Saturday, December 31, 2011

Week end REIT index

Here is the e-FinancialWriter REIT Index for the week ending December 30, 2011.  



REIT
Blog date
 Price
 Closing price 12/30/11
Return to date %
Dividend yield %
1-yr return %
PSA
    90.75
                             134.46
48.17
2.71
36.75







VTR
    52.87
55.13
4.27
4.17
9.77
HCP

    36.81
                               41.43
12.55
4.63
18.65
HCN

    47.53
54.53
14.73
5.20
21.27
SNH

    22.00
                               22.44
2
6.64
9.28







IAECREIN:CN
 19.45cn
 22.33cn
14.79
0
15.15
ZRE:CN

 16.29cn
 18.46cn
13.32
4.17
9.77
INVRLPRA:CN

 5.45cn
 5.45 cn
0
1.88
6.52







Index return



13.73
 3.68
17.56







SPY




2.05
1.89
Source: Bloomberg









Have a safe and happy New Year! 

George

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Important tax changes for 2012

Yesterday, I gave you some last minute steps you can take to cut your 2011 taxes. So today, I’d like to tell you about a few changes that might help you in 2012.

The standard deduction, personal exemption and certain other figures the IRS adjusts for inflation will take their biggest jump in three years.

Your tax rate might drop, too ...

You won’t fall into the 35% bracket until you have a taxable income of $388,350 in 2012 on both single and joint returns, versus $379,150 this year.

And if your ordinary tax bracket is 15% or lower, you won’t have to worry about paying tax on qualified dividends and long-term capital gains. That means in 2012, you and your spouse can have a taxable income as high as $70,700, or if you’re single up to $35,350, before dividends and long-term gains are taxed. That’s not much different that 2011 when the limits were $69,000 and $34,500, respectively.

But it’s not all peaches and cream for 2012 ...

You’ll stand a greater chance of getting caught up in the dreaded alternative minimum tax. The exemption is scheduled to take a big drop next year when a provision of the 2010 Tax Relief Act expires.

You can see some of the changes in the chart below.


2011
2012
Standard deduction, single filer
$5,800
$5,950
Standard deduction, joint return
$11,600
$11,900
Personal exemption
$3,700
$3,800
ATM exemption


Single filer
$48,450
$33,750
Joint return
$74,450
$45,000
Long-term care insurance (max. deduction)


Age at end of tax year:


40 or under
$340
$350
41-50
$640
$660
51-60
$1,270
$1,310
61-70
$3,390
$3,500
Over 70
$4,240
$4,370
Roth IRA max. contribution


Single filer
$107,000
$110,000
Joint return
$169,000
$173,000
401(k) and 403(b) plans


Max. contribution
$16,500
$17,000
Catch-up contribution
$5,500
$5,500
Wages subject to Social Security tax
$106,800
$110,100



Best wishes,

George