Retiring Soon? Do You Have all Your Questions Answered?

Written by Kevin Jacobs on November 4, 2011 in broken arrow, Certified Financial Planner, CFP, fee based, fee only, Fee Only Financial Planner, Financial Planning, Investing, Retirement Planning, Tax Planning, Tulsa - No Comments

If you are looking at retiring soon, do you have the answers to the questions to adequately prepare for this time in your life?  I have listed below and also included in the video typical questions I help clients answer.  If you have these questions, you may want to consider seeking out a financial planning professional.

  • Will I outlive my retirement savings?
  • What will I spend my time in retirement doing?
  • Will social security be available to me?
  • Should my annuity really be inside of an IRA account?
  • How much money do I really need to retire?
  • I want to retire early.  How much should I be saving now?
  • I am a teacher.  What pension payout option should I select?
  • What will be my cost of living in retirement?

What Should You Expect from Step By Step Tax and Financial Planning

Written by Kevin Jacobs on November 3, 2011 in Certified Financial Planner, Enrolled Agent, fee based, fee only, Fee Only Financial Planner, financial advisor, financial planner, Investing, Retirement Planning, Tax Planning - No Comments

SBS_What_to_Expect (Click here to listen to short audio version of this blog.)

What should you expect if you engage Step By Step Tax and Financial Planning for holistic tax and financial planning services?

1.  Straight Talk

2.  Easy Access

3.  Value for Your Money

4.  All-Inclusive Approach

5.  Adaptive & Ongoing Service


Looking for a Planner? Want to know who we serve best?

Written by Kevin Jacobs on November 2, 2011 in broken arrow, Enrolled Agent, fee based, fee only, financial planner, Investing, Oklahoma, Retirement Planning, Tax Planning - No Comments

I often get asked who would be a good fit for the services we offer here at Step By Step Tax and Financial Planning.  Well just watch this short 2-minute video and you will find out.

Emotional Decision Making Often Leads to Poor Outcomes

Written by Kevin Jacobs on August 8, 2011 in Economics, Investing - No Comments

Below is a blog entry I wrote on May 6th, 2010. If you do not remember, this was the day of the infamous “flash crash.” As I was thinking about what to send out this evening in preparation for what could be a very volatile (prices go up and prices go down) period in the market, I found this article said it all. I encourage you to not panic and to make decisions based off of emotions. If you have a long-term plan in place, there is the high likelihood you do not need to do anything different than what you are doing now. If you do not have a long-term in place, you may want to consult with a professional to help put a thought-out and objective plan together. As you read the article below, please remember how you reach financial security. You do not reach it overnight but rather by taking “one step at a time!”

By: Kevin F Jacobs
Written: May 6th, 2010

Today was an unprecedented day in the stock market. At one point the Dow Jones was down nearly 1,000 points (I can’t believe I am even writing that number).

I want to stress that the best thing to do is to remain focused on the things you can control, i.e. your savings rate, your asset allocation, your debt-to-income ratio, etc. You can not do anything about what the market does day to day, but you can do something about those things mentioned above. You are going to hear many “talking” heads on the radio and TV give various explanations for why things happened the way they did. However, the real question is how these events are going to affect you and the ones you love. We have a tendency to get lost in the stress of everyday life and we forget to make note of the blessings we have each day.

I am not telling you to be oblivious to what is going on in the world but that you need to work on the things you can do something about and let everything else take care of itself. It is important you do not overreact to short-term market events. During times like these it is important to remember the basics regarding your financial life:

1.Live on less then you make
2.Have $0 consumer debt
3.Don’t buy more house then you can afford
4.Pay as little in taxes as you are allowed
5.Have proper cash and emergency reserves
6.Save for the short-term and invest for the long-term
7.Spend time with your family and those you love instead of watching the latest stock market charts.
As for the rest of it, take a deep breath and remember to control the things you can and let go of those things that are outside of your power.

Claiming Homebuyer’s Credit on your 2010 Tax Return

Written by Kevin Jacobs on February 8, 2011 in Uncategorized - No Comments

Question:   I was wondering what documentation you are suggesting your clients submit to claim the $6,500 home-buyer’s tax credit.

Answer:  Here is what I would do for a client

  • Paper file return
  • Properly complete Form 5405
  • Copy of HUD Settlement Statement showing signature of buyer and seller
  • Copy of mortgage statements from the last 5 years you lived in your previous home

If you follow this guideline and your claim is legitimate, you should not have a problem receiving your refund.  Keep in min you will probably need to wait 6- 8 weeks to get your refund, so please be patient.  For more information, please visit http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204671,00.html.

Services Offered By Step By Step Tax and Financial Planning

Written by Kevin Jacobs on February 8, 2011 in Uncategorized - No Comments

I often get asked to give a brief summary of the services I offer here at SBS.  With that in mind, I have written the following blog post.  Enjoy and please comment!

At this time, we have three predominant services we offer to individuals and businesses:

1.  Fee-Only Financial Planning Retainer Service for Pre-Retired Married Couples and Entrepreneurs

Step By Step Tax and Financial Planning is a fee-only financial planning firm in the metro-Tulsa, OK area. What makes us different from many financial firms is that we offer professional, objective tax and financial planning services on a one-to-one personal level. We are an independent firm whose complete focus is on the client.

We work with a small number of individuals in order to best serve each one, remaining focused on the needs of our clients. The only compensation we receive is directly from our clients. We do not receive commissions, referral fees or third-part incentives. 

2.  Individual and Business Tax Planning and Preparation

Along with the holistic financial planning services we offer to our clients, Step By Step Tax and Financial Planning, LLC also services the tax preparation needs of many individuals and businesses. Kevin Jacobs, CFP®, EA is enrolled to practice before the IRS.

The fees for tax preparation are very straightforward. We serve the needs of our tax preparation clients on an hourly basis. For individual clients, the hourly rate is $75/ hour for the first four hours and $37.50 for each additional hour after the initial four. For business returns, the hourly rate is $75/ hour. There is a minimum fee of $75 for all returns.  If you are looking for a second opinion on your individual or business return, we also offer that service at our standard business tax preparation rate.  There are no additional charges for e-filing or document preparation.

3.  401k Retirement Plan for Small (as few as one participant) to Medium-Sized Companies

If you are looking to start a 401k plan for your company or if you are not happy with your current provider, please contact me so we can discuss the benefits of a multiple employer plan.  Most small businesses do not know the liability they take on in offering a plan to their employees.  On top of that, the fees charged by most providers are astronomical for the small to medium-sized businesses.  You have nothing to lose by setting up an initial consultation for us to discuss your company’s retirement plan.

Proactive Tax Planning Strategies

Written by Kevin Jacobs on November 12, 2010 in Enrolled Agent, fee based, fee only, Financial Planning, Investing, Tax Planning - No Comments

Many people fail to plan when it comes to taxes.  You can save significant amounts of money regarding your tax liability if you are willing to be plan.  Below you will find some proactive tax planning strategies:

 1.  Learn the range for the marginal tax brackets.  You can find these at http://taxes.about.com/od/preparingyourtaxes/a/tax-rates_2.htm.  With some planning, you may be able to reduce your taxable income so as to be taxed at a lower marginal rate.

 2.  Evaluate your investments and make sure you not only have them allocated appropriately, but also determine if they are in the most tax-efficient vehicle.  See previous blog entry regarding asset location at http://stepbystepfinancial.org/blog/2009/06/14/asset-location-an-often-overlooked-aspect-of-investing/

 3.  Fund your available retirement plans as much as possible.  Don’t just contribute what the company gives you as a match! 

 4.  Document the non-cash charitable contributions you make to organizations, such as Goodwill and Salvation Army.  You give more than you realize.

 5.  Keep track of miles for business, unreimbursed employee expenses, charity and medical. 

 6.  Use your investment losses in your non-retirement accounts to offset gains.

 7.  Be mindful of potential state tax deductions for contributions to 529 college savings plans.

 8.  Consider Donor Advised Funds for charitable purposes.

 There are many other potential tax planning strategies so I encourage you to speak to your tax professional for ideas and suggestions.  Tax preparation is nothing other than “documenting history.”  Tax planning is where the real money is saved.  I encourage you to take some time before the end of the year to see how you can proactively plan to reduce your 2010 tax liability.

“Rapping” Financial Advisor

Written by Kevin Jacobs on June 7, 2010 in Financial Education, Financial Humor - No Comments

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3GtxtWSZxE

Even with the equation of snacks to cash equivalents and the fact that Mr. Robinson eerily resembles my father-in-law, there’s a great message hidden in here:  the markets are resilient, diversify and RELAX.  Oh, and learn how to hunt.

Avoiding the Extremes

Written by Kevin Jacobs on April 18, 2010 in Uncategorized - No Comments

I believe one of my greatest responsibilities is to help my clients avoid extremes.  It seems like there is a lot of “extreme” talk right now.  I hear it everywhere.  Regarding politics, this is either the worst time in American history (if you are a conservative) or this is the beginning of a new era of Enlightenment (if you are liberal).  I hear it with sports as well.  How many people said the last Super Bowl between the Saints and Colts was the best Super Bowl ever?  How many times did you hear reporters ask Coach K if he thought this year’s Duke team was the best ever?  How many people are already comparing LeBron James to the all-time greats of NBA history?  On the other hand, how many people would watch “Makeover:  Home Edition?”

The reason why I say this is to show you how all this “extreme” talk effects people’s view of their finances.  When people believe the investments they own will either go to one extreme or the other, then they will make an irrational decision not based on the facts, but based on fear or foolishness.  It is my job and the job of any Financial Advisor worth the fee you pay him to help you avoid the “extremes” regarding your financial life and financial decisions.  It is okay to be concerned about the future of the economy and to invest more conservatively or to feel a need to invest more aggressively because you think the market will go up.  However, it is not okay to go extreme!  The saying is true:  Do not put all your eggs in one basket.  The basket is your emotions and it is important to know the facts and to make decisions based on facts, not the latest idea conjured up by the talking head on TV or the “guru” you read about in the paper.

If you are looking for financial guidance, I encourage you to seek out a Financial Advisor that can help keep you from making “extreme” decisions about your money.  You do not want a “yes-man” who is only looking out for themselves but rather, you need to look for an advisor that will keep you and your emotions in mind, so you do not make inappropriate long-term financial decisions.

Revisiting Financial Security

Written by Kevin Jacobs on April 5, 2010 in Economics, Financial Education, Investing, Motivational, Security, Tax Planning - No Comments

When I first started this blog, I wrote an entry about defining and achieving financial security.  As I talk to more and more people about their experiences over the last 18 months during what the popular culture has called the “Great Recession,” I am witnessing some common themes of concern:

1.  The stock market is up considerably since its low in March of 2009, but how do we know it won’t “crash” again tomorrow? We don’t know! It used to be common knowledge and belief that you knew you would have some ups and downs in your investments, but in the long run you would achieve profits by investing in market.  From the conversations I have had with many people, it seems like there is this general sense they are waiting for the “next shoe to drop.”  It reminds me of the weeks and months after 9-11 where I was glued to the cable news networks waiting to hear about the next terrorist attack.  I sense an underlying fear in most individuals and business owners.  They are waiting to see how everything works itself out.  The danger of this view is that you become a market timer and try to “guess” what your latest stock holdings and the economy as a whole will do.  The danger is you get so consumed with things you can’t do anything about and fail to make a difference in your life and the lives of those you care about the most.

2.  What will higher taxes do to my future plans? I have been hearing this one especially since the passing of the health reform bill.  There is a general confusion of what is and what is not in the legislation and I think people are skeptical of what may happen to their individual tax situation in the future.  For the clients I work with, I tell them there is one thing for sure:  their taxes will go up!  How much their taxes will go up we do not know yet.  I tell them it is important we continue to plan and make the best tax and financial planning decisions we can at the time with the information available to us.

3.  How do I know I have reached financial security? I hear this quite often.  An individual may also say, “how do I know I will not run out of money?”  These are important questions to address no matter what the economy and the stock market are doing.  Where many people fail in their quest to achieve financial security is they fail to define what financial security is for themselves and instead they allow the “talking-heads” on TV or the magazine covers to define it for them.  Until you define what is most important to you and lay out a plan to achieve it, you will never reach financial security.

So these are some of the concerns people have right now is these difficult times, however, with all the chaos it is important to remember you are in control of your situation more then you believe.  You need to control the things you can, such as how much you save, how much you spend and what you invest in and let everything else take care of itself.

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