Quote of the Week
“It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.” – James Baldwin, American Novelist
Technical Corner
I am writing this as of the market close on Monday. The equity markets started off hot this year, continuing the trend at the end of 2019. As you know, we have been in a conservative allocation and just recently we extended the duration on our bond portion of the portfolio.
Last Friday and today (Monday), the equity markets have experienced a big sell-off. We recently re-positioned ourselves with a longer duration on the bond portion of the portfolio (approximately 50%) because of the slowing of the economy and disappointing S&P 500 corporate earnings so far.
This change in duration has paid off handsomely so far. Just today, something I read really caught my eye.
I’m sure all of you are aware of the Coronavirus or the Wuhan virus that started in Wuhan China and is spreading rapidity throughout China. It is a highly contagious respiratory virus that has killed people at a relatively high rate. It has spread to the rest of the world, including the United States. It is especially deadly to the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. I certainly hope that it is contained soon. It is estimated by a person whose opinion I respect to cost over $40 billion at this point in economic damage. If it is not contained who knows what the cost could be.
I have two charts to show you. The chart below shows the rapid decline in the 10yr U.S. Treasury rate since January 21st. As of the market close today, the yield dropped another tenth of a percent. This is a big move downward in such a short period of time. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on where you stand, this drop has been very good for our long duration bond portions in the portfolio.
As I stated above, we lengthened the duration because of a slowing economy and disappointing corporate earnings not even considering the effect of the virus. The next chart shows what happened to U.S. 10yr Treasury rates during the Ebola outbreak in 2014.
Interest went from 3.00% down to 1.40%. This created a huge appreciation in the value of the 10yr Treasury bond during that period. Remember, when interest rates decline, bond prices go up.
I certainly hope for everyone’s benefit that the spread of the virus is contained. Fortunately, the Ebola virus was contained successfully to small parts of Africa. The Wuhan virus has already spread to the whole world. This will have an economic effect on the world’s economy.
The big news for the U.S. economy is coming out on January 30th when the fourth quarter GDP (Gross Domestic Product) comes out. I am expecting a very disappointing growth number. If that happens our positions in U.S. Treasuries, REITs, Utilities, and gold should benefit.
Tom’s Thoughts
Annual Financial To-Do List
Things you can do for your future as the year unfolds.
What financial, business, or life priorities do you need to address for the coming year? Now is a good time to think about the investing, saving, or budgeting methods you could employ toward specific objectives, from building your retirement fund to managing your taxes. You have plenty of choices. Here are a few ideas to consider:
Can you contribute more to your retirement plans this year? In 2020, the contribution limit for a Roth or traditional individual retirement account (IRA) remains at $6,000 ($7,000, for those making “catch-up” contributions). Your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) may affect how much you can put into a Roth IRA: singles and heads of household with MAGI above $139,000 and joint filers with MAGI above $206,000 cannot make 2020 Roth contributions.1
Before making any changes, remember that withdrawals from traditional IRAs are taxed as ordinary income, and if taken before age 59½, may be subject to a 10% federal income tax penalty. To qualify for the tax-free and penalty-free withdrawal of earnings, Roth IRA distributions must meet a five-year holding requirement and occur after age 59½.2
Make a charitable gift. You can claim the deduction on your tax return, provided you itemize your deductions with Schedule A. The paper trail is important here. If you give cash, you need to document it. Even small contributions need to be demonstrated by a bank record, payroll deduction record, credit card statement, or written communication from the charity with the date and amount. Incidentally, the Internal Revenue Service (I.R.S.) does not equate a pledge with a donation. If you pledge $2,000 to a charity this year, but only end up gifting $500, you can only deduct $500.3
These are hypothetical examples and are not a replacement for real-life advice. Make certain to consult your tax, legal, or accounting professional before modifying your strategy.
See if you can take a home office deduction for your small business. If you are a small-business owner, you may want to investigate this. You may be able to legitimately write off expenses linked to the portion of your home used to exclusively conduct your business. Using your home office as a business expense involves a complex set of tax rules and regulations. Before moving forward, consider working with a professional who is familiar with home-based businesses.4
Open an HSA. A Health Savings Account (HSA) works a bit like your workplace retirement account. There are also some HSA rules and limitations to consider. You are limited to a $3,550 contribution for 2020, if you are single; $7,100, if you have a spouse or family. Those limits jump by a $1,000 “catch-up” limit for each person in the household over age 55.5
If you spend your HSA funds for nonmedical expenses before age 65, you may be required to pay ordinary income tax as well as a 20% penalty. After age 65, you may be required to pay ordinary income taxes on HSA funds used for nonmedical expenses. HSA contributions are exempt from federal income tax; however, they are not exempt from state taxes in certain states.
Pay attention to asset location. Tax-efficient asset location is an ignored fundamental of investing. Broadly speaking, your least tax-efficient securities should go in pretax accounts, and your most tax-efficient securities should be held in taxable accounts.
Asset allocation is an approach to help manage investment risk. Asset allocation does not guarantee against investment loss. Before adjusting your asset allocation, consider working with an investment professional who is familiar with tax rules and regulations.
Review your withholding status. Should it be adjusted due to any of the following factors?
* You tend to pay a great deal of income tax each year.
* You tend to get a big federal tax refund each year.
* You recently married or divorced.
* A family member recently passed away.
* You have a new job and you are earning much more than you previously did.
* You started a business venture or became self-employed.
These are general guidelines and are not a replacement for real-life advice. So, make certain to speak with a professional who understands your situation before making any changes.
Are you marrying in 2020? If so, why not review the beneficiaries of your retirement accounts and other assets? When considering your marriage, you may want to make changes to the relevant beneficiary forms. The same goes for your insurance coverage. If you will have a new last name in 2020, you will need a new Social Security card. Additionally, the two of you may have retirement accounts and investment strategies. Will they need to be revised or adjusted with marriage?
Are you coming home from active duty? If so, go ahead and check the status of your credit as well as the state of any tax and legal proceedings that might have been preempted by your orders. Make sure any employee health insurance is still there and revoke any power of attorney you may have granted to another person.
Consider the tax impact of any upcoming transactions. Are you planning to sell any real estate this year? Are you starting a business? Do you think you might exercise a stock option? Might any large commissions or bonuses come your way in 2020? Do you anticipate selling an investment that is held outside of a tax-deferred account?
If you are retired, and in your seventies, remember your RMDs. In other words, Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from traditional retirement accounts. There is a new development to report on this, as the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act just altered a key rule pertaining to these mandatory withdrawals. Under the SECURE ACT, in most circumstances, once you reach age 72, you must begin taking RMDs from most types of these accounts. The previous “starting age” was 70½.6
This new RMD rule applies only to those who will turn 70½ in 2020 or later. If you were 70½ when 2019 ended, you must take your initial RMD(s) by April 1, 2020, at the latest.6
If you have already begun taking RMDs, your annual deadline for them becomes December 31 of each year. The I.R.S. penalty for failing to take an RMD can be as much as 50% of the RMD amount that is not withdrawn.6
Vow to focus on being healthy and wealthy in 2020. And don’t be afraid to ask for help from professionals who understand your individual situation.
This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note – investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment.
Citations.
1 – thefinancebuff.com/401k-403b-ira-contribution-limits.html [7/16/19]
2-kiplinger.com/article/retirement/T032-C000-S000-how-much-can-you-contribute-traditional-ira-2020.html [1/10/20]
3 – irs.gov/newsroom/charitable-contributions [6/28/19]
4 – nerdwallet.com/blog/taxes/home-office-tax-deductions-small-business/ [1/22/19]
5 – cnbc.com/2019/06/03/these-are-the-new-hsa-limits-for-2020.html [6/4/19]
6-thestreet.com/retirement/secure-retirement-act-makes-big-changes-to-how-you-save [12/21/19]
