Welcome to your daily briefing on finance developments in Texas. Today we're covering 4 key stories including updates on texas finance headlines, background & context. Let's dive in.
1 story
Texas First Bank highlights SBA loans for business owners, noting that lower down payments and competitive terms can help a business advance.
For finance professionals in TX, SBA financing from Texas First Bank may be a useful option to propose when clients need growth capital with more manageable upfront costs.
Reach professionals in this market
3 stories
Many states offer income-tax deductions for contributions to that state's 529 plan; a smaller number allow the deduction for any state's plan. Choosing an out-of-state plan with better fees can cost the in-state deduction — a tradeoff that depends on the state's tax rate and the deduction cap.
The optimal choice varies by state and family income. The "best 529 plans" lists in financial media frequently ignore state-specific tax effects.
Medicare Part B and D premiums above the standard amount apply when modified AGI exceeds thresholds — but the lookback is two years (so 2026 IRMAA uses 2024 income). Roth conversions or retirement-account distributions that bump MAGI in the lookback year can produce surcharges that hit two years later, often unexpectedly.
The IRMAA premium increases can run thousands per year per spouse and continue for the entire surcharge year. Planning conversions around the lookback is a meaningful retirement-tax variable.
Rebalancing taxable accounts realizes capital gains; the tax cost can erode the benefit of holding the target allocation. Tax-advantaged accounts (IRA, 401(k), Roth) have no such cost. A common improvement: hold higher-rebalance assets in tax-advantaged accounts and let taxable accounts drift longer between rebalances.
Mechanical rebalancing without account-type awareness can cost 0.3-0.7% annually in unnecessary tax drag. Coordinated rebalancing across account types is a standard practice that surprisingly few advisors implement.
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