Estate Tax After the Fiscal Cliff

By Mark Fissel
Posted on April 1st, 2013

After threatening to go over the fiscal cliff, the gift tax, estate tax, and generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax have come in for a soft landing. […]

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Understanding the New Medicare Tax on Unearned Income

By Mark Fissel
Posted on April 1st, 2013

Health-care reform legislation enacted in 2010 included a new 3.8% Medicare tax on the unearned income of certain high-income individuals. The new tax, known as […]

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Quarterly Economic Perspective

By Mark Fissel
Posted on April 1st, 2013

The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the unemployment rate fell to 7.7%; the 246,000 new jobs added by the private sector were partly offset by […]

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Quarterly Market Update

By Mark Fissel
Posted on April 1st, 2013

The Markets If domestic equities hit the snooze button for the rest of 2013, they would still have had a pretty good record for the […]

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Looking Backward and Forward on Entitlement Programs

By Mark Fissel
Posted on March 1st, 2013

Last year’s presidential election, along with the more recent fiscal cliff and debt ceiling negotiations, have put the spotlight on our nation’s tax policy, deficit, […]

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The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012

By Mark Fissel
Posted on March 1st, 2013

The new year started with some political drama, as Congress passed legislation on January 1, 2013, to prevent the country from going over the “fiscal […]

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Making the Most of Your 401(k) Plan

By Mark Fissel
Posted on March 1st, 2013

A 401(k) plan represents one of the most powerful retirement savings opportunities available today. If your employer offers a 401(k) plan and you’re not participating […]

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Economic Perspective – Feb 2013

By Mark Fissel
Posted on March 1st, 2013

The Month in Review U.S. economic growth for the fourth quarter of 2012 wasn’t as bad as the Commerce Department’s initial estimate. The department’s revised […]

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Market Recap – February 2013

By Mark Fissel
Posted on March 1st, 2013

The Markets Continued improvements in economic data seemed to trump any investor anxiety about the impending package of budget cuts known as the sequester. Domestic […]

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Estate Planning Strategies in a Low-Interest-Rate Environment

By Mark Fissel
Posted on February 4th, 2013

The federal government requires the use of certain interest rates to value various items used in estate planning, such as an income, annuity, or remainder […]

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