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)
personal finance
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 or … [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
Monte Carlo Safe Withdrawal Rates for Low Expected Returns
I read Antti Ilmanen’s book recently, “Investing Amid Low Expected Returns.” Ilmanen, like many other observers, expects low real returns from stocks, … [Read more...] about Monte Carlo Safe Withdrawal Rates for Low Expected Returns
Monte Carlo Simulations Show How Bonds Dampen Investment Risk
Figuring out how much bonds dampen investment risk? Sometimes tricky. You hear people offer bromides. Like "bonds provide ballast." Or "bonds … [Read more...] about Monte Carlo Simulations Show How Bonds Dampen Investment Risk
Wealth Building Insights from Latest Federal Reserve Study
The Federal Reserve's newest Survey of Consumer Finances provides at least a couple of big, actionable, wealth building insights. Ironically, much … [Read more...] about Wealth Building Insights from Latest Federal Reserve Study