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After several years of processing, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued new fiduciary regulations on April 6. A previous attempt, back in 2010, was scrubbed when the investment community roundly criticized it as overkill. The new regulations seek to update the Employee...

Another year is winding down. Before the hustle and bustle of the holidays sets in, it’s a good time to brainstorm ideas to lower your 2014 tax bill. Here’s an overview of what’s happening in the world of tax — and 10 simple tax-saving strategies that you...

Are you planning to make charitable donations before year end? Do you own appreciated stock that you’d like to sell, but you’re concerned about the tax hit? Then consider donating it to charity rather than making a cash gift. Appreciated publicly traded stock you’ve held more...

You may be uncomfortable at the thought of discussing your estate with your loved ones. But failing to do so could result in disagreements and conflicts when the details are revealed after your death. Discussing your plans in advance gives you a chance to explain: The...

In a well-known Aesop’s Fable, ants stockpile food during the summer bounty, while the grasshopper sings and plays. When winter sets in, the grasshopper starves. The moral of the story is to work hard and plan ahead. In modern times, this lesson can be applied to retirement...

If you have a traditional IRA, you might benefit from converting some or all of it to a Roth IRA. A conversion can allow you to turn tax-deferred future growth into tax-free growth. It also can provide estate planning advantages: Roth IRAs don’t require you to take distributions...

This year, trusts are subject to the 39.6% ordinary-income rate and the 20% capital gains rate to the extent their taxable income exceeds $12,150. And the 3.8% net investment income tax applies to undistributed net investment income to the extent that a trust’s adjusted gross...