March 2023 Newsletter - Honey, They Shrunk the Groceries

Honey, They Shrunk the Groceries

Have you noticed that packages are smaller at the grocery store? If so, you're not alone. A majority of U.S. adults have noticed shrinkflation — products shrinking in size while prices stay the same or increase. And about two out of three are very or somewhat concerned about the trend. 

Consumers were most likely to say they noticed shrinkflation with snack items, followed by pantry items and frozen food. Shoppers also noticed it with meat, bread, beverages, dairy, produce, and other items. Here's what consumers did when they noticed shrinkflation.

Source: Morning Consult, August 29, 2022 (multiple responses allowed

Key Retirement and Tax Numbers for 2023

Every year, the Internal Revenue Service announces cost-of-living adjustments that affect contribution limits for retirement plans and various tax deduction, exclusion, exemption, and threshold amounts. Here are a few of the key adjustments for 2023. 

Estate, Gift, and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax 

• The annual gift tax exclusion (and annual generation-skipping transfer tax exclusion) for 2023 is $17,000, up from $16,000 in 2022. 

• The gift and estate tax basic exclusion amount (and generation-skipping transfer tax exemption) for 2023 is $12,920,000, up from $12,060,000 in 2022. 

Standard Deduction 

A taxpayer can generally choose to itemize certain deductions or claim a standard deduction on the federal income tax return. In 2023, the standard deduction is: 

• $13,850 (up from $12,950 in 2022) for single filers or married individuals filing separate returns • $27,700 (up from $25,900 in 2022) for married joint filers 

• $20,800 (up from $19,400 in 2022) for heads of household The additional standard deduction amount for the blind and those age 65 or older in 2023 is: 

• $1,850 (up from $1,750 in 2022) for single filers and heads of household 

• $1,500 (up from $1,400 in 2022) for all other filing statuses 

Special rules apply for those who can be claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer. 

IRAs 

The combined annual limit on contributions to traditional and Roth IRAs is $6,500 in 2023 (up from $6,000 in 2022), with individuals age 50 or older able to contribute an additional $1,000. The limit on contributions to a Roth IRA phases out for certain modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) ranges (see chart). For individuals who are active participants in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, the deduction for contributions to a traditional IRA also phases out for certain MAGI ranges (see chart). The limit on nondeductible contributions to a traditional IRA is not subject to phaseout based on MAGI. 

Note: The 2023 phaseout range is $218,000-$228,000 (up from $204,000-$214,000 in 2022) when the individual making the IRA contribution is not covered by a workplace retirement plan but is filing jointly with a spouse who is covered. The phaseout range is $0-$10,000 when the individual is married filing separately and either spouse is covered by a workplace plan.

Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans • Employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), and most 457 plans can defer up to $22,500 in compensation in 2023 (up from $20,500 in 2022); employees age 50 or older can defer up to an additional $7,500 in 2023 (up from $6,500 in 2022). • Employees participating in a SIMPLE retirement plan can defer up to $15,500 in 2023 (up from $14,000 in 2022), and employees age 50 or older can defer up to an additional $3,500 in 2023 (up from $3,000 in 2022). 

Kiddie Tax: Child's Unearned Income Under the kiddie tax, a child's unearned income above $2,500 in 2023 (up from $2,300 in 2022) is taxed using the parents' tax rates. 

Three Ways to Help Simplify Your Finances

Over time, finances tend to get complicated, especially when you're juggling multiple goals and accounts. Simplifying your finances requires a bit of effort up front, but making just a few changes may help free up more time to focus on your financial priorities. 

Make Saving Automatic 

Saving for a goal is simpler when money is set aside automatically. For example, you may be able to checking, or other financial accounts. You decide on the frequency and timing of those transfers, and you can quickly make necessary adjustments. 

Consolidate Retirement Funds 

If you've had a few jobs, you might have several retirement accounts, such as IRAs and 401(k) or 403(b) plans, with current and past employers. Consolidating them in one place may help make it easier to monitor and manage your retirement savings and distributions, and prevent you (or your beneficiaries) from forgetting about older or lower-balance accounts. Not all accounts can be combined, and there may be tax consequences, so discuss your options with your financial and/or tax professionals. 

Take a Credit Card Inventory 

Credit cards are convenient, but managing multiple credit-card accounts can be time-consuming and costly. Losing track of balances and due dates may regularly and automatically deposit a portion of your paycheck into a retirement account through your employer. Your contribution level may also increase automatically each year, if your plan offers this feature. Employers may also allow you to split your direct deposit into multiple accounts, enabling you to build up a college fund or an emergency fund, or direct money to an investment account. 

Another way to make saving for multiple goals easier is to set up recurring transfers between your savings, lead to increased interest charges or late payments. You could also miss out on some of the rewards and benefits your cards offer. If you've accumulated a few credit cards, review interest rates, terms, credit limits, and benefits that may have changed since you got the cards. Ordering a copy of your credit report can help you quickly see all of your open credit-card accounts — there may be some you've forgotten about. Visit annualcreditreport.com to get a free credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion). 

Once you know what you have, you can decide which cards to use and put the rest aside. Because it's possible that your credit score might take a temporary hit, it may not always be a good idea to close accounts you're not using unless you have a compelling reason, such as a high annual fee or exposure to fraud.

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. does not provide investment, tax, legal, or retirement advice or recommendations. The information presented here is not specific to any individual's personal circumstances. To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on his or her individual circumstances. These materials are provided for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable — we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice. 

Advisory Services offered through Independent Solutions Wealth Management, LLC and Blackridge Asset Management,LLC, Registered Investment Advisers. Securities are offered through Peak Brokerage Services, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. Independent Solutions Wealth Management, LLC and Blackridge Asset Management, LLC are separate and independent entities from Peak Brokerage Services, LLC.

Prepared by Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. Copyright 2023