1%ers: What are you doing with your $$ before Dec 31?

[Anonymous]

We're converting to Roth IRAs, adding $26k per child to 529 plans and probably selling off stocks with a lot if capital gains. Anyone else making money moves before the end of the year?

[Anonymous]

I thought the 529 deduction was only 4k per parent. Please tell me I'm wrong! Would love to know its more.

[Anonymous]

We contribute $29k per kid per yr to 529 and that is annual gift max. The $4k may be deductible against VA taxes.

[Anonymous]

Gee, hope you don't sell your stocks at the bottom of the market. That might wipe out the difference in capital gains rates - if there even will be a difference, because we don't know what deal is going to be worked out yet. Selling now seems a little panicky, not to mention risky, unless you think you're going to need the money next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gee, hope you don't sell your stocks at the bottom of the market. That might wipe out the difference in capital gains rates - if there even will be a difference, because we don't know what deal is going to be worked out yet. Selling now seems a little panicky, not to mention risky, unless you think you're going to need the money next year.

I presume op is going to sell and then buy it back, thereby locking his capital gains

[Anonymous]

Putting more money into 529s seems a little odd to me, presumably the calculation is that it's no longer advantageous to save outside the 529. But saving outside a 529 was almost never going to be better than saving inside one-- it's just that the risk of over-saving and triggering penalties might make one be wary of putting too much in the 529. However, the penalties for not using the money for education expenses are still likely to be more than the change in taxes in 2013, so I don't really understand why it makes sense to put more into the 529 all of a sudden.

[Anonymous]

Gee, hope you don't sell your stocks at the bottom of the market. That might wipe out the difference in capital gains rates - if there even will be a difference, because we don't know what deal is going to be worked out yet. Selling now seems a little panicky, not to mention risky, unless you think you're going to need the money next year.


I presume op is going to sell and then buy it back, thereby locking his capital gains

Yes smart, pay transaction cost x 2, plus pay more for the same stocks as congress solves the cliff problem. All this on your gains on the stock.

[Anonymous]

dump all short term gains into realestate

[Anonymous]

ETF, index, bonds, and cash. Keep the same %, and reduce my cash holding. I do not play the market or subscribe to market timing.

[Anonymous]

Also bought a $8000 office desk to take advantage of the office depreciation deduction

[Anonymous]

When transaction fees are 10 dollars or less, the "paying transaction costs x2" is meaningless. You can bet that most high income/1% folks have already sold, or will sell into strength over the balance of the calender year.

With interest rates low and pending capital gains and other taxes set to rise, there is really no safe place to put a nest egg to grow. This is something congress and those responsible for tax policy right now don't seem to get. There is significant corporate and individual money sitting on the sidelines that will continue to stay out of the system until there is a means to getting it to grow.

No one wants to take personal risks (ie starting a new business or investing in an existing one), no one wants to have higher capital gains liabilities and no one wants to invest in long term investments at less than 1% yield.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely nothing.

Enjoy 39.6%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely nothing.

Enjoy 39.6%.

What does this mean? Can you please explain?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely nothing.

Enjoy 39.6%.

What does this mean? Can you please explain?

The new marginal tax rate for the highest income earners.