Posts made in October 2023

There are some essential tips to remember if you work as a gig worker:

All income is taxable, regardless of whether you receive information returns, including full-time and part-time work and those paid in cash.

As a gig worker, your classification is as an employee or an independent contractor; this can depend on where you live, even for the same services.

Lastly, it’s important to remember to pay the correct taxes on this income throughout the year to manage owing additional taxes when you file. Because gig employees don’t have an employer withholding taxes from their paychecks, they can either submit a new W-4 and have their employer withhold more from their pay (if they have another job as an employee) or make quarterly estimated tax payments throughout the year.

*This information is not intended to substitute for specific individualized tax advice. We suggest you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional.

Tip adapted from IRS.gov⁸

Footnotes and Sources

8. ^{IRS.gov, January 31, 2023}

Rising bond yields and uncertainty over whether this was the close of the Fed’s rate-hike cycle dragged markets lower last week despite solid corporate earnings results.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 1.61%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 fell 2.39%. The Nasdaq Composite index, which has led for much of the year, slumped 3.16%. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, retreated 1.67%.^1,2,3

Rising Yields Sink Stocks

Stocks rallied to start the week on earnings optimism before losing momentum over rising bond yields. Yields rose after traders speculated that strong economic data might persuade the Fed to raise rates. By mid-week, stocks turned lower as the 10-year Treasury yield moved above 4.9% for the first time since 2007, while mortgage rates hit 8%–the highest level since mid-2000.⁴ 

Stocks were under pressure Thursday as the 10-year Treasury yield moved closer to 5% and in response to comments from Fed Chair Powell that inflation remained too high. With the 10-year Treasury yield crossing above the 5% mark on Friday–and ahead of a weekend of uncertainty in the Middle East–stocks weakened further, ending a down week on a sour note.

Economic Strength, Housing Weakness

The economy continued to evidence surprising strength according to data released last week. Despite worries of a struggling consumer, consumers increased their spending as retail sales rose 0.7% in September–well above the forecast of a 0.3% rise, while industrial output jumped 0.3%, exceeding the forecast of a 0.1% gain.⁵

There were also updates on the state of housing. Housing starts rebounded 7.0% from August, though permits (an indicator of future housing starts) declined 4.4% month-over-month. Existing home sales were weak, falling 2.0% from August and 15.4% from a year ago. Existing home sales are on track to record their slowest year since 2011.^6,7

Footnotes and Sources

1. ^{The Wall Street Journal, October 20, 2023}
2. ^{The Wall Street Journal, October 20, 2023}
3. ^{The Wall Street Journal, October 20, 2023}
4. ^{CNBC, October 17, 2023}
5. ^{CNBC, October 17, 2023}
6. ^{CNN, October 18, 2023}
7. ^{The Wall Street Journal, October 19, 2023}

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is available year-round for any questions. They also have a Taxpayer Bill of Rights, which promises the level of service and information you will receive when working with the IRS.

Here are the ten fundamental rights you have as a taxpayer when interacting with the IRS:

• The right to be informed: As a taxpayer, you have the right to know what is required to comply with tax laws.
• The right to quality service: You will receive prompt, courteous, and professional assistance.
• The right to pay no more than the correct amount of tax: You only pay what is legally due, including interest and penalties.
• The right to challenge the IRS’ position and be heard: You have the right to object to IRS actions and provide further justification with documentation.
• The right to appeal an IRS decision in an independent forum: Taxpayers are entitled to a fair and impartial administrative appeal of most IRS decisions, including certain penalties.
• The right to finality: You have the right to know how much time you have to challenge an IRS position and how soon the IRS must audit your taxes.
• The right to privacy: All IRS inquiries, examinations, and enforcement won’t be more intrusive than necessary.
• The right to confidentiality: Taxpayers have the right to expect that their tax information will remain confidential.
• The right to retain representation: Taxpayers have the right to retain an authorized representative of their choice to represent them in their interactions with the IRS.
• The right to a fair and just tax system: Taxpayers have the right to expect the tax system to consider all facts and circumstances that might affect their liabilities, ability to pay, or ability provide timely information.

*This information is not intended to substitute for specific individualized tax advice. We suggest you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional.

Tip adapted from IRS.gov⁶

Footnotes and Sources

6. ^{IRS.gov, February 6, 2023}

Stocks ended mixed last week amid the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East and higher-than-expected inflation data.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.20%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 rose 0.45%. But the Nasdaq Composite index slipped 0.18% for the five trading days. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, advanced 2.37%.^1,2,3

Inflation Hurts Sentiment

Stocks exhibited remarkable resilience in the face of a surprise attack on Israel and hotter inflation data than investors expected. Stock prices initially buckled on the breakout of hostilities in the Middle East. Still, they rallied in afternoon trading as investors gained optimism that the war may not spread to other countries. Oil and defense stocks rose sharply, while airlines fell.

Stocks continued to advance into Wednesday as falling bond yields and a retreat in oil prices overcame the disappointment of an elevated wholesale inflation report. When consumer prices also came in higher than anticipated by Wall Street, stocks moved lower in response to higher bond yields. The weakness continued into Friday on a bump in consumer inflation expectations despite a solid start to a new earnings season.

PPI, CPI Updates

The disinflationary trend appears to be stalling if the inflation numbers are any indication. September’s producer price index (PPI) came in higher than expected, rising 0.5% versus a forecast of a 0.3% increase, while the year-over-year increase of 2.2% was the most significant jump since April. The driver of last month’s hop was in goods, which surged 0.9%.⁴

Consumer inflation data followed, which also came in hotter than forecast. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.4% in September and 3.7% year-over-year above the forecast of 0.3% and 3.6%, respectively. The news on core inflation was a bit more comforting, rising in line with expectations.⁵

Footnotes and Sources

1. ^{The Wall Street Journal, October 13, 2023}
2. ^{The Wall Street Journal, October 13, 2023}
3. ^{The Wall Street Journal, October 13, 2023}
4. ^{CNBC, October 11, 2023}
5. ^{CNBC, October 12, 2023}

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has a handy tool called the Tax Withholding Estimator, which can help you manage having too much or too little tax withheld from your wages.

The tool can also help you determine if you must complete a new W-4 to submit to your employer, complete a new W-4P, or make additional payments to the IRS. It does this by estimating your annual income, how many children you claim for the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit, and other items that may affect your yearly taxes.

Before using the Tax Withholding Estimator, gather all necessary documents; this includes your W-2 from your employer, any 1099 forms you have from banks and other payers, and any other forms you need. Gathering as much information as possible will help because the estimator will only be as accurate as the information you enter.

*This information is not intended to substitute for specific individualized tax advice. We suggest you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional.

Tip adapted from IRS.gov⁸

Footnotes and Sources

8. ^{IRS.gov, April 13, 2023}

A Friday rally overcame a shaky week, sending stocks mostly higher.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.30% for the week. Meanwhile, the Standard & Poor’s 500 gained 0.48%, and the Nasdaq Composite index added 1.60% for the five trading days. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, fell 2.37%.^1,2,3

Friday Rally

Stocks rallied on Friday after a stronger employment report than Wall Street expected. The headline increase in September payrolls initially generated fears of further Fed rate hikes, leading to a spike in bond yields and steep early morning losses. A yield retreat may have triggered the turnaround as investors focused more on the month’s moderate wage growth.

Stocks were shaky for much of last week on rising bond yields. When Treasury yields hit their highest level since 2007 on Tuesday, stock prices dropped, leaving the Dow Industrials in negative territory for the year. The catalyst for the day’s spike in interest rates was a surprisingly strong JOLTS (Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey) showing nearly one million more open jobs than investors had expected.⁴

All About Jobs

The labor market remains resilient. August JOLTS showed job openings exceeded 9.6 million, above the consensus estimate of 8.8 million. A weak Automated Data Processing (ADP) private payroll job growth (released Wednesday) that showed 89,000 new private sector jobs appeared to be an outlier compared to the other reports.^5,6

Friday’s monthly employment report showed a robust gain of 336,000 new jobs, nearly double the consensus forecast of 170,000. At the same time, the previous two months saw significant upward revisions of 119,000 (combined) from initial reports. Wage gains rose modestly, coming in below expectations and striking a hopeful note on inflation.⁷

Footnotes and Sources

1. ^{The Wall Street Journal, October 6, 2023}
2. ^{The Wall Street Journal, October 6, 2023}
3. ^{The Wall Street Journal, October 6, 2023}
4. ^{CNBC, October 3, 2023}
5. ^{CNBC, October 3, 2023}
6. ^{CNBC, October 4, 2023}
7. ^{CNBC, October 6, 2023}

Can you deduct expenses such as gas, depreciation, and lease payments on your tax returns? If you are a business owner or self-employed individual, you may be able to. If you use your car for business and personal purposes, you will want to base any deductions on the mileage used for business.

There are two ways to calculate the car expenses you can deduct. The first method calculates and deducts expenses, including depreciation, lease payments, gas and oil, tires, repairs and tune-ups, insurance, and registration fees.

The second is to use the standard mileage rate, which is a rate calculated to represent gas and some of the above factors. In 2023, the standard mileage rate is 65.5 cents per mile. Taxpayers who want to use the standard mileage rate for a car they own must use this method in the first year the vehicle is available for use in their business.

*This information is not intended to substitute for specific individualized tax advice. We suggest you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional.

Tip adapted from IRS.gov⁷

Footnotes And Sources

7. ^{IRS.gov, April 6, 2023}

Rising bond yields and government shutdown fears left stocks in mostly negative territory for the week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.34%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 slipped 0.74%. The Nasdaq Composite index was flat (+0.06%) for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, fell 1.95%.^1,2,3

Stocks Follow The Bond Market

The bond market drove stock prices for much of last week as investors fretted about rising bond yields. After beginning the week with small gains, stocks resumed their September decline amid weak housing data and a decline in consumer confidence. However, it was the jump in bond yields, which sent the 10-year Treasury yield to near a 15-year high, that may have most undermined investor sentiment.⁴

After a failed attempt at a rebound mid-week, stocks staged a Thursday rally on a pause in bond yield increases–a rally that extended into Friday morning on an encouraging core personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index report. (PCE is the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge.) But the rally faded as traders fixated on a potential government shutdown.

Mixed Economic Signals

Amid recent signs of a labor market cooling (a hopeful sign for ending rate hikes), last Thursday’s initial jobless claims report showed only a slight increase of 204,000. That was the second-lowest reading since January and below economists’ expectations of 215,000. Continuing claims declined by 12,000.⁵

That same morning, the final estimate of second-quarter GDP was released, indicating a 2.1 annualized growth rate–unchanged from the previous estimate. However, beneath the headline number, consumer spending was cut to a 0.8 percent rise from its earlier estimate of 1.7 percent–a worrisome revision since consumer spending is the engine of the U.S. economy.⁶

Footnotes And Sources

1. ^{The Wall Street Journal, September 29, 2023}
2. ^{The Wall Street Journal, September 29, 2023}
3. ^{The Wall Street Journal, September 29, 2023}
4. ^{CNBC, September 26, 2023}
5. ^{FX Street, September 28, 2023}
6. ^{MarketWatch, September 28, 2023}