Tax What If Doctor  
A Hidden Tax That You Can Avoid Paying with Proper Planning
by TaxDoctor on May 19, 2023 at 1:00 pm 
People who earn more than a certain amount and who are enrolled in Medicare Part B or Medicare Part D, or both, will face additional premiums, called The Medicare Income-Related Monthly Adjusted Amount (IRMAA). IRMAA “surcharges,” which is a replacement word for a tax, are based on income earned two years prior to the coverage year. So, for example, a client enrolling in Medicare in 2023 would pay an IRMAA surcharge based on their 2021 tax return. Generally there are two types of people that pay IRMAA surcharges: Those who might be affected and those who will always be affected. Because it is income based, people with an unusual income event may only be affected once, while people with higher incomes may always
Tax Planning Light Bulb Moment
by TaxDoctor on May 12, 2023 at 1:22 pm 
Have you ever had a “light bulb” moment?  I have been driving for many years.  I’ve driven at least a million miles and I own a few cars (I collect certain types), and when driving my spouse’s car or one from the collection that I haven’t driven in a while, inevitably it’s time to gas up.  I pull up to a pump and get out and realize that the gas cap is on the other side, back up the car, turn it around with a sigh and fill it up.  Then this year the “light bulb” moment.  While trying to figure out the dashboard “iPhone” charger fuse location, I happened to be looking at the diagram of the fuel gauge in
Plan Now to Save Later
by TaxDoctor on May 5, 2023 at 1:04 pm 
It’s May and the current tax filing season has finally come to an end (for most of us), and for many with a familiar recurring moan and groan of having paid too much in taxes. Now is the time to take your preventative medicine and avoid the pain next year! Being human, we all form habits. Some good. Most bad. We try to develop good ones to replace the bad ones and often we are successful, but most successes don’t come without a coach, cheerleader or some kind of support. Tax time is usually a time of regret over not being successful at last year’s promise to oneself: “I’m not going to pay this much again. I`m going to keep
Understand the Tax Consequences of Your Stock Trading
by TaxDoctor on April 28, 2023 at 12:41 pm 
Don’t let your stockbroker off the hook when it comes to tax planning. Many people work with brokers when they buy and sell stocks. Many people now, because of the internet, also have become their own stockbrokers, doing their own research and trading on various platforms. Whether you use a professional or do your trades yourself, you still need to hold your stockbroker accountable. What do I mean? If a broker is helping you buy and sell, they had to take a Series license of some kind. Sometimes, an RIA (Registered Investment Advisor) has taken a Series 65 exam. If it’s a representative of a broker/dealer, perhaps they’ve taken a Series 6 or a Series 7 exam. There are other possibilities, but the point is, these exams are
Are Taxes Fair?
by TaxDoctor on April 21, 2023 at 12:48 pm 
The answer to that might surprise you.  Because, for the most part, the answer is yes.  However, sometimes they are only fair if you know how to “play the game”.  Most people think only the wealthy can avoid paying income tax because they know how to play the game.  Well, at a much lower level, everybody knows some of the tricks to “playing the game”.  For instance, you might be contributing to your 401(k) at work.  Well, you’re playing the game.  However, you might not know that even though you’re contributing everything you can to your 401(k) at work, you’re still allowed to open an additional private IRA, and take another several thousand dollars off of your taxable income.  That trick is “knowing the rest of the rules