Inflation Reduction Act: What You Should Know

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Inflation Reduction Act: What You Should Know

August 17, 2022

The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law on August 16, 2022, includes health-care and energy-related provisions, a new corporate alternative minimum tax, and an excise tax on certain corporate stock buybacks. Additional funding is also provided to the IRS. Some significant provisions in the Act are discussed below.

Medicare

The legislation authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate Medicare prices for certain high-priced, single-source drugs. However, only 10 of the most expensive drugs will be chosen initially, and the negotiated prices will not take effect until 2026. For each of the following years, more negotiated drugs will be added.

Starting in 2025, a $2,000 annual cap (adjusted for inflation) will apply to out-of-pocket costs for Medicare Part D prescription drugs.

Starting in 2023, deductibles will not apply to covered insulin products under Medicare Part D or under Part B for insulin furnished through durable medical equipment. Also, the applicable copayment amount for covered insulin products will be capped at $35 for a one-month supply.

Health Insurance

Starting in 2023, a high-deductible health plan can provide that the deductible does not apply to selected insulin products.

Affordable Care Act subsidies (scheduled to expire at the end of 2022) that improved affordability and reduced health insurance premiums have been extended through 2025. Indexing of percentage contribution rates used in determining a taxpayer’s required share of premiums is delayed until after 2025, preventing more significant premium increases. Additionally, those with household incomes higher than 400% of the federal poverty line remain eligible for the premium tax credit through 2025.

Energy-Related Tax Credits

Many current energy-related tax credits have been modified and extended, and a few new credits have been added. Many of the credits are available to businesses, and others are available to individuals. The following two credits are substantial revisions and extensions of an existing tax credit for electric vehicles.

Starting in 2023, a tax credit of up to $7,500 is available for the purchase of new clean electric vehicles meeting certain requirements. The credit is not available for vehicles with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price higher than $80,000 for sports utility vehicles and pickups, $55,000 for other vehicles. The credit is not available if the modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) of the purchaser exceeds $150,000 ($300,000 for joint filers and surviving spouses, $225,000 for heads of household). Starting in 2024, an individual can elect to transfer the credit to the dealer as payment for the vehicle.

Similarly, a tax credit of up to $4,000 is available for the purchase of certain previously owned clean electric vehicles from a dealer. The credit is not available for vehicles with a sales price exceeding $25,000. The credit is not available if the purchaser’s MAGI exceeds $75,000 ($150,000 for joint filers and surviving spouses, $75,000 for heads of household). An individual can elect to transfer the credit to the dealer as payment for the vehicle.

Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax

For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022, a new 15% alternative minimum tax (AMT) will apply to corporations (other than an S corporation, regulated investment company, or a real estate investment trust) with an average annual adjusted financial statement income in excess of $1 billion.

Adjusted financial statement income means the net income or loss of the taxpayer set forth in the corporation’s financial statement (often referred to as book income), with certain adjustments. If regular tax exceeds the tentative AMT, the excess amount can be carried forward as a credit against the AMT in future years.

Excise Tax on Repurchase of Stock

For corporate stock repurchases after December 31, 2022, a new 1% excise tax will be imposed on the value of a covered corporation’s stock repurchases during the taxable year.
A covered corporation means any domestic corporation whose stock is traded on an established securities market. However, the excise tax does not apply: (1) to a repurchase that is part of a nontaxable reorganization, (2) with respect to certain contributions of stock to an employer-sponsored retirement plan or employee stock ownership plan, (3) if the total value of stock repurchased during the year does not exceed $1 million, (4) to a repurchase by a securities dealer in the ordinary course of business, (5) to repurchases by a regulated investment company or a real estate investment trust, or (6) to the extent the repurchase is treated as a dividend for income tax purposes.

Increased Funding for the IRS

Substantial additional funds are provided to the IRS to help fund operations and business systems modernization and to improve enforcement of tax laws.

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES
Altum Wealth Advisors does not provide investment, tax, or legal advice via this website. The information presented here is not specific to any individual’s personal circumstances. To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on his or her individual circumstances. These materials are provided for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable—we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice.

CIRCULAR 230 NOTICE: To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the IRS, this notice is to inform you that any tax advice included in this communication, including any attachments, is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalty or promoting, marketing, or recommending to another party any transaction or matter.

Prepared for Altum Wealth Advisors
Steven Cliadakis, MBA, CFP®, AIF®, Managing Director, Financial Planner
Miste Cliadakis, CWS®, AIF®, Managing Director, Financial Planner

Meet Our Team

Rising Rates Join Long List of Housing Dilemmas

June 7, 2022

Homebuyers braving the hot U.S. housing market have run headlong into a striking transition. The average interest rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage jumped from around 3.2% at the beginning of 2022 to 5.3% in mid-May, the highest level since 2009. This rise was sparked by the Federal Reserve’s commitment to raise the federal funds rate — a key benchmark for short-term interest rates — to help control the highest inflation in decades.(1)

Although mortgage rates are not directly tied to the federal funds rate, all borrowing costs are influenced by the Fed’s monetary policies. Mortgage rates tend to track changes in the 10-year Treasury yield, which is sensitive to changes in the funds rate and also fluctuates based on the bond market’s longer-term expectations for economic growth and inflation.

Housing Costs Are Soaring

For nearly two years now, buyers have faced an intensely competitive housing market characterized by historically low inventory, bidding wars, and escalating prices. The national median price of existing homes rose 14.8% over the year ending April 2022 to reach $391,200. Home prices are rising in every region, and 70% of the nation’s 185 metro areas experienced double-digit annual increases in the first quarter. In a notable shift, price gains in affordable small- and mid-size cities outpaced gains in more expensive urban markets, as many homebuyers seized the opportunity to work remotely.(2)

Home prices and market conditions can vary widely by region and even from one neighborhood to another in the same city. April median prices in the 10 most expensive cities ranged from $662,000 in Denver to $1,875,000 in San Jose. Half of the nation’s 10 priciest markets are in California, a state with a particularly severe and longstanding housing shortage.(3)

Rents have been rising with home prices. In April 2022, the median rent for 0- to 2-bedroom properties in the 50 largest U.S. metro areas reached $1,827, a year-over-year increase of 16.7%. Spikes were more dramatic in Sun Belt cities such as Miami (51.6%), San Diego (25.6%), and Austin (24.7%).(4)
In this environment, prospective homebuyers, renters who must renew a lease, or anyone looking for a different place to live could find themselves between a rock and a hard place.

Affordability Is Waning

The combination of rising mortgage rates and home prices has taken a serious toll on affordability. A borrower with a $300,000 mortgage would pay $1,666 per month at a 5.3% rate versus $1,297 at a 3.2% rate, the prevailing rate earlier this year. Affordability is an even bigger issue in high-cost areas and for first-time buyers who haven’t benefited from gains in home equity.

Borrowers who started a home search and were prequalified by a lender before rates spiked may not be approved for the mortgages they initially sought. Consequently, demand for adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) that offer lower rates has surged in recent months.(5) A lower monthly payment makes it possible to qualify for a larger mortgage, so borrowers who expect to move at some point may be comfortable with an ARM that has a fixed rate for the first three, five, seven, or 10 years of the 30-year term before it adjusts to prevailing rates.

Some buyers will reset their expectations and settle for a less-expensive home. But others may give up the search if they are not satisfied with the homes they can afford, especially if they are priced out of their
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favorite neighborhoods. Many entry-level buyers could be forced out of the market entirely, at least for the time being.

Buyers of new homes may be subject to substantial interest-rate risk because purchase contracts are often signed many months before their homes will be completed. With their deposits at stake, buyers might consider paying the extra cost to extend rate locks for six, nine, or even 12 months.

Higher borrowing costs are likely to reduce demand for homes enough to slow price growth, and prices might retreat in some overheated markets. Even so, most economists don’t expect home prices to collapse because market fundamentals are otherwise relatively strong. Inventory levels are still extremely low, and lenders have generally been conservative, so most homeowners who bought in recent years can afford their mortgages.(6) Interest rates don’t impact cash buyers, such as downsizing retirees and investors, who account for about 26% of transactions.(7) And assuming the economy and employment hold up, there should be plenty of demand from millennials in their peak homebuying years.(8)

Tips for Bewildered First-Time Buyers

Paying rent indefinitely may do little to improve your financial future, but if you are ready to commit to a mortgage, buying a home could stabilize your housing costs for as long as the payment is fixed. You can also build equity in the property as your loan balance is paid off over time — more so if the value appreciates.

Despite much speculation, no one knows for sure where mortgage rates are headed or what will happen next in the housing market. So how can you decide whether it makes financial sense to purchase a home? As always, the answer depends on where you want to live, your lifestyle preferences, and your finances.
Here are three ways to start preparing for the homebuying process.

Become a better borrower. Before you apply for a mortgage, order a copy of your credit report to check for errors and clean up any inaccuracies. Having a higher credit score could earn you a lower interest rate.

Save up for a down payment. Buyers must typically invest 20% of the purchase price for conventional mortgages, but some loan programs allow smaller down payments of 5% to 10%. If parents or other family members offer to “gift” cash for a down payment, lenders may ask for a letter to document the source of funds. There may also be local programs that provide down-payment assistance for buyers who meet income requirements and take classes on homeownership.

Find out how much you can afford to spend. Start with online calculators that take your income, debt, and expenses into account. A mortgage provider can help determine how much you may qualify to borrow. It can take three to five years to recoup real estate transaction costs, so be sure to consider the stability of your employment situation and your income.

1) Bloomberg, May 12 and May 19, 2022
2-3, 7) National Association of Realtors, 2022 4) Realtor.com, 2022
5) The Wall Street Journal, May 5, 2022
6) NPR, May 12, 2022
8) The Wall Street Journal, December 14, 2021

Prepared for Altum Wealth Advisors
Steven Cliadakis, MBA, CFP®, AIF®, Managing Director, Financial Planner
Miste Cliadakis, CWS®, AIF®, Managing Director, Financial Planner

Meet Our Team

High Inflation: How Long Will It Last?

May 10, 2022

In March 2022, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), the most common measure of inflation, rose at an annual rate of 8.5%, the highest level since December 1981.(1) It’s not surprising that a Gallup poll at the end of March found that one out of six Americans considers inflation to be the most important problem facing the United States.(2)

When inflation began rising in the spring of 2021, many economists, including policymakers at the Federal Reserve, believed the increase would be transitory and subside over a period of months. One year later, inflation has proven to be more stubborn than expected. It may be helpful to look at some of the forces behind rising prices, the Fed’s plan to combat them, and early signs that inflation may be easing.

Hot Economy Meets Russia and China

The fundamental cause of rising inflation continues to be the growing pains of a rapidly opening economy — a combination of pent-up consumer demand, supply-chain slowdowns, and not enough workers to fill open jobs. Loose Federal Reserve monetary policies and billions of dollars in government stimulus helped prevent a deeper recession but added fuel to the fire when the economy reopened.

More recently, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has placed upward pressure on already high global fuel and food prices.(3) At the same time, a COVID resurgence in China led to strict lockdowns that have closed factories and tightened already struggling supply chains for Chinese goods. The volume of cargo handled by the port of Shanghai, the world’s busiest port, dropped by an estimated 40% in early April.(4)

Behind the Headlines

Although the 8.5% year-over-year “headline” inflation in March is a daunting number to consider, monthly numbers provide a clearer picture of the current trend. The month-over-month increase of 1.2% was extremely high, but more than half of it was due to gasoline prices, which rose 18.3% in March alone.(5) Despite the Russia-Ukraine conflict and increased seasonal demand, U.S. gas prices dropped in April, but the trend was moving upward by the end of the month.(6) The federal government’s decision to release one million barrels of oil per day from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for the next six months and allow summer sales of higher-ethanol gasoline may help moderate prices.(7)

Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, rose 6.5% year-over-year in March, the highest rate since 1982. However, the month-over-month increase from February to March was just 0.3%, the slowest pace in six months. Another positive sign was the price of used cars and trucks, which rose more than 35% over the last 12 months (a prime driver of general inflation) but dropped 3.8% in March.(8)

Wages and Consumer Demand

For the 12 months ended in March, average hourly earnings increased 5.6% — not enough to keep up with inflation but enough to blunt some of the effects. Lower-paid service workers received higher increases, with wages jumping by almost 15% for nonmanagement employees in the leisure and hospitality industry. Although inflation has cut deeply into wage gains over the last year, wages have increased at about the same rate as inflation over the two-year period of the pandemic.(9)

One of the big questions going forward is whether rising wages will enable consumers to continue to pay higher prices, which can lead to an inflationary spiral of ever-increasing wages and prices. Recent signals are mixed. The official measure of consumer spending increased 1.1% in March, but an early April poll found that two out of three Americans had cut back on spending due to inflation.(10-11)

Soft or Hard Landing?

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) of the Federal Reserve has laid out a plan to fight inflation by raising interest rates and tightening the money supply. After dropping the benchmark federal funds rate to near zero in order to stimulate the economy at the onset of the pandemic, the FOMC raised the rate by 0.25% at its March 2022 meeting and projected the equivalent of six more quarter-percent increases by the end of the year and three or four more in 2024.(12) This would bring the rate to around 2.75%, just above what the FOMC considers a “neutral rate” that will neither stimulate nor restrain the economy.(13)

These moves were projected to bring the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation, the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index, down to 4.3% by the end of 2022, 2.7% by the end of 2023, and 2.3% by the end of 2024.(14) PCE inflation — which was 6.6% in March — tends to run below CPI, so even if the Fed achieves these goals, CPI inflation will likely remain somewhat higher(15)

Fed policymakers have signaled a willingness to be more aggressive, if necessary, and the FOMC raised the funds rate by 0.5% at its May meeting, as opposed to the more common 0.25% increase. This was the first half-percent increase since May 2000, and there may be more to come. The FOMC also began reducing the Fed’s bond holdings to tighten the money supply. New projections to be released in June will provide an updated picture of the Fed’s intentions for the federal funds rate.(16)

The question facing the FOMC is how fast it can raise interest rates and tighten the money supply while maintaining optimal employment and economic growth. The ideal is a “soft landing,” similar to what occurred in the 1990s, when inflation was tamed without damaging the economy.(17) At the other extreme is the “hard landing” of the early 1980s, when the Fed raised the funds rate to almost 20% in order to control runaway double-digit inflation, throwing the economy into a recession.(18)

Fed Chair Jerome Powell acknowledges that a soft landing will be difficult to achieve, but he believes the strong job market may help the economy withstand aggressive monetary policies. Supply chains are expected to improve over time, and workers who have not yet returned to the labor force might fill open jobs without increasing wage and price pressures.(19)

The next few months will be a key period to reveal the future direction of inflation and monetary policy. The hope is that March represented the peak and inflation will begin to trend downward. But even if that proves to be true, it could be a painfully slow descent.

Projections are based on current conditions, are subject to change, and may not come to pass.

1, 5, 8-9) U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022 2) Gallup, March 29, 2022
3, 7) The New York Times, April 12, 2022
4) CNBC, April 7, 2022
6) AAA, April 25 & 29, 2022
10, 15) U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2022 11) CBS News, April 11, 2022
12, 14, 16) Federal Reserve, 2022
13, 17) The Wall Street Journal, April 18, 2022 18) The New York Times, March 21, 2022

Prepared for Altum Wealth Advisors
Steven Cliadakis, MBA, CFP®, AIF®, Managing Director, Financial Planner
Miste Cliadakis, CWS®, AIF®, Managing Director, Financial Planner

Meet Our Team

Distribution Funds: Putting Income on Autopilot

April 21, 2014

As baby boomers retire, they begin to focus less on accumulating assets and more on how those assets can be converted into an ongoing stream of income. Distribution funds are one way to simplify that process.

Distribution funds are actively managed mutual funds that focus not on maximizing asset growth but on making regularly scheduled payments to investors. Distribution funds were primarily designed to give retirees an easy way to receive income. For example, early retirees might use one to provide income until they reach full retirement age. They also can be used to complement a pension or other income sources.

How distribution funds work

A distribution fund basically functions much like a systematic withdrawal plan. Its annual payout (either a percentage of assets or a specific dollar amount) is divided into equal payments that are scheduled to be made at regular intervals (typically monthly or quarterly).

As with so-called lifestyle or lifecycle funds, distribution funds typically are offered as part of a group. All funds in the group use a similar investing methodology, but each fund has a different payout target or distribution rate. For example, one fund in the group might offer a 3% annual payout. Another fund in the same group might target a 4% payout, and a third might aim for 6%.

One size doesn’t fit all

Even though funds within a given series are consistent in their approach to income distribution, methods used by various families of distribution funds to generate returns and calculate payments vary widely. For example, one series might differentiate its funds based on the annual percentage each one distributes. Another group of funds might determine annual income levels and asset allocation based on how long each fund’s portfolio is intended to last. The shorter a fund’s time horizon, the higher the targeted annual payout.

A fund by any other name

Distribution funds also may be referred to as:

• Managed income funds
• Retirement income funds
• Income replacement funds
• Managed payout funds
• Retirement distribution funds

Some distribution funds are managed so that all capital is exhausted by the end of a designated time period, generally getting more conservative as that end date gets closer. Others are designed to preserve capital and make payouts primarily from earnings; these typically have no time frame attached. Regardless of how the targeted payout rate is derived for a given fund series, it’s based on what is considered a sustainable withdrawal rate given the fund’s objectives, planned asset allocation, and time frame (if applicable). Also, in some cases, the amount of the payout is adjusted to keep pace with inflation.

A distribution fund’s method of providing its targeted income is generally based on historical rates of return for various types of investments in both good and bad markets. Each fund’s strategy is intended to minimize the impact of market fluctuations on its income payout. However, there is no guarantee a fund’s payout will remain the same from year to year. Also, it’s important to remember that all investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal, and there can be no assurance that any investment strategy will be successful.

Questions to ask about a distribution fund:

• How are monthly payments determined?
• Does the fund make payments from earnings only, or from both earnings and principal?
• What is the proposed withdrawal rate?
• How much risk does the fund take in trying to achieve its targeted distribution rate?
• What are the fund’s underlying investments?
• What is the fund’s current asset allocation, and how may that allocation change over time?

A distribution fund is generally structured as a fund of funds, meaning that it is comprised of other mutual funds. However, some also include other types of investments.

Distribution funds aren’t annuities

Because of their focus on income, distribution funds are designed to fill a role in retirement that is somewhat similar to that of annuity payments. However, there are some key differences. Perhaps the most important is that distribution funds offer no guarantees of the payout levels they offer; annuities generally do (subject to the claims-paying ability of the annuity’s issuer). Also, a mutual fund is not an insurance contract, as an annuity is. And annuities often are designed to ensure an income that lasts throughout an individual’s lifetime, and/or that of a spouse. Though an investor can attempt to provide that with an appropriate distribution fund, no fund can guarantee income for life.

Advantages of distribution funds

A distribution fund can simplify and streamline the process of receiving ongoing income. You don’t have to worry about constructing that diversified portfolio yourself, shifting its asset allocation over time, or rebalancing it periodically. Also, the concept of a distribution fund may be easier to understand than an insurance contract that has many riders and variables. In addition, a targeted payout rate may make it easier to estimate how long your savings will last than if you were to try to manage your portfolio on your own.

Distribution funds also offer a great deal of flexibility. Even though you receive regularly scheduled payments, you can withdraw additional amounts from your principal at any time. That means you can adjust your annual retirement income from year to year, or make withdrawals to take care of unexpected costs. Investments that guarantee a regular income stream typically restrict the use of your principal.
Because distribution funds were intended as low-cost alternatives to annuities, expense ratios tend to be comparatively low.

Tradeoffs with distribution funds

As mentioned previously, a distribution fund may strive to provide a certain level of income, but there are no guarantees that it will do so. Depending on how a fund is structured and managed, a steep or prolonged market decline could affect the amount of the scheduled payments from year to year, or how long your investment will last. If you cannot afford either possibility, a distribution fund may mean more uncertainty–either long term or short term–than you’re comfortable with.

If you are willing and able to structure and administer a systematic withdrawal program independently, you may be able to replicate many of the advantages of a distribution fund with a well-diversified portfolio. That would give you greater ability to customize payouts to your individual situation. For example, you could shift investments based on what’s happening in the financial markets or your own life, and manage your tax situation from year to year.

Distribution funds are designed for individuals who plan to stay invested in a given fund for an extended period of time. If you’re an active trader or might withdraw your money relatively quickly, you may want to think twice; in-and-out investing will undercut the very reason for choosing a distribution fund. And be aware that even though you can withdraw amounts over and above your scheduled payments, those withdrawals will reduce future earnings that would have supported distributions in later years. That could leave you vulnerable to longevity risk–the possibility of outlasting your savings.

You also may need to consider any projected distribution fund payouts in the context of other retirement income concerns, such as the tax consequences of those payouts, or required minimum distributions from a qualified retirement plan or IRA.

One of many choices

Before investing in a distribution fund, carefully consider its investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses, which can be found in the prospectus available from the fund. Read the prospectus carefully before investing. As with most investment options, a distribution fund may not fill all your retirement income needs. Don’t hesitate to get expert advice on whether one might be useful for part of your portfolio, or for a specific purpose.

Note: Past performance is no guarantee of future results and asset allocation alone can’t guarantee a profit or prevent a loss.

Prepared for Altum Wealth Advisors, Steven Cliadakis, MBA, CWS®, Managing Director, Wealth Strategist.

Bonds vs. Bond Funds: Which Is Better When Interest Rates Rise?

January 10, 2014

The Federal Reserve has said it expects to begin raising its target rate sometime in 2014. Since bond prices fall when interest rates rise, it may be a good time to pay increased attention to any fixed-income investments you have. Here are some factors to consider when you review your portfolio.

Maturity dates and duration

One way to address the threat of rising rates is through maturity dates. Long-term bonds may pay a higher coupon rate than short-term bonds, but when rates rise, long-term bond values typically suffer more. That’s because investors may be reluctant to tie up their money for long periods if they expect a bond’s interest payments may suffer by comparison when newer bonds that pay higher rates are issued. The later a bond’s maturity date, the greater the risk that its yield eventually will be surpassed by that of newer bonds.

A bond fund doesn’t have a maturity date, and your shares may be worth more or less than you paid for them when you sell. However, there is another way to gauge the sensitivity of either a bond or a bond fund to interest rates: its duration, which takes into account not only maturity but also the value of future interest payments. The longer the duration, the more sensitive a security is to interest rate changes.

To estimate the impact of a rate change, simply multiply a security’s duration by the percentage change in interest rates. For example, if interest rates rise by 1%, a bond or bond fund with a duration of 3 years could be expected to lose roughly 3% in value, while one with a 7-year duration might fall by 7%. (Though interest rates currently have little room to fall, the same principle would apply; a 1% decline in rates should result in a 3% gain for a bond fund with a 3-year duration.) Though this hypothetical example doesn’t represent the return of any specific investment, you can apply the general principle to your own holdings.

Diversification

Since rising rates affect most bonds, diversification provides only limited protection against rate increases. To balance yields with the threat of rising rates, you can diversify across various segments of the bond market (for example, investment-grade corporate, high-yield, Treasuries, foreign, short/intermediate/long-term, and municipal debt). Bonds don’t respond uniformly to interest rate changes. The differences, or spreads, between the yields of various types can mean that some categories are under- or over-valued compared to others. Funds may offer greater diversification within each segment at a lower cost than individual bonds, providing greater protection against the impact of a potential default by a single issuer. However, diversification alone doesn’t ensure a profit or prevent the possibility of loss, including loss of principal.

Flexibility

Holding individual bonds allows you to sell a specific bond on your own timetable or hold it until it matures. That flexibility has two advantages. First, if you hold to maturity, unless a bond’s issuer defaults, you know how much you’ll receive when the principal is repaid. Rising interest rates may cause a bond’s market value to fluctuate in the meantime, but if you hold it to maturity, that fluctuation may not be an issue for you, especially if predictable income is your highest priority.

Second, it can help you manage your tax liability; if a specific bond has lost value, you can sell it and declare the loss on your federal income tax return. You may be able to instruct your broker to sell specific shares of a bond fund to harvest losses for tax purposes, but in general it’s more challenging to manage tax liability as precisely with bond funds. For example, capital gains or losses generated by a fund manager’s trading are passed through to individual shareholders each year, which can affect your tax liability. Also, a bond fund’s value can be affected by your fellow investors. Since an open-end fund must redeem investors’ shares daily, strong selling can force a fund to sell holdings to meet redemption demands, which can have implications for other shareholders.

Laddering individual bonds also can help provide flexibility to adjust to rising rates. Laddering involves buying a portfolio of bonds with varying maturities; for example, a five-bond portfolio might be structured so that one of the five matures each year for the next five years. As interest rates rise, each bond that matures can be reinvested in a newer instrument that offers a higher yield.

Liquidity

A mutual fund will redeem your shares at the end of every business day. An individual bond traded on the open market may not have the same liquidity, and you could have difficulty finding a buyer who’s willing to pay the asking price. However, individual bonds are priced and traded throughout the day; only closed-end funds and exchange-traded funds have that flexibility, not open-end mutual funds.

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES

Altum Wealth Advisors does not provide investment, tax, or legal advice via this website. The information presented here is not specific to any individual’s personal circumstances.

To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on his or her individual circumstances.

These materials are provided for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable—we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice.

Prepared for Altum Wealth Advisors, Steven Cliadakis, MBA, CWS®, Managing Director, Wealth Strategist. Chico, CA, San Francisco, CA.

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Inflation Reduction Act: What You Should Know

Tag Archives | Interest Rates