Words of Wisdom for the Holidays
If you think you’re enlightened, go spend a week with your family.
Ram Dass
 
The holidays can be a stressful time. What with family gatherings, politics and now the fluttering stock market. So, take it from Groucho Marx. It might be wise during the holidays to insert a sanity clause into all of your agreements and relationships.
Frisco Street
Among the ways many of us keep sane and express our gratitude this time of year is through charitable giving. Charity may begin at home; but supporting our favorite causes can make us feel better and can lower our tax bill, too. As Judge Learned Hand famously said: “Anyone may arrange his affairs so that his taxes shall be as low as possible.”
 
But the new tax law has made charitable giving more complicated than ever. Included in this newsletter are a couple of articles on ways to continue to receive tax benefits from your charitable contributions by navigating around the new tax laws restrictive provisions. 

Speaking of taxes, here are some key numbers for 2018.
So, please enjoy this newsletter. And have a wonderful holiday season and a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Sincerely,

Steven R. Smith, JD, CFP®
We explore the contours of the IRA Charitable Rollover as an effective tool for the charitably inclined IRA owner aged 70 1/2 and over, especially in light of the new tax law.
Bunching and the Donor Advised Fund as a workaround to the new limitations on charitable giving in the Tax Cut and Jobs Act.
Learning where you stand on the Spectrum of Financial Dependence and Independence may help you take the next step toward your goals.
Fidelity Investments recently introduced some zero cost index funds. What does it mean for investors?