Over the years, I have studied the art of promotion. Unfortunately, if you don’t market yourself, nobody may ever know about your attributes of excellence.

I distinctly remember reading the book Brag by Peggy Klaus. This bestseller discussed the art of self promotion without over-doing it and the full title of the book is “Brag!: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn without Blowing It.” In her book, she states, ” When done with grace and style, bragging promotes your best asset-you!.”

As a wealth management consultant and professor for over a decade, it is that time again to file our taxes. With tax filings, we must document our income, expenses, deductions, exemptions, retirement contributions and so forth. Some of us must file our taxes for partnerships or corporations.

Wealth management comprises various subjects including: Economics, Banking, Investments, Risk Management, Investment/Asset Management, Estate Succession, Taxation, and Trust Planning and Retirement Planning.

Tips for Taxpayers Who Can’t Pay Their Taxes on Time – If you owe tax with your federal tax return, but can’t afford to pay it all when you file, the IRS wants you to know your options and help you keep interest and penalties to a minimum.

Discusses the definition of Statutory Employees and how the term relates to insurance agents. Issues surrounding employees and independent contractors are further complicated by legislation affecting life-insurance and annuity salespeople.

A recent U.S. District Court case, Fisher v. U.S., reminds us that times have changed – placing assets in a business entity is no longer enough to justify a valuation discount—the entity must be run like a business to justify the discount.

Hybrid income annuity products can be a great way to provide clients with a stream of income during retirement, especially when they offer guaranteed lifetime withdrawal benefits (GLWB). Despite this, there are a number of reasons why clients may continue to resist locking their funds into an annuity. Typically, they worry about losing control of their retirement savings, or an insurance company’s failure to continue annuity payments should they die earlier than expected. The market turmoil of the past few years has generated an additional concern about the financial stability of the companies issuing annuity contracts. A recent National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Life Insurance and Annuities Committee meeting should lead to new regulations that will clarify and conform hybrid income annuities in order to make them much easier to sell.

What Is a Hybrid Income Annuity?

Hybrid income annuity products are annuities that are combined with a different type of annuity within the same annuity contract. For example, a contingent deferred annuity (CDA) is an annuity that guarantees lifetime payments based on the value of the assets in the annuity account. Income payments are conditional upon the owner’s survival and the depletion of the assets in the account. Often, a GLWB rider is attached to the annuity to provide lifetime income payments that begin if there is a depletion or change in value of the annuity account’s assets. The addition of the GLWB rider is what makes the annuity a hybrid.

Synthetic hybrid income annuities, which are hybrid income annuities where the assets in the account are not owned by the insurer, are also being investigated, and would be subject to any new regulation.

For previous coverage of the guaranteed lifetime withdrawal benefits in Advisor’s Journal, see More Consumers Buy Guaranteed Living Benefits Rider.

For in-depth analysis of the different types of annuity product, see Advisor’s Main Library: E—Annuities.

Considers the proper classification of employees versus independent contractors and examines the tax and reporting considerations of independent contractors as they relate to self employed individuals

If you have been out of work or looking for a job, here are some tips from the IRS that you may find useful. These tips may also help you get more money back or even bigger deductions for looking for work.

Your kids can be helpful at tax time. That doesn’t mean they’ll sort your tax receipts or refill your coffee, but those charming children may help you qualify for some valuable tax benefits. Here are 10 things the IRS wants parents to consider when filing their taxes this year.

Discusses some of the impacts offshore planning can have on U.S. taxpayers in regards to estate planning. Provides wealth managers a review of international taxation as it relates to clients generally.