Hidden Taxes: What Is Your True Cost?

Collaborative Financial Solutions, LLC

CA Insurance License #0B33145 Janet Barr, MS, ChFC, CLU LPL Registered Principal 206 E. Victoria St Santa Barbara, CA 93101 805-965-0101
[email protected] www.collaborativefinancialsolutions.com We are pretty well aware of the taxes we must pay as U.S. citizens; income taxes, payroll taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, and gift and estate taxes, to name a few. We can easily see these taxes on our pay stubs, tax bills, and sales receipts. But there are other taxes imposed on us that you may not be aware of. They are "hidden taxes." And when you add them together with visible taxes, you may be surprised about how high your taxes really are. Here's the rundown on hidden taxes. gallon (California). (Source: Tax Foundation, Tax Data, February 25, 2011) Taxes associated with traveling by air can include ticket excise tax, flight segment tax, arrival and departure fees, September 11 security fees, passenger facility fees, and--if your travel is international--agricultural inspection, customs, and immigration user fees. There are 16 or more fees that can add up to $61 (or 20% of your total cost) or more. (Source: Airlines for America, www.airlines.org, 2012) And those are just the U.S. taxes; there can be foreign taxes as well.

May 2012
Hidden Taxes: What Is Your True Cost? Why Women Need Social Security Pay Down Debt or Save and Invest? What is personal liability insurance and do I have it?

Car rental, hotel, and meal taxes can also add up. The GBTA Foundation, the education and How taxes are hidden research foundation of the Global Business Taxes are hidden in many ways. For example, Travel Association (GBTA), reported from its 2011 annual study of the top 50 U.S. travel you see the payroll taxes that are deducted from your payroll check each pay period. What destination cities that the travel taxes and fees you do not see are the taxes that your employer imposed on travel-related services increased the traveler's cost an average of 56% over and pays. For example, in addition to income tax, above any general sales taxes paid, and that your employer pays half of the Social Security taxes for a single night at the national average tax as well as unemployment tax on your room rate of $95.61 were $13.12. The wages. Like all costs paid by your employer, combined lodging taxes levied by state, county, these taxes get passed on to you as an and city averaged 13.73%. (Source: News employee (as a factor in compensation paid), Release, July 21, 2011, www.gbta.org). as well as to shareholders and to clients and customers. And if you're receiving dividends Sin taxes from a corporation, keep in mind that taxes A seemingly favorite way for government to tax have already been paid on that income. is with the so-called "sin" taxes. Ostensibly, But most hidden taxes are paid by consumers. these taxes are imposed to reduce behavior Sometimes these taxes are disguised as fees, that society considers unhealthy, immoral, or surcharges, tariffs, duties, assessments, dues, just undesirable in some way. That is why there excises, levies, licenses, and tolls, among is a tax on soda, alcohol, tobacco, gambling, others. And sometimes they're simply rolled into and ammunition and firearms. According to the the price of goods and services and are either Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, completely undisclosed or they appear revenue collected in 2011 for just some of the somewhere in the fine print, which is often left above-referenced items totaled approximately unread by the consumer. $26 billion. (Source: Statistical Release, December 1, 2011, www.TTB.gov) Planes, trains, and automobiles Many hidden taxes are associated with travel. For example, when you pull up to the pump, you can clearly see the price for the gas, but the "taxes included" disclosure is usually posted somewhere else. How much of what you pay goes to tax revenue? Well, it varies by each state and its tax policy at the time, but it can range from 8 per gallon (Alaska) to 47.7 per

Why are taxes hidden?

Not surprisingly, hidden taxes largely go unnoticed. The result may be that this can make it difficult for us to choose wisely the goods and services that we purchase, or to have a true accounting of our total tax burdens.

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Why Women Need Social Security

Did you know that the first person ever to receive ongoing Social Security benefits was a woman? Ever since Ida May Fuller received the first retirement benefit check in 1940, women have been counting on Social Security to provide much-needed retirement income. Social Security provides other important benefits too, including disability and survivor's benefits, that can help women of all ages and their family members. the Social Security Administration (SSA), in 1970, only 41% of women were insured; today, approximately 74% of women are insured.** In general, to be insured for disability benefits, you must have earned at least 20 work credits during the last 40 calendar quarters (10 years). If you qualify for benefits, certain family members (such as your dependent children) may also be able to collect benefits based on your work record.

Retirement benefits: a steady stream of Because eligibility requirements are strict, Social Security is not a substitute for other lifetime income
While Social Security retirement benefits are important for everyone, they are especially important for women. Because women generally live longer and tend to have lower lifetime earnings than men, they may be more dependent on Social Security benefits in retirement.*

types of disability insurance, but it can provide basic income protection for working women and their family members.

Survivor's benefits: financial protection for your family

If you have any questions about the Social Security program or the benefits you may be entitled to, visit www.socialsecurity.gov, or call (800) 772-1213.

You probably know the value of having life insurance to protect your family, but did you Fortunately, you can count on two features of know that Social Security offers valuable Social Security to help you provide for a long income protection as well? If you are insured retirement. First, benefits last as long as you under Social Security at your death, your live; although you may exhaust other sources of surviving spouse (or ex-spouse), your children, retirement income, it's impossible to outlive or dependent parents may be eligible for your Social Security retirement income. benefits based on your earnings record. Second, Social Security benefits are subject to You also have survivor protection if you're automatic cost-of-living adjustments that married and your insured spouse dies. If you're increase benefits when prices increase, an caring for a child who is younger than age 16 or especially valuable feature when you have to disabled and who is entitled to benefits, you rely on a fixed income for many years. may be entitled to widow's benefits. You may When you work and pay Social Security taxes, you earn credits that enable you to qualify for Social Security benefits. You can earn up to 4 credits per year, depending on the amount of income that you earn, and you'll generally need 40 credits (10 years of work) to be insured for retirement benefits. Your monthly retirement benefit will be based on your lifetime earnings. However, if you don't work outside the home or haven't worked long enough to qualify for Social Security based on your own record (or have much lower earnings than your spouse), you may still be eligible based on your spouse's record. also be entitled to benefits if you are age 60 or older (age 50 or older if you're disabled).

Three tips

Use the benefit calculators available on the Social Security website to estimate your future retirement, disability, and survivor's benefits. Social Security was never intended to cover all of your financial needs, but understanding what benefits you might be entitled to can help you plan for the future. Consider the impact on your Social Security benefits if you plan on taking time out of the workforce. Having years of no or low earnings may mean lower benefits, and can also affect Disability benefits: help when you're ill your eligibility for disability coverage. or injured Check your earnings history regularly, and During your working years, you may suffer a report any name changes right away to the serious illness or injury that prevents you from SSA so that your earnings are recorded earning a living, potentially putting yourself and properly. If your name doesn't match SSA your family at financial risk. But if you're insured records, any income tax refund can also be under Social Security, you may be able to get delayed. disability benefits if you have worked long Sources: *Fact Sheet: Social Security Is enough in recent years, your disability is Important to Women, SSA Press Office; **Fast expected to last at least a year or result in Facts & Figures About Social Security, 2011, death, and you meet other requirements. SSA More women than ever are now insured for Social Security disability benefits. According to

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Pay Down Debt or Save and Invest?

There are certainly a variety of strategies for paying off debt, many of which can reduce how long it will take to pay off the debt and the total interest paid. But should you pay off the debt? Or should you save and invest? To find out, compare what rate of return you can earn on your investments versus the interest rate on the debt. There may be other factors that you should consider as well. pay deductible interest of 6%, and your tax rate is 28%. So, if you have $20,000 available to invest or pay off debt, it may make sense to pay off the credit card with $10,000 and invest the remaining $10,000. When investing, keep in mind that, in general, the higher the rate of return, the greater the risk, which can include the loss of principal. If you make investments rather than pay off debt and your investments incur losses, you may still have debts to pay, but will you have the money needed to pay them?

Rate of return on investments versus interest rate on debt

Should you pay off debt or should you save and invest? To find out, compare what rate of return you can earn on your investments versus the interest rate on the debt. There may be other factors that you should consider as well.

Probably the most common factor used to decide whether to pay off debt or to make investments is to consider whether you could earn a higher after-tax rate of return on the investments than the after-tax interest rate on the debt if you were to invest your money instead of using it to pay off the debt.

Some other considerations

When deciding whether to pay down debt or to save and invest, you might also consider the following.

What are the terms of your debt? Are there any penalties for prepayment? For example, say you have a credit card with a Do you actually have money that you could $10,000 balance on which you pay invest? Most debts have minimum payments nondeductible interest of 18%. You would that must be paid each month. Failure to generally need to earn an after-tax rate of make the minimum payment can result in return greater than 18% to consider making an penalties, increased interest rates, and investment rather than paying off the debt. So, default. Are your funds needed to make those if you have $10,000 available to invest or pay payments? off debt and the outlook for earning an after-tax How much debt do you have? Is it a rate of return greater than 18% isn't good, it problem? How do you feel about debt? Is it may be better to pay off the debt than to make something you can easily live with or does it an investment. make you uncomfortable? On the other hand, say you have a mortgage If you say you will save the money, will you with a $10,000 balance on which you pay really invest it or will you spend it? If you pay deductible interest of 6%. If your income tax off the debt, you will have assured instant rate is 28%, your after-tax cost for the mortgage savings by eliminating the need to come up is only 4.32% (6% x (1 - 28%)). You would with the money needed to pay the interest on generally need to earn an after-tax rate of the debt. return greater than 4.32% to consider making an investment rather than paying off the debt. Would you be able to borrow an additional So, if you have $10,000 available to invest or amount, if needed, and at what interest rate, pay off debt and the outlook for earning an if you paid off current debt? Do you have an after-tax rate of return greater than 4.32% is emergency fund, or other source of funds, good, it may be better to invest the $10,000 that could be used if you lose your job or rather than using it to pay off the debt. have a medical emergency, or would you have to borrow? Of course, it isn't an all-or-nothing choice. It may be useful to apply a strategy of paying off If your employer matches your contributions debts with high interest rates first, and then in a 401(k) plan, you should generally invest investing when you have a good opportunity to in the 401(k) to get the matching contribution. make investments that may earn a higher For example, if your employer matches 50% after-tax rate of return than the after-tax interest of your contributions up to 6% in a 401(k) rate on the debts remaining. plan, getting the 50% match is like getting an instant 50% return on your contribution. In Say, for example, you have a credit card with a addition, there are tax advantages to $10,000 balance on which you pay 18% investing in a 401(k) plan. nondeductible interest. You also have a mortgage with a $10,000 balance on which you

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Collaborative Financial Solutions, LLC

CA Insurance License #0B33145 Janet Barr, MS, ChFC, CLU LPL Registered Principal 206 E. Victoria St Santa Barbara, CA 93101 805-965-0101
[email protected] www.collaborativefinancialsolutions.com

What is personal liability insurance and do I have it?

Personal liability insurance protects your assets if you injure another person or damage someone else's property. It's also known as third-party insurance because it protects you if a third party files a claim against you. Personal liability insurance can be purchased as part of a package policy (such as a homeowners or automobile insurance policy) or as a separate policy (such as a personal umbrella liability policy). Today, lawsuits are everywhere. What if your dog bites a neighbor? What would happen if someone slips and falls on your front walk? While you may not be able to avoid all accidents, you can transfer some of the financial risk of the resulting loss to an insurance company by buying personal liability insurance. How much liability coverage do you need? Probably more than you think you do. Because there's no optimum amount that applies to everyone, how much personal liability coverage you need depends partly on your tolerance for risk. Can you afford to pay the cost of a claim out of pocket or would even a small claim threaten your finances? If you already have liability coverage, take a look at your current policy. Determine whether your liability limits are high enough, or if there are any coverage gaps you'd like to fill. If you own a homeowners or automobile insurance policy or another type of property insurance (e.g., mobile home insurance or renters insurance), you have basic personal liability coverage. These policies will protect you against many liability claims. Your insurance company will defend or settle claims and lawsuits brought against you and pay the sum owed for covered damages (bodily injury or property damage), up to the liability limits of the policy. If you want greater liability coverage limits or if you want broader coverage that includes more types of claims, consider buying a personal umbrella liability policy. No personal liability insurance policy will protect you against every loss you might face. Generally, personal liability policies don't cover claims stemming from your business or profession, claims resulting from an act intended to cause injury or damage, and damage to property owned by you.

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine which investment(s) may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly. The tax information provided is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax planning advice. We suggest that you consult with a qualified tax advisor. Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC

What is umbrella insurance and why do I need it?

Umbrella liability insurance (ULI) provides additional liability coverage in excess of the liability coverage provided by other insurance policies, such as homeowners, renters, and auto insurance. By providing liability protection above and beyond these basic coverages, ULI can protect you against the catastrophic losses that can occur if you are sued. Although ULI can be purchased as a separate policy, your insurer will require that you have basic liability coverage (i.e., homeowners/renters insurance, auto insurance, or both) before you can purchase an umbrella liability policy. A typical umbrella liability policy provides protection, up to the coverage limits specified in the policy, for vehicle-related liabilities above your basic auto policy; for claims of bodily injuries or property damage caused by you or members of your household; for incidents that occur on or off your property; for non-business-related personal injury claims, such as slander, libel, wrongful eviction, and false arrest; and for legal defense costs for a covered loss, including lawyers' fees and associated court costs. Policy exclusions vary from one insurer to another, but typically, basic umbrella liability insurance doesn't cover intentional damage caused by you or a member of your family or household; damages arising out of business or professional pursuits; liability that you accept under the terms of a contract or agreement; liability related to the ownership, maintenance, and use of aircraft, nontraditional watercraft (e.g., jet skis), and most recreational vehicles; damage to property owned, used, or maintained by you; damage covered under a workers' compensation policy; and liability arising as a result of war or insurrection. How much liability insurance do you need? A large judgment against you could easily wipe out your assets and put your future earnings in jeopardy. That's why you should also consider factors such as how often you have guests in your home, whether you operate a home-based business, how much you drive, whether you have teenage drivers in your home, and whether your lifestyle gives the impression that you have "deep pockets." Your insurance professional can help you determine how much coverage you need.

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