Theme of LIGHT feels good!
For SAS Clients who send out Qualified Charitable Distribution checks; please send out all of your QCD checks by next week. It can take time for those checks to clear on the 501c3 organization's side, and clients may have to take a traditional distribution to meet their RMD if QCD checks do not fulfill their RMD amount by Dec. 15th.
Donor Advised Funds: if you plan to contribute into your Donor Advised Fund for 2023, please complete this task as soon as possible, it can take custodians several days to complete these transactions and easily be complicated by office closures over the holidays.
This is the time of year where all the “best of” lists are published including Time’s person of the year-Taylor Swift. We have not been to a movie theater since Covid began but we are thinking about it during the holidays. We just saw a great production of “Guys and Dolls” my favorite Broadway musical at the SF Playhouse on Post Street in union square. We were able to walk to the theater so we subscribed to this year's series. One of our resolutions after Covid receded is to make an effort to take advantage of city activities like music, theater and museums. Long walks in different city neighborhoods have provided us with activities that take advantage of our choice of city living. This time of year, results in more reflection on activities of the past year. It seems like time is moving so fast so as we age, we try to grab more of each day. What was your year like and what are you looking forward to next year? We have been fortunate to have one of our many Israeli cousins visiting with us for the past 6 weeks-she is our favorite cousin. When we and probably you as well have a visitor, you plan activities that you would not normally do. That included guys and dolls this week as well as four SF Jazz concerts although those are normal activities.
Last weekend, we visited the site of the Mavericks surf contest and drove down the coast to Pescadero and had dinner at a great seafood restaurant in Princeton/Pillar Point, just a short drive south of SF. For our cousin's birthday we drove north to Stinson Beach and further up the coast to Nick’s Cove in Tomales/Marshall. We do live in a beautiful Bay Area and so often we walk and drive around not paying much attention to where we are. Pay attention as the year draws to a close. Tonight was the first night of the Jewish holiday Hanukkah, so we lit candles-truly it is not the most important Jewish holiday, but the theme of LIGHT feels good this year when it is easy to see the darkness. Family and friends rise to the top of what’s important. Their health and safety are particularly important this year. So, give a special hug and make a special effort to reflect and look forward to better things in the new year. Think about what that might look like and what little behaviors or decisions could help to make those better things happen.
Of course, as financial planners we cannot neglect reminding you that many tax strategies depend on the calendar year so setting up a Donor Advised Fund, making donations in cash or through a Qualified Charitable Distribution need to happen this week. Also, certain retirement accounts need to be opened before the end of the year although not funded such as a solo 401k. Small business owners can pay accounts payable early to get the deduction this year. Have a happy holiday season.
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