At Monotelo Advisors our accountants work hard to free up cash flow by helping you minimize your federal tax liability, giving you more money to reinvest into your future. Simplify Your Taxes with Trusted Experts Accurate, stress-free tax preparation for individuals and businesses. Learn More Schedule Meeting Start your 2024 Tax Return Tax Season Resources Gratitude, Generosity, and the Power to Change Lives 24 hours ago 4 min read The Multiplying Power of Generosity: Feed a Child This Thanksgiving Nov 13 3 min read 7 Money-Smart Principles Every Parent Should Teach Aug 12 4 min read Gratitude, Generosity, and the Power to Change Lives The Multiplying Power of Generosity: Feed a Child This Thanksgiving 7 Money-Smart Principles Every Parent Should Teach Looking for Financial Planning Help? Our values-based retirement planning will give you the quiet confidence that everything is on track for you to achieve your life goals. Get Started Learn More Run your business, we'll handle your finances. Small business owner? Yes, we can help you with your tax, bookkeeping and payroll needs. But there is so much more to having the right financial partner. Get Started Learn More

Monotelo Advisors Privacy Policy Introduction At Monotelo Advisors, we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines our practices regarding the collection and use of your data. Information Collection We may collect personal information from you in various ways, including when you visit our website, subscribe to our newsletter, fill out a form, or interact with our services. The types of personal information we collect may include: - Contact information (name, email address, phone number) - Demographic information (age, gender, location) Use of Information We use the information we collect for various purposes, including: - To provide and improve our services - To communicate with you, including sending newsletters and updates - To personalize your experience on our website - To analyze and understand how our services are used No Sale of Personal Data At Monotelo Advisors, we prioritize the confidentiality and security of your personal information. We want to assure you that we do not sell or share your personal data to any third parties. Your trust is of utmost importance to us, and we are committed to protecting your privacy. Data Security We implement a variety of security measures to maintain the safety of your personal information when you enter, submit, or access your personal information. We do not share personal data (phone numbers) with third parties, affiliates or partners Your Rights Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, including: - The right to access your personal data - The right to correct any inaccuracies - The right to request deletion of your data - The right to restrict processing of your data - The right to data portability - The right to object to the processing of your data If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided below. Changes to This Policy We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new policy on our website. You are advised to review this policy periodically for any changes. No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. All other categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties

Welcome to the Big Beautiful Bill Resource Center The Big Beautiful Bill is transforming the landscape of financial legislation and we're here to help you stay informed every step of the way. This page is your central hub for everything related to the bill: expert articles, insightful videos, and in-depth webinars designed to unpack what it means, why it matters, and how it could impact your financial future. Check out our latest webinar. Click here to find a segment that interest you. New provisions for individuals under the Big Beautiful Bill New provisions for business under the Big Beautiful Bill Check out our articles on the Big Beautiful Bill Understanding the New Tax Relief for Seniors and Hourly Workers: Tips, Overtime, and Social Security Explained Jim Richter 25 Takeaways From the Big Beautiful Bill Michael Baumeister Three Sweeping Tax Reforms That Could Impact Your Paycheck Jim Richter

Big Beautiful Bill Webinar Segments Click on the topic you want to learn more about based on our webinar. How the OBBBA has changed exit strategies for business owners Overtime Pay Child Tax Credit SALT Cap No Tax on Tips Senior Deduction Check out our articles on the Big Beautiful Bill Understanding the New Tax Relief for Seniors and Hourly Workers: Tips, Overtime, and Social Security Explained Jim Richter 25 Takeaways From the Big Beautiful Bill Michael Baumeister Three Sweeping Tax Reforms That Could Impact Your Paycheck Jim Richter

At Monotelo Advisors we work hard to free up cash flow by helping you minimize your federal tax liability, giving you more money to reinvest into your future. TAX EXPERTISE Monotelo believes there is a better way to help you secure your financial future. It starts by improving your cash flow, then focusing on the budget and retirement savings to help you take charge of a future filled with peace and financial security. Our mission is to make a difference with meaningful and actionable financial solutions that positively impact our client's lives. We do this by integrating the tax component into all our discussions - freeing up cash flow that allows our clients to live the lives they want to live. SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS If you are a small-business owner, there is a high probability that you are paying more tax than what is required. And the key to lowering your tax bill is not in finding a competent CPA to file your tax returns, it's in finding an expert with a disciplined process to help you plan your future. LEARN MORE REAL ESTATE AGENTS As a real-estate agent you are uniquely positioned to manage how much you pay in taxes. While the new tax code just made things better for you, it made things significantly more complicated. How you organize your affairs and structure your business will have a direct impact on your tax bill come April 15th. LEARN MORE PRIVATE CLIENTS LEARN MORE INDIVIDUALS Click here to access the tools and articles designed to help you manage your taxes and your finances while giving you confidence to take the steps needed to prepare for a future filled with peace, hope and financial security. LEARN MORE

The purpose of this update is to provide clarity on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was passed by Congress and President Trump last week. The Act was intended to provide relief to those suffering from the economic fallout of the Coronavirus. The amount of money each person will receive from the federal government will vary depending on your income, marital status and number of children. Individuals are eligible for up to $1,200 - plus $500 per child under the age of 17 Couples are eligible for up to $2,400 - plus $500 per child under the age of 17 Payments phase out for individuals with adjusted gross incomes of more than $75,000 and for couples with incomes above $150,000. The phaseout will reduce the payment by $5 for every additional $100 of adjusted gross income above your phase-out threshold. Individuals making more than $99,000 will not receive anything. Couples making more than $198,000 will not receive anything. Income will be based on your 2019 or 2018 tax return. The White House hopes to begin distributing cash quickly, but said that it may take a few weeks before the majority of the payments go out. The stimulus checks will be handled by the Internal Revenue Service, and they require you to have filed your taxes electronically to have the money transferred to your bank account via direct deposit. If the IRS does not have your bank account info, it will send out a check to the physical address that was on your last tax return. If you have filed a paper copy of your taxes or have closed the bank account used to receive previous tax refunds, the government will send a check in the mail. If you have moved since you last filed your taxes, remember to submit a change of address form with the IRS. This normally takes four to six weeks to process, and the IRS needs the correct address in order to have the check reach the correct destination. The best way to maximize your payment from the government is to have Monotelo prepare your 2019 tax return. If you made less money in 2019 than you made in 2018, we will file the return immediately. If you made more money in 2019 than you made in 2018, we will wait to file the return. However, there is no way to know this without completing the preparation of your 2019 tax return. Once the return is complete, we will let you know what filing schedule is in your best interest. Taxpayers are supposed to receive a note in the mail informing them of how the payment was made. This notice should arrive no more than a few weeks after the money was disbursed. If you have trouble locating your payment, there will be information regarding how to contact the IRS in the notice. Please reach out to us if we can assist you during these challenging times. ECONOMIC IMPACT PAYMENTS FROM THE CARES ACT Read more articles Failing to order your affairs to minimize your tax burden could cost you significant money - so don't wait to take action. If you have additional questions or need some planning help, please reach out to us.

We all think we know about the cost of health care. According to Fidelity, the average 65-year-old couple in 2020 will need nearly $300,000 for medical expenses over the course of their retirement. And that number does not address the potential for long-term care needs. There is a common misconception that once you get on Medicare, your health care costs will be all taken care of. What most people eventually discover is that Medicare doesn’t cover everything. And what it does cover typically comes with a copay or a deductible. The Costs Behind Medicare There are 2 primary parts to Medicare. Part A covers hospitalization, while Part B covers doctors, therapies, chemotherapy, etc. While Medicare Part A is free, many people fail to realize that Medicare Part B comes with a monthly premium. Part B premiums for most people in 2021 are $148.50 per month and the premiums rise for higher-earners. The premium for higher earners is called the income-related monthly adjustment amount, known as “IRMAA”. If you get hit with IRMAA for Part B, you’ll also have to pay IRMAA for Part D, the private part of Medicare that offers prescription drug coverage if you are enrolled. You could end up paying an extra $434 per month ($356.40/month for Part B and $77.10/month for Part D), depending on your taxable income from two years ago. If you’ve had a life-changing event and your income has gone down from two years ago we can help you. Reach out to us and we should be able to make a difference for you on your IRMAA premiums. Once you’re on Medicare, you will have copays and deductibles for Parts A and B. On top of the copays and deductibles, there is no out-of-pocket maximum with Medicare. You heard that correctly! You can have unlimited expenses with original Medicare. This is where Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement Plans come into play. These plans can help by setting a limit on spending, but this is also where things can get confusing. And this is the point where most couples should turn to a Medicare expert to guide them to a wise course of action. Prescription Drugs It’s relatively easy to find the list of drugs that Medicare does not cover (go to Medicare.gov for this info). But what about drug costs? Many retirees fail to understand the impact that drug costs will have on their long-term financial plans because they fail to understand how the drug plans are set up. While many drugs are covered by Medicare, more costly drugs can cause a balloon payment after several months of coverage, sometimes referred to as the “donut hole.” With the “donut hole” and catastrophic coverage issues, there is no cap on prescription drug expenses. And some manufacturers’ programs become off limits once you go on Medicare. For Example: Part D deductible: $435. Initial coverage limit: $4,130. Catastrophic threshold: $6,550. You have a medication that costs $1,376.67 and your copay is $100. Your first three doses cost you $300, but the total spent was $4,130, and you are now in the “donut hole.” The next time you pick up your medication, your cost goes from $100 to $344.17 because you are now responsible for 25% of the cost of the drug (25% * $1,376.67 = $344.17). You only spent $300 on your first three prescription fillings, you are already into the “donut hole,” and you don’t get out of the donut hole until you’ve spent $6,550. After you’ve spent the entire $6,550, your costs will drop to 5% of the cost of the drug ($68.80 per dose). That means prescribed medications could cost over $10,000 a year, and that’s on the drugs that Medicare includes in the drug plan. So what should you do to help mitigate the costs of medical care today? A traditional asset manager might suggest you hold cash aside for these expenses. An insurance agent might tell you to buy a long-term care policy. An accountant may suggest that lowering your taxable income through medical expenses could help cover some of the costs of Medicare. Our job at Monotelo is to help you develop a Durable Cohesive Plan of Action, and take all of these issues into account to comprehensively address your healthcare needs in retirement. Read more articles THE COST OF HEALTHCARE IN RETIREMENT Failing to order your affairs to minimize your tax burden could cost you significant money - so don't wait to take action. If you have additional questions or need some planning help, please reach out to us.

Building a Durable Cohesive Plan of Action

Going to an office is no longer a requirement of conducting business in the age of the internet, cell phones, Skype and GoTo meetings. One step away to save on your taxes. Schedule a quick 10-minute, no-obligation consultation. UNLOCKING the Missed Deductions of a Home Office Small-business owners should not miss the benefit of a home office deduction out of fear of a tax audit. Going to an office is no longer a requirement of conducting business in the age of the internet, cell phones, Skype and GoTo meetings. This means an increasing number of small-business owners are working from home, and eligible to claim a home office deduction. When Properly implemented, this deduction can make a significant difference in your tax liability. WHAT CONSTITUTES A HOME OFFICE? In order to claim a deduction for a home office the IRS requires that a designated space be used exclusively and regularly for business. Going to an office is no longer a requirement of conducting business in the age of the internet, cell phones, Skype and GoTo meetings. Exclusively used for business means it cannot ever be used for personal reasons during the tax year, this includes any type of storage for personal items. Although the office is to be used only for business, the tax code does not mandate that it be a separate room, it can be part of a room - walls are not a requirement. The office must also be used on a regular basis for business. HOW TO DEDUCT EXPENSES FOR THE HOME OFFICE There are two different methods you can use to claim a home office deduction, the actual expense method and the simplified method. ACTUAL EXPENSE METHOD The actual expense method allows you to deduct all direct expenses and a portion of any indirect expenses. Direct expenses are any expenses incurred specifically for the home office, such as painting the office or putting in new carpet. Indirect expenses include any expenses incurred for the home such as mortgage interest, property taxes and utilities. To claim these indirect expenses you need to determine the portion of the expenses that relate to the home office. This can be calculated by dividing the square footage of the office by the square footage of the house. You can also claim depreciation or a rent deduction for the part of the home used for business purposes. On the downside, when you sell the home any depreciation taken needs to be recaptured. This can be an unpleasant surprise come tax time. When using the actual expense method, detailed records and supporting documentation must be kept for all expenses. SIMPLIFIED METHOD If you prefer not to maintain records of these expenses, you can still take a home office deduction using the simplified method. The simplified method is calculated by simply multiplying the square footage of the office by $5 per square foot (up to 300 sq. ft.). The advantage to this method is the IRS does not require you to keep any records that are required by the actual expense method. The main drawback of the simplified method is that you will not be able to deduct your actual expenses if they exceed the allowance of the simplified method. The best solution is to keep track of all of your expenses and then determine at the end of the year which method will provide the greater deduction. MILEAGE Regular commuting to and from work is not a deductible expense, however travel between your primary office located in your home to your second office is classified as business miles that are deductible. This does not mean that you can set up a "home office" to deduct your regular commuting miles. It means that if your home office is where you conduct the majority of your business, you can deduct any mileage to a secondary location. Setting up a home office can potentially create several thousands of dollars in deductible mileage each year. TAKE AWAY Even the smallest home office can unlock significant deductions if the expenses are properly accounted for using either the actual or simplified method. It is very important that the space be used exclusively for business purposes. Save as PDF

THE IMPACT OF YOUR PENSION On Your Social Security Benefits Many public sector workers do not pay into Social Security because they pay into a separate state or local pension fund. Since Social Security benefits are based on the Social Security wages earned during working years, public-sector workers who do not pay into Social Security will not be eligible for Social Security benefits at retirement. There are other public sector workers however, who have paid into the Social Security pool because they work second jobs or began working in the public sector later in life or retired and began a second career. Public sector workers who have paid into Social Security can qualify for benefits on top of their pension, but those benefits may be reduced based on the number of years they paid into Social Security. How Are Social Security Benefits Calculated? Social Security benefits are based on your average wages for your 35 highest earning years. If you pay into Social Security for 29 years, your benefits will be calculated using the 29 working years plus 6 years of zero wages. Your annual wages are also adjusted for inflation to prevent your early earning years from hurting your benefits. After adjusting for inflation and averaging your 35 highest years, your annual wages are divided by 12 to produce your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME). Your monthly benefits are calculated using 3 percentage brackets of your AIME: 90% of the first $926 of AIME, 32% of the next $4,657 of AIME and 15% of AIME after that. Example: If you work for 35 years and have average adjusted wages of $72,000 per year, your Social Security benefit calculation will use $6,000 for your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings and calculate your benefits as follows: $926 x 90% = $833.40 + $4,657 x 32% = $1,490.24 + $417 x 15% = $62.55_____ $6,000 = $2,386.19 monthly benefits How Your Pension May Limit Your Social Security Benefits If you receive a pension from an employer that does not withhold Social Security taxes, your benefits may be reduced by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). This provision reduces monthly benefits by reducing the first bracket benefits from 90% down to 40% in 5% increments depending on the number of years worked. If you paid into Social Security for at least 30 years with "substantial earnings," then the WEP limitation will not apply. But if you paid in for less than 30 years of substantial earnings the first bracket percentage will be reduced by 5% for each year under 30 until it bottoms out at 40% for 20 years of contributions. This limitation can reduce your base Social Security benefits by as much as $5,500 per year. Example: To demonstrate how this limitation reduces your benefits we have calculated the monthly benefits you would receive if your AIME was $6,000 under two scenarios: 1) where you have 30 years of substantial Social Security wages and 2) where you only have 20 years of substantial Social Security wages: The lower percentage applied to the first $926 of wages when the WEP limitation applies reduces your benefits by $463 per month or $5,556 per year. What Can You Do to Eliminate the Pension Penalty? The Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act of 2019 was recently introduced in congress to repeal the WEP limitations by replacing them with a new formula that treats public servants more favorably. With the bill’s future uncertain, we want to focus on steps you can take right now. The first step in the process is to determine your Social Security benefits by creating an account at www.ssa.gov . This account will allow you to view your estimated benefits based on your prior work history. Be aware that the estimates provided by the Social Security Administration will not account for any WEP limitation that may apply to you. After you find your estimated benefits you will need to subtract $46.30 per month for every year short of the 30-year window of substantial earnings. If you are more than 10 years short of the 30 year mark, only subtract amounts for the first 10 years that you are short. If you are short of the 30-year threshold, you may want to consider working a few extra years at a part-time job or starting a new career at retirement. These additional years of contributions will not only increase your potential Social Security benefit, they will also decrease the limitation put on those benefits by the Windfall Elimination Provision. What Constitutes "Substantial Earnings" Substantial Earnings are a separate calculation from the calculation of year paid into Social Security. To qualify for a year’s worth of Social Security earnings, you only need to earn $5,880 of wages. To qualify for substantial earnings, you need a total of 26,550 of wages subject to Social Security. The table below will show the substantial earnings test. To discuss this further, please reach out to one of our team members at (847) 923-9015. Save as PDF Read More Articles Failing to order your affairs to minimize your tax burden could cost you significant money - so don't wait to take action. If you have additional questions or need some planning help, please reach out to us.

TAX IMPLICATIONS of the AMERICAN JOBS PLAN President Biden recently unveiled his new infrastructure plan which includes significant tax hikes for corporations and higher-net-worth families. While the plan has not been passed through congress, we thought we would share a quick overview of what is likely to come if there is a shift in tax policy. The plan includes over $2 trillion in proposed infrastructure spending over the next 15 years. To offset this additional spending the plan imposes significant tax hikes on corporations and higher-net-worth families. The plan also includes a number of changes to corporate tax law while modifying the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that was passed in 2017. Increased Corporate income tax rate from 21% to 28%... While the 7% corporate tax hike may translate into lower stock prices, reduced 401(k) matching, fewer bonuses, fewer raises and fewer stock grants for employees, another impact is likely to come from the income phaseouts on Roth and traditional IRAs. In addition to these proposed changes is a significant tax increase on those making over $400,000 a year. Higher income, capital gains and estate taxes… President Biden campaigned on taxing the wealthy and he’s now beginning to deliver on that promise. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that the $400,000 threshold for higher taxes would be for families. That implies that individuals surpassing the $200,000 threshold are also likely to face higher taxes. The changes that U.S. taxpayers are facing provide Monotelo with a significant opportunity to demonstrate our value. By getting creative and thinking outside the box, we can equip you to take proactive steps to reduce your short-term and lifetime tax burden. If you would like to learn more about the specific changes that are being proposed, please see below. Warning! There is a fair amount of tax speak here! The proposed tax plan includes the following changes: Imposes a 12.4 percent Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (Social Security) payroll tax on income earned above $400,000, evenly split between employers and employees. This would create a “donut hole” in the current Social Security payroll tax, where wages between $137,700, the current wage cap, and $400,000 are not taxed. Reverts the top individual income tax rate for taxable incomes above $400,000 from 37 percent under current law to the pre-Tax Cuts and Jobs Act level of 39.6 percent. Taxes long-term capital gains and qualified dividends at the ordinary income tax rate of 39.6 percent on income above $1 million and eliminates step-up in basis for capital gains taxation. Caps the tax benefit of itemized deductions to 28 percent of value for those earning more than $400,000, which means that taxpayers earning above that income threshold with tax rates higher than 28 percent would face limited itemized deductions. Restores the Pease limitation on itemized deductions for taxable incomes above $400,000. Phases out the qualified business income deduction (Section 199A) for filers with taxable income above $400,000. Provides renewable-energy-related tax credits to individuals. Expands the estate and gift tax by restoring the rate and exemption to 2009 levels. Expands the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) from a maximum of $3,000 in qualified expenses to $8,000 ($16,000 for multiple dependents) and increases the maximum reimbursement rate from 35 percent to 50 percent. For 2021 and as long as economic conditions require, increases the Child Tax Credit (CTC) from a maximum value of $2,000 to $3,000 for children 17 or younger, while providing a $600 bonus credit for children under 6. Reestablishes the First-Time Homebuyers’ Tax Credit, which was originally created during the Great Recession to help the housing market. Biden’s homebuyers’ credit would provide up to $15,000 for first-time homebuyers. Source: www.taxfoundation.org If you would like to learn more about how these changes will directly impact you or how to proactively address these changes so your financial security is not put at risk, please reach out to us at info@monotelo.com or 800-961-0298. Failing to order your affairs to minimize your tax burden could cost you significant money - so don't wait to take action. If you have additional questions or need some planning help, please reach out to us.

Tax Brackets The number of brackets remains at seven. And the percentage charged at each of these brackets has been reduced, with the notable exception of the lowest bracket of 10% which remains unchanged. The majority of our clients who were previously in the 15% or 25% tax bracket will now find themselves in the 12% or 22% bracket respectively. You may have already noticed the impact of these new brackets when your employer adjusted your withholdings earlier in the year, increasing your take home pay. TO BE AWARE OF UNDER THE 2018 TAX REFORM At the end of last year President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act into law, signaling the largest tax reform in over three decades. We have received a lot of questions recently on how this law will affect our clients. With the tax season now behind us it is time to address how these changes will impact you in 2018. There are many aspects to this law and there is no "one size fits all" explanation for how it will impact our clients. Some of our clients will win and some of them will lose under the new law. With that in mind we have outlined the five changes that we believe are most relevant to you. Personal exemptions historically represented a $4,000 reduction in taxable income for each dependent listed on the tax return. Under the new law these exemptions have been eliminated. However, to help mitigate the loss of these exemptions, the law also made changes to the child tax credit and has added a new credit for non-child dependents. Starting in 2018 the Child Tax Credit has been doubled to $2,000 per child, $1,400 of which is refundable. The phaseout threshold for the Child Tax Credit has also been drastically increased to $200,000 for single filers and $400,000 for joint filers. This means that most taxpayers who were previously prevented from claiming the full Child Tax Credit will now be able to claim the entire credit. Additionally, the law has introduced a new $500 credit for any dependents who are over the age of 17, allowing parents to continue to receive a tax benefit for children in college or other adults residing in their home. SUMMARY There are many moving parts in the new tax law, with a lot of them working to balance one another out. Some of our clients will see a decrease in their tax bill while others will see it increase. Overall, we do not expect any of our clients to see drastic changes, good or bad, with the new code. We expect the majority of our clients to see an increase or decrease in their tax bill of less than $1,000. If you would like to know how the tax reform will directly impact you, please call our office. UNREIMBURSED EMPLOYEE EXPENSES The change that could have the greatest impact on our public servant clients is the elimination of the deduction for unreimbursed employee expenses. As the law currently stands, employees will no longer be able to deduct their union dues, work uniforms, tools, or any other expenses related to their employment. The only exception to this is the special $250 allowance for teacher's expenses which remains unaffected. There is currently a bill in congress which seeks to reinstate the deduction for unreimbursed expenses. The "Tax Fairness for Workers Act" would not only bring back the itemized deduction for employee expenses but would go a step further and allow for specific deductions to be taken above-the-line, meaning they would not be subject to many of the limitations that currently restrict their use. It remains to be seen how far this bill will go but we strongly recommend that you keep track of your job expenses until a decision is reached. If the bill passes, this will cause job related expenses to have a greater impact on your tax return. ITEMIZED DEDUCTIONS AND THE STANDARD DEDUCTION One of the most promoted aspects of the new tax law is the nearly doubling of the standard deduction to $12,000 for single, $18,000 for head of household, and $24,000 for joint filers. While the standard deduction amounts are receiving significant increases, many of the allowed itemized deductions are either being handicapped or removed entirely: The deductions for state and local income taxes as well as property taxes are capped at a combined total of $10,000. This means that homeowners in high income-tax states are likely to lose a portion of this former deduction. The deduction for home mortgage interest remains but is limited to mortgages that do not exceed $750,00, down from the previous threshold of $1,000,000. All miscellaneous itemized deductions (including tax preparation fees, casualty losses and all unreimbursed employee expenses) have been eliminated entirely. The increased standard deduction amounts combined with the additional restrictions on itemized deductions increases the chances of the standard deduction being more beneficial than itemizing deductions in 2018. 1 ABOVE THE LINE DEDUCTIONS Above-the-line deductions are more beneficial than itemized deductions as they have far fewer restrictions. The new tax law retains many of these deductions including educator expenses, student loan interest, and contributions to Health Savings Accounts. Two deductions that have been changed are expenses for a job-related move, and alimony payments. Starting in 2018 expenses for a job-related move will only be deductible by active members of the military. Starting in 2019 alimony payments will no longer be deductible. However, this will only apply to divorce agreements settled after the start of 2019. This means that alimony payments from divorce agreements that were already in place prior to 2019 will continue to be deductible. FIVE CHANGES 3 PERSONAL EXEMPTIONS AND THE CHILD TAX CREDIT 2 4 5 At Monotelo, we exist to make a difference with meaningful and actionable financial solutions that positively impact our client's lives. If you have questions about what steps you can be taking to prepare for your retirement years, call us at 800-961-0298