The clean, nuclear way to avoid Washington state's new 35% estate tax is change domicile. (Something we've discussed here: Changing Your Washington … [Read more...] about Exporting Assets Avoids Washington State’s 35% Estate Tax
personal finance
Trump Savings Accounts – Free Money from the Government
Child focused tax benefits have taken on many forms over the years. We've had child tax credits, dependent care credits, education credits, 529 … [Read more...] about Trump Savings Accounts – Free Money from the Government
The Washington Estate Tax Income in Respect of Decedent Problem
Washington state’s estate tax hits only a small percentage of the state’s decedents. (The threshold for paying tax is $3,000,000, and though the data … [Read more...] about The Washington Estate Tax Income in Respect of Decedent Problem
Washington State Estate Tax Calculator (2025 Version)
In mid-2025, Washington adjusted its state estate tax for estates created on or after July 1, 2025. The new version uses a larger, inflation adjusted … [Read more...] about Washington State Estate Tax Calculator (2025 Version)
Short-term-rental Tax Tips and Tricks
Short-term rentals provide some of the easiest and most powerful tax savings opportunities available to investors. You can literally save six figures … [Read more...] about Short-term-rental Tax Tips and Tricks
Super Safe Withdrawal Rate Calculator
The 'super safe withdrawal rate" calculator below estimates certainty-equivalent returns and the Merton share. You can use these … [Read more...] about Super Safe Withdrawal Rate Calculator
Merton Share Estimator
You can use rules of thumb to determine what percentage to allocate to stocks versus bonds. Like "60 percent to stocks and 40 percent to … [Read more...] about Merton Share Estimator
Roth Calculator
The Roth Calculator below helps you determine whether you end up with more retirement income using a Roth IRA or 401(k). Or using a traditional IRA … [Read more...] about Roth Calculator
Backdoor Roth IRAs Really a Smart Idea?
Maybe the last ten individual tax returns I’ve signed? They all included a backdoor Roth IRA. That got me thinking: How much tax do you really save … [Read more...] about Backdoor Roth IRAs Really a Smart Idea?
Estimating Investment Portfolio Returns and Values
Over the last few months, I've encountered investors, advisors and even some financial writers struggling to make or suggest good estimates of future … [Read more...] about Estimating Investment Portfolio Returns and Values