Appreciated stock, anyone?
- Yes, 2020’s stock market has been a rollercoaster, but as you guide your clients into year-end, don’t forget the powerful benefits of giving appreciated securities to a donor-advised fund at the community foundation. Now is the time to start helping your clients with tax planning. Remember, not all stock is down! For many clients, 2020 is an excellent year for year-end giving.
Closely-held business exits
- Clients who are preparing to sell a business should start thinking ahead about charitable planning. Before any deal is struck, or any binding commitments discussed, encourage your client to consider the benefits of making a gift of their closely-held stock to a charitable entity, such as a donor-advised fund at the community foundation. Remember, though, that the “step transaction” doctrine is still very much alive and well. The IRS could argue that the transfer of stock to a charity should be treated as “combined” with the sale of the stock, thereby eliminating the tax benefits of the charitable transaction. The IRS could win this argument if the facts indicate that the multiple “steps” in the process were really just a single-step transaction when considering the intent and economic reality of the taxpayer’s actions.
Back door Roth IRA conversions
- Last but not least, consider the step transaction doctrine when you are advising your high income-earning clients on whether to pursue the so-called “back door” Roth IRA planning strategy. When a client’s modified adjusted gross income crosses the IRS’s designated phase-out thresholds, contributions to a Roth are no longer permitted. Contributions to a traditional IRA, however, are not subject to income limitations. In addition, there are no income limits on who can convert from a traditional IRA to a Roth. So, with the “back door” strategy, your client makes a contribution to a traditional IRA using after-tax dollars and then executes a tax-free Roth conversion. Consider carefully researching these issues and even advising clients to wait several months between the contribution and the conversion, just in case.
This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice.