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Integrated Wealth Management
Planning Newsletter - October 2025
  • Generally, changes to individual taxes are positive but with limitations for higher income taxpayers in the highest brackets. Proactive tax planning will be crucial in many cases.

  • The estate tax exemption amount was increased tom $15 million per person, indexed to inflation starting in 2026. Wealth transfer and gifting strategies may need to be reviewed.

  • OBBBA expands provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) to favor small business owners. Business owners should consider ways to take advantage of this.

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Investing Newsletter - July 2025
  • Long-term U.S. Treasury yields have risen, even as inflation data softens. Concerns appear to be rising regarding our country’s fiscal trajectory and debt.

  • Proposed legislation, including the “Big Beautiful Bill,” points to further spending and borrowing, reinforcing investor concerns about U.S. creditworthiness.

  • We are also seeing renewed interest in international markets as investors seek diversified opportunities amid shifting global capital flows.

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Planning Newsletter - April 2025
  • Some are worried that Social Security may not be there when they retire. Even without increasing taxes, the Social Security system is projected to be able to pay 73% of promised benefits all the way out to the year 2098.

  • The primary source of Social Security funding—payroll taxes—is continuous. As long as people are working, the system collects revenue. Currently, payroll taxes cover about 77-80% of benefit payments even without trust fund reserves.

  • Unlike private financial schemes, Social Security is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Congress has adjusted Social Security multiple times in its history, including the 1983 reforms, which raised the retirement age and increased payroll taxes to stabilize funding. Future adjustments will likely follow a similar path.

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Having Trouble with Insurance Renewal Since the LA Fires?

California residents affected by the devasting wildfires, especially in Los Angles are experiencing emotional heartbreak. Our hearts go out to you. Many have lost not only their homes but also a lifetime of memories. But what is causing this crisis, and what can you do to protect yourself from not being about to renew insurance after the LA wildfires?    

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Marcelle Kako
The IRS is coming for your cash app

Venmo, Zelle, PayPal… all the new ways society is getting used to sending, receiving, and requesting cash without ever needing a physical wallet. However, as we start to track more finances on our smartphones, the IRS is using the data to better enforce the tax code. Here is what consumers need to know about changes in the IRS tracking of cash transactions.

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Marcelle Kako
Reporting crypto on taxes: big changes for 2025

The IRS has your Bitcoin on their radar - get prepared before the grace period ends on December 31st! There are some big changes on the brink when it comes to how you report Bitcoin on your taxes. This blog presents a summary of what you need to know about changes in Bitcoin (and other digital asset) income tax reporting for 2025.

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Chris Jaccard, CFP®, CFA