Episode #95: We Have a New Tax Bill [And It's a Whopper]

The House Ways & Means Committee recently released proposed tax reform legislation that brings major changes to the current levels of taxation, including reversals of several provisions introduced in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. We dedicated this episode to exploring what this new proposal includes and some of the key aspects of the proposal that may interest our listeners. Throughout the episode, Grant dives deep into proposed provisions related to retirement, new tax brackets, business tax, tax on cryptocurrency, estate planning, and more.

Show Notes

[02:19] Background and Progress – Grant starts the conversation with a brief review of what led to this new proposed piece of legislation, its current status, and the path to getting it signed into law.

[08:16] Roth IRA Conversions – The proposed tax bill calls to prohibit Roth IRA conversions on after-tax contributions, which has been a very convenient maneuver for tax planning. Grant shares his thoughts on what to keep in mind if you’re considering a Roth IRA conversion.

[12:35] High-Income Earners – The new tax bill also brings provisions to restrict high-income earners from doing any Roth IRA conversions starting from 2031. Grant dives into the reasoning behind this, why this provision is proposed to come into effect ten years from now, and some other restrictions that apply to high-income earners.

[16:27] Mandatory Distributions – How the proposed new legislation mandates taking money out of your retirement accounts if the total value of all your retirement accounts exceeds a given threshold.

[20:00] Tax Brackets and Rates – Grant dives into how the tax brackets and applicable tax rates are updated in the proposed legislation and proposed changes to taxation on capital gains.

[27:47] Ultra-high Income – Grant shares his take on the 3 percent surtax proposed to apply for people who make over $5 million.

[29:47] Surtax on Trusts – The proposed legislation also brings provisions to add a surtax on trusts. Grant talks about the proposed tax brackets and rates related to trusts and what you should keep in mind when considering estate planning.

[31:08] Business Tax – How the proposed tax bill affects businesses depending on the type of business entity and some of the planning opportunities that emerge with the new proposal.

[35:35] Business Income Deductions – The new proposed legislation reforms a set of provisions related to business deductions that are introduced in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Grant explains some of these reforms and what business owners should keep in mind about tax planning.

[39:02] Cryptocurrency Assets – Some of the tax-related legislations that apply to other assets such as stocks and bonds do not currently apply to cryptocurrency assets. Grant shares his thoughts on how that may change in the new proposed tax bill and what crypto investors show know about the new tax bill.

[42:26] Estate Planning – Another provision in the proposed tax bill brings some significant changes to taxes related to estate planning. Grant dives into what these updates include and what you should keep in mind about taking advantage of the current thresholds and exemptions.

Resources

https://waysandmeans.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/chairman-neal-announces-additional-days-markup-build-back-better-act