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Live-In Flip Tax Strategy: How to Qualify for the Section 121 Exclusion
By Cynthia Meyer, CFP®, CFA, ChFC®, Real Life Planning LLC
What if you could buy a home, live in it, renovate it while you live there, and then sell it shortly after the renovation is done?
This is what real estate investors call a “live in flip”, and it can be a great strategy with its own particular tax advantages. This strategy is not uncommon among real estate investors, especially those new to real estate investing and property renovation with an interest in design and rehabilitation.
As a real estate financial planner, I often have clients ask me if it’s a good idea to live in a property, renovate it, and then sell it for profit. That’s why we’re unpacking the live in flip strategy and the potential benefits it may have for a real estate investor.
A live in flip is a strategy where an investor buys a home, lives in it during renovations, and sells it after at least two years for a potential profit. The idea is to add value through upgrades and improvements while treating the property as a primary residence, rather than a short-term investment.
Donating to Charity? Donate Investments, Not Cash, and Improve Your Portfolio, Too.
By Meg Bartelt, CFP®, MSFP, RICP®, Flow Financial Planning
Why do you give money to charity? To help the people and causes that deserve help.
That should always be the guiding light of your giving decisions. If you end up giving money in a financially “sub-optimal” way…kinda, so what? You still accomplished the most important piece.
That said, there are several charitable-giving tactics that get the same number of dollars to charities while also improving your investment portfolio and taxes. Today, let’s discuss one such tactic: donating investments (technically, “appreciated securities”) instead of donating cash.
An “appreciated security” is simply an investment—mostly commonly shares of stock or ETFs or mutual funds—that has grown in value. So, instead of donating $10,000 in cash, you donate $10,000 shares of your Apple stock that has grown a bazillion percent since you bought it in 2013.
Filing a Tax Extension Is Not a Big Deal (Here's Why It Might Actually Help You)
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®, Elevation Financial LLC
Every spring, millions of Americans scramble to meet the April 15th tax deadline. There is a collective anxiety around it, as if missing that date means something has gone terribly wrong.
But here is the truth: filing a tax extension is completely normal, widely used, and in many cases, the smarter choice.
If you have ever hesitated to file an extension because you were worried it might trigger an audit or signal some kind of red flag to the IRS, you can let that fear go. The reality is quite different from what most people assume.
RSU Tax Traps You’re Overlooking And How To Fix Them
By Christopher Stroup, CFP®, MBA, EA, Silicon Beach Financial
If you work at a company like OpenAI, Meta, Google, Tesla, or another growth-stage startup, RSUs may represent a meaningful portion of your total compensation. The issue is not whether RSUs are valuable. The issue is whether you have a system for managing them.
RSUs are simple on the surface. They vest. You receive shares. Taxes are withheld.
But beneath that simplicity are planning decisions that can materially affect your after-tax wealth
Let’s break down the traps.
Trap #1: Assuming Payroll Withholding Is “Enough”
When RSUs vest, the value of the shares is taxed as ordinary income. Most companies automatically withhold shares to cover taxes. This is called net settlement.
Here is where problems begin.
Following along with the blogs of financial advisors is a great way to access valuable, educational information about finance—and it doesn’t cost you a thing! Our financial planners love to share their knowledge and help everyone regardless of age or assets.
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