Charitable Giving in 2026: Donor-Advised Funds, QCDs, and Appreciated Stock
The 2026 rules changed the math of giving. See how donor-advised funds, qualified charitable distributions, and appreciated stock still give the most.
Tax & Estate Planning
Tips on tax efficiency, estate planning, and legacy preservation.
Giving Appreciated Stock Instead of Cash: How It Works
For anyone holding investments that have risen, cash is the least efficient way to give. See how donating the shares avoids the capital gains tax.
NUA or a Full IRA Rollover? The Company-Stock Decision at Retirement
Company stock in your 401(k)? Using NUA or rolling everything to an IRA is largely irreversible. See when each path wins before you sign.
Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) in 2026: Ages, Penalties, and the Rules That Changed
RMDs start at 73 or 75 depending on your birth year, the missed-RMD penalty dropped to 25%, and Roth 401(k)s are now exempt. The 2026 rules, explained.
RSUs and Stock Options: Timing the Tax Hit
Equity comp can bring a tax bill before the cash to pay it. See when RSUs, NSOs, and ISOs are taxed – and how to plan the timing.
Too Much of One Stock: Diversifying a Concentrated Position Without a Ruinous Tax Bill
The stock that made you wealthy can undo you. See the tax-aware ways to diversify a concentrated position – staged sales, gifting, and more.
Does the New $15 Million Exemption Mean You Can Ignore Estate Planning?
The exemption decides whether you owe estate tax – not whether your plan works. See what still needs attention even if your estate is under $15 million.
The Permanent $15 Million Exemption: What the New Estate Tax Law Means for Your Plan
The estate tax exemption did not fall in 2026 – it rose to $15M per person, permanently. See what the new law means for your plan, and why review still matters.
A $3.6 Million IRA and the Ten-Year Window: An Illustrative Roth Conversion Case Study
A hypothetical case study: how a measured Roth conversion turned a $3.6M IRA’s forced-distribution tax into a far larger tax-free legacy. Illustrative.
The Survivor’s Penalty: How Roth Conversions Protect a Surviving Spouse
When a spouse dies, the survivor files as single and the brackets nearly halve. Part Three of a three-part series looks at how Roth conversions made while both spouses are alive can ease the survivor’s penalty.