Something we never have a shortage of are proposals to change our tax systems. When it’s election time, we hear even more proposals, as well as how various parts of our tax system are flawed, usually due to actions or inactions of the opposing party. We also hear lots of incomplete statements, promises of tax changes too costly to be enacted, and ideas that will be replaced by the time the winner gets down to crafting a real set of tax and budget proposals. This article describes some of the tax proposals of the two presidential candidates along with suggestions on how we should analyze them against principles supporting effective tax systems, with highlights of some important facts seemingly missing from current tax discussions. These proposals are also relevant to members of Congress as to whether they support any of them and how they align with tax changes that the member would like to see enacted.
Tackling Taxes On an Inherited HSA
Keith Schroeder, EA
The Health Savings Account (HSA) is a first line of defense tax strategy. Contributions are deductible and earnings are tax-free if used for qualified medical expenses. There are numerous features to the HSA that secure maximum tax benefits. Structured properly, an HSA can provide serious tax-free money to beneficiaries as well as the account holder. Before we review the implications of inheriting an HSA, let’s review some of the powerful features an HSA has that increases the value of the account.
