SML Planning Minute
SML Planning Minute podcasts provide timely and thought-provoking financial ideas and concepts for individuals, families and business owners. Be sure to listen in! Simply click on a topic below to access a podcast. You can also subscribe to one of the many service providers to listen on the go.
Business Owners, High-Income and High-Net-Worth Individuals Beware
Episode 151 – The IRS is expected to expand its efforts to discover tax evasion through increased information reporting, updated technology and increased examinations. Most of the focus will be on high-income individuals. Continue Reading Business Owners, High-Income and High-Net-Worth Individuals Beware
COLI and Why It Might be Appropriate for Your Business
Episode 150- COLI is an effective tool to invest company cash in a tax-deferred growth vehicle with a death benefit component to fund a variety of business-planning needs and strengthen the company’s financial statements. Continue Reading COLI and Why It Might be Appropriate for Your Business
Recruiting and Retaining Great Employees with Retirement Benefits
Episode 149 – A retirement savings plan is one of the most important benefits you can provide your employees. But with so many different plans to choose from, how do you determine the right plan for your business? Continue Reading Recruiting and Retaining Great Employees with Retirement Benefits
Complete Your Retirement Savings Strategy With Life Insurance and Annuities
Episode 148 – An independent study concludes that the best retirement savings strategy includes permanent life insurance, such as whole life, and deferred income annuities with increasing income potential. Continue Reading Complete Your Retirement Savings Strategy With Life Insurance and Annuities
Retention of Top-Performing Employees With Loan Split Dollar
Episode 147 – Employee retention is one of the biggest concerns for business owners. Loan Split Dollar is a very popular strategy to retain high-performing skilled employees with a unique benefit, particularly in this low interest rate environment. Continue Reading Retention of Top-Performing Employees With Loan Split Dollar
Build Back Better Tax Proposals – Part 3: Retirement Plans & Corporate Taxes
Episode 146 – The House recently released its tax proposals to fund the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better Act. Many provisions will impact high-income, high-net-worth individuals and small-business owners. We have created a three-part podcast series summarizing these provisions to help you consider how they may affect your financial objectives so you can start preparing for change while there is still an opportunity to do so. In this Part 3 episode, we’ll cover the proposals that affect retirement plans and corporate taxes.
Continue Reading Build Back Better Tax Proposals – Part 3: Retirement Plans & Corporate Taxes
Build Back Better Tax Proposals – Part 2: Estate & Gift Taxes
Episode 145 – The House recently released its tax proposals to fund the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better Act. Many provisions will impact high-income, high-net-worth individuals and small-business owners. We have created a three-part podcast series summarizing these provisions to help you consider how they may affect your financial objectives so you can start preparing for change while there is still an opportunity to do so. In this Part 2 episode, we’ll cover the proposals that affect estate and gift taxes. Continue Reading Build Back Better Tax Proposals – Part 2: Estate & Gift Taxes
Build Back Better Tax Proposals – Part 1: Income Taxes
Episode 144 – The House recently released its tax proposals to fund the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better Act. Many provisions will impact high-income, high-net-worth individuals and small-business owners. We have created a three-part podcast series summarizing these provisions to help you consider how they may affect your financial objectives so you can start preparing for change while there is still an opportunity to do so. In this Part 1 episode, we’ll begin with income taxes. Continue Reading Build Back Better Tax Proposals – Part 1: Income Taxes
Getting Life Insurance Is Easier Than It Used to Be
Episode 143 – September is a great time to be thinking about life insurance, and today we celebrate the fact that getting life insurance is much quicker and easier than it was even just a few years ago. Continue Reading Getting Life Insurance Is Easier Than It Used to Be
The Life Insurance Wealth Gap
Episode 142 – America’s wealth gap has gotten a lot of attention lately, but did you know that it is even more pronounced when you factor in life insurance? Continue Reading The Life Insurance Wealth Gap
Do You Really Know How Much Your Business is Worth? Why You Need a Business Valuation.
Episode 141 – Most business owners don’t know the true value of their company, but they need to, for a variety of reasons including business, estate and personal planning. See how your Security Mutual Life insurance advisor can help with the planning and the valuation. Continue Reading Do You Really Know How Much Your Business is Worth? Why You Need a Business Valuation.
The Advantage of Starting Early
Episode 140 – Saving money may seem like a low priority. But the results of not saving early or not saving enough can’t be reversed later on. More than anyone, millennials need to understand this simple lesson. Learn more in our latest podcast. Continue Reading The Advantage of Starting Early
The IRS Announces “Dirty Dozen” Tax Scams for 2021
Episode 139 – The IRS recently announced its annual “Dirty Dozen” tax scams for 2021, this time with special emphasis on pandemic-related tricks. Continue Reading The IRS Announces “Dirty Dozen” Tax Scams for 2021
The IRS Is Striving to Be More Taxpayer Friendly
Episode 138 – Did you know that the IRS has initiated several service improvements in recent years, all in an effort to be more taxpayer friendly? Learn more here. Continue Reading The IRS Is Striving to Be More Taxpayer Friendly
You Filed Your Income Tax Return – Now What?
Episode 137 – Have you ever wondered what happens to your Income Tax Return after you’ve filed it? Understanding the process can speed up your refund. Continue Reading You Filed Your Income Tax Return – Now What?
Life Insurance for Lifetime Needs and Estate Tax Liquidity Using a SLAT
Episode 136 – SLATs are one of the most popular estate-planning strategies to create liquidity to pay Estate Taxes through the use of Life Insurance, while still maintaining indirect access to the cash values during your lifetime. Continue Reading Life Insurance for Lifetime Needs and Estate Tax Liquidity Using a SLAT
IRS and Social Security Phone Scams
Episode 135 – We urge you to always be cautious and not provide sensitive information such as your Social Security number or bank account information to unknown individuals over the phone or internet. Never reveal personal data to a stranger who calls you. Continue Reading IRS and Social Security Phone Scams
The Two Ironies of Retirement Planning
Episode 134 – There are perhaps two great paradoxes about retirement that people don’t often recognize. The first is that in retirement, people live on income, not principal. The second is that for many people, their retirement fund is their favorite account while they are working, but their least favorite once they actually retire. Continue Reading The Two Ironies of Retirement Planning
Tax-Free Real Estate Exchanges
Episode 133 – Tax-free real estate exchanges have long been a favored technique used to defer capital gains taxes. How do they work, and are they still viable with tax changes coming? Continue Reading Tax-Free Real Estate Exchanges
Hidden Fees are Harming 401(k) Savings
Episode 132 – Hidden fees can have a serious long-term negative impact on a 401(k). And the problem is worse than most people realize. Continue Reading Hidden Fees are Harming 401(k) Savings
