How You Can Grab a 0% Tax Rate

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Your Money

In the United States, different types of income are taxed at different rates. For example, the tax brackets for ordinary income differ from the rates paid on long-term capital gains and qualified dividends, with these latter sources of income getting preferential treatment. While the lowest tax bracket on ordinary income is 10%, long-term capital gains and qualified dividends can be taxed at a 0% rate, depending on the taxpayer's circumstances.

The 0% long-term capital gains tax rate is currently available to taxpayers with taxable income up to the upper thresholds of the 12% ordinary-income tax bracket, $44,625 for single filers and $89,250 for married filers filing jointly. Even high-earners may find situations when extensive itemized deduction years allow them to take advantage of this.

It's essential to plan ahead for this. At PWM, we begin modeling these scenarios for Financial Planning clients in the fourth quarter.

How You Can Grab a 0% Tax Rate
by Laura Saunders

Your Life

A smart thermostat is a Wi-Fi-enabled device that automatically adjusts your home's heating and cooling temperature settings for optimal performance. Smart thermostats that earn the ENERGY STAR label have been independently certified, based on actual field data, to deliver energy savings. While system designs may vary, standard smart thermostat features include convenience, control, and insight. Smart thermostats not only give your home optimal temperature settings, but they can also save you money. After all, why maintain cooling or heating at your comfort level when you are not home? You can save up to 10% a year by turning your thermostat a few degrees higher or lower when no one is home.

SMART THERMOSTATS
source: energystar.gov

Complexity Simplified

Do you want a better way to eat to build a stronger heart but don’t know where to start? Heart-healthy eating doesn't have to be difficult. One way to begin is to create a daily meal plan that emphasizes vegetables, fruits and whole grains and limits high-fat foods (such as red meat, cheese and baked goods) and high-sodium foods (such as canned or processed foods). The Mayo Clinic has two-day menus to get started on a heart-healthy diet. Once you begin, you will not only start eating better but you will also start learning what is the best food choices. Think of these menus as a springboard in making your own choices with the vast variety of foods available wherever you are and in whatever situation.

Menus for heart-healthy eating: Cut the fat and salt
source: Mayo Clinic

Trivia

A: Antarctica
Q: Which US state has the longest cave system in the world?

Back in 1963, this song reached #1