I've been thinking lately about the role taxes play in calculating investment returns. It's not a question that's very relevant to most people, since for the vast majority of Americans investments are best made in accounts that offer tax-free compounding, whether that's an IRA, 401(k), HSA, or 529 account. But once you start to think about it, there are potentially … [Read more...] about Should long-term taxable investors consider dividend-minimal funds?
The high-employment generation
The lives of Americans my age are overwhelmingly defined by a single formative experience. Not the September 11 attacks, which happened at the beginning of my junior year of high school, but the global financial crisis. Obviously both events affected Americans of all ages old enough to remember them, but people my age had the unique privilege of entering the workforce during … [Read more...] about The high-employment generation
Follow-up: was I too harsh on “charitable clumping?”
On Tuesday I wrote that so-called "charitably clumping" was a fairly transparent marketing campaign by the philanthropy and money management industries to generate more contributions and assets under management. Commenters were not amused! After reading through the comments I'm happy to concede I overstated my case, while I think some readers might have passed over elements … [Read more...] about Follow-up: was I too harsh on “charitable clumping?”
“Charitable clumping” is a clever marketing campaign, not a tax planning strategy
The 2017 Republican smash-and-grab tax reform bill made two related changes to individual tax deductions: The standard deduction was raised to 12,000 for individuals and 24,000 for joint filers; and the state-and-local-tax (SALT) itemized deduction was limited to $10,000. Meanwhile, the charitable contribution deduction was unchanged, and the mortgage interest … [Read more...] about “Charitable clumping” is a clever marketing campaign, not a tax planning strategy
If you care about deficits, this is what you should care about
I do not, as a rule, care about the United States budget deficit. This is for three main reasons: the United States issues dollar-denominated debt, and so has no risk of default, short of political (versus economic) catastrophe; the United States spends such an extraordinary amount on national defense that we have a "peace dividend" available on demand should we choose … [Read more...] about If you care about deficits, this is what you should care about