct it with certain limits and I can show you how to boost those limits with long-term capital gains and qualified dividends. Read more.

TAX REFORM
What’s Tax Reform going to do to capital gains and dividends? For most taxpayers, Tax Reform will keep the 15% maximum rate on “qualified dividends” (from domestic US companies) and on long-term capital gains (investments held 12 months or more. Tax Reform will likewise keep the 3.8% net investment income surtax on upper-incomers.

3.8% tax on net investment income. This year and under Tax Reform a 3.8% tax applies to the lesser of (a) net investment income or (b) the excess of modified adjusted gross income over “modified adjusted gross income” exceeds, $250,000 for joint filers, $125,000 for married separate filers, and $200,000 for other taxpayers. Investment income includes interest, dividends, capital gains, annuities, royalties and passive rental income.

Investment losses. Don’t cry about those losing investments. Sell them and sell investments that have increased in value to offset the capital gains. If you have more losses than gains, you can deduct up to $3,000 of the excess losses against income other than capital gains. You can carry-over unused capital losses. If you have losses in investments that you want to keep you can buy them back, but you must wait more than 30 days for the loss to be effective under tax rules.

Investment interest. If you have investment interest such as margin interest you can deduct it to the extent of net investment income. I can show you how to use long-term capital gain and qualified dividends to deduct the margin interest.

I could go on. Come in for a free 1/2 hour consultation to find out what will help you