Stableford Capital Insights

You may have questions about how the changes to the tax code will affect your personal tax return this year. Some of the changes may be beneficial, while others may have some extensive effects on your return. Knowing the changes and how best to maximize your investments will smooth the way into tax planning season. Will the changes in tax code change the way you prepare your personal tax return? Here’s what you need to know as we go into tax planning season.

The recently-passed Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act may change the way people save, and use, retirement funds. The Act comes with some changes that are worth taking advantage of—and some that are worth being aware of. As this took effect January 1, 2020, be sure to discuss possible impacts to your retirement planning with your tax professional soon.

Big news for small business—if you have shares of stock in a company valued at less than $50 million, you might be eligible to exclude over $10 million in taxes when sold. Qualified small business stock, or Section 1202 stock, can save you millions on your personal tax return. If you suspect you have left millions of dollars on the table at tax time, talk to an experienced accountant about using this exclusion next year or pursuing an amendment for a refund. Among our many integrated advisory services, Stableford Tax offers Tax Planning to help evaluate potential exclusions such as this on personal tax returns.

Not all investment strategies are created equal, or yield the desired high returns with low risk. While an index fund investing strategy may be appealing in its ease of use and promised diversification, there are often hidden downsides. Index funds alone may not be the most efficient way to grow your wealth. Here we evaluate the different benefits of investing in index funds versus single stocks, as well as the often unforeseen pitfalls of mutual funds.

When it comes to how to find a financial advisor (or financial advisory firm) that’s right for you, it’s important to ask the right questions and do your homework. This article includes three key questions you can ask that can help find a financial advisor for you, while introducing you to the dirty secrets from Wall Street insider Ed Butowsky that will help you protect your portfolio.

Thanksgiving brings about a season of giving thanks and joy – of feasting and football, including the Stableford Turkey Bowl! We are thankful to be able to work with and for such extraordinary people. And one of the most important things we can help give to our clients at this time of year is peace of mind. By continuously watching the ever changing investment environment, and providing timely information through our market blasts, we proactively look ahead to help ensure the unexpected doesn’t interfere with the life they planned.

Five years ago, many outsiders said it could not be done. They thought there was no way ‘another’ registered investment advisory could stand toe-to-toe with the older Private Wealth Management firms and Banks. Five years ago, our founder realized that Financial Advisors, their tools and vehicles were undergoing the most profound change the Financial Industry had seen in thirty-years. In order to be a part of the next generation, Stableford would have to address five areas: authentic portfolio management of individual stocks, custom tax and ESG solutions. index-replication technology and zero bound trading costs. Well, we proved the skeptics wrong, and not only are we going strong, we are exceeding expectations.

Be aware of the latest telephone scams targeting the vulnerable elderly, and make sure your loved ones are protected from financial exploitation. Aside from prepaid credit card scams, some of the other most popular are IRS payments, Social Security, invoice and romance scams. Learn more about them and how you can protect those you love and care for.

Family office wealth management helps you plan ahead for upcoming taxes, as well as significant life changes before they happen. As your family office partner, Stableford is by your side through the good and bad events, advising on the best tax planning strategies to protect your family’s wealth. Ultra high-net-worth families are especially prone to major effects of change, so it’s important to be prepared. That is simply part of our integrated advisory approach.

When selecting variable or fixed indexed annuities, it’s important to consider how each will affect your overall financial investment strategy. Both come with the added benefit of taking payouts for life, so you don’t have to worry about outliving your investments. But they each have downsides, too. So which is best for your financial investment strategy? Potentially both.