Investing Insights

Tax day is quickly approaching, and it’s time to get organized. New tax rules might make it worth your while to itemize rather than take the standard deduction this year. And don’t just file away your 1099 forms—they can offer valuable insight into your portfolio’s tax efficiency. Christine Benz, Morningstar’s director of personal finance and retirement planning, discusses what you need to consider before, and after, you file.

Morningstar’s Tax-Planning and IRA Resources for 2026

On this episode:

00:00:00 Welcome

00:01:15 The "Procrastination Penalty" of Last-Minute IRA and HSA Contributions

00:02:35 How to Decide Whether to Itemize or Claim the Standard Deduction

00:04:18 Tips for Itemizing

00:05:37 Other Deductions You May Qualify For

00:07:45 Insights from Your 1099 Forms: Dividends 

00:10:40 Insights from Your 1099 Forms: Capital Gains

00:09:39 Insights from Your 1099 Forms: Tax-Exempt Interest

00:12:35 How to Avoid Overpaying Your Taxes

 

Watch more from Morningstar:

Avoid This IRA Distribution Error to Protect Your Retirement Cash 

Elevate Your 60/40 Portfolio With These Simple Tweaks

Why REIT ETFs Still Work as Real Estate Slumps

 

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A distribution from your traditional IRA could cost you if you’re not aware of your responsibilities. Many investors are saving up for their retirement in workplace accounts like 401(k)s. Those administrators handle tasks that IRA custodians don’t. And it’s up to you to take charge and keep track of your hard-earned money, so you’re not taxed twice. Denise Appleby is known as “The IRA Whisperer.” The Morningstar contributor has written about how to protect your IRA from costly mistakes.

Don’t Pay Taxes Twice: Here’s How to Save Thousands on IRA Distributions https://www.morningstar.com/personal-finance/dont-pay-taxes-twice-heres-how-save-thousands-ira-distributions

On this episode:

00:00:00 Welcome

00:01:28 What is a Traditional IRA and How It’s Funded

00:02:29 How IRA Withdrawals Are Taxed When Accounts Hold Taxable and Tax-Free Dollars

00:05:36 What IRA Custodians Don’t Track and Why Investors Should 

00:09:05 What to Check on Form 1099‑R and Why Form 8606 Matters

00:12:02 How to Fix IRA Mistakes

00:13:44 What Records to Keep Track of to Avoid Double Taxation

 

Watch more from Morningstar:

Elevate Your 60/40 Portfolio With These Simple Tweaks

Why REIT ETFs Still Work as Real Estate Slumps

How to Make the Most of Your IRA in 2026

 

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The 60/40 portfolio has proven it’s here to stay, but it can benefit from a refresh like other classics. The total portfolio approach refines the 60/40. It takes a closer look at the components of the plain-vanilla portfolio and considers how risky they are. The goal is to help investors stay disciplined as market conditions change for the better or worse. Jason Kephart has written about the total portfolio approach. He’s a senior principal of multi-asset  manager research for Morningstar.

How a Total Portfolio Approach Can Improve the 60/40 Portfolio 

Morningstar’s Tax-Planning and IRA Resources for 2026

On this episode:

 00:00:00 Welcome

00:01:20 Total Portfolio Approach vs 60/40 Portfolio

00:01:52 How Growth and Stability Work

00:03:30 Why High-Yield Bonds Wouldn’t Go into Stability

00:04:30 Stocks That Might Be Better Suited for Stability than Growth

00:06:52 Challenges of the Total Portfolio Approach

00:08:49 How Investors Can Use This Strategy

Watch more from Morningstar:

Why REIT ETFs Still Work as Real Estate Slumps

How to Make the Most of Your IRA in 2026

3 Winners and 3 Losers from Emerging-Market Funds’ Big Rally

 

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The struggle of brick-and-mortar real estate has extended into investment portfolios. Elevated inflation and high interest rates have weighed on the real estate sector over the past few years. Real estate investment trusts or REIT ETFs have not been spared. Yet these exchange-traded funds are popular among income investors. They generate cash and can help diversify a portfolio. So, where do they fit in yours? And which REIT ETFs do Morningstar analysts consider top picks? Dan Sotiroff is the associate director of US Passive Strategies for Morningstar. Dan is also the editor of Morningstar’s ETFInvestor newsletter.
Subscribe to Morningstar’s ETFInvestor newsletter. https://newsletters.morningstar.com/
On this episode:
00:00:00 Welcome
00:01:26 Basics of REIT ETFs 
00:04:34 Active vs. Passive REIT ETFs
00:06:03 REIT ETFs’ Performance vs US Stock Market
00:09:20 Cutting the Tax Bill on REIT ETF income  
00:10:06 Top REIT ETFs From Vanguard & Schwab
00:13:48 Key Takeaways for Income Investors
 
Watch more from Morningstar:
How to Make the Most of Your IRA in 2026
3 Winners and 3 Losers from Emerging-Market Funds’ Big Rally
How New Retirees Can Spend More Without Risking Their Savings
 
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Thanks to its tax benefits, your IRA can be a powerful tool to optimize your portfolio. Investment firms often see a big influx of new contributions into individual retirement accounts in the early part of each year as investors rush to meet the April 15 deadline. If you’re one of the many investors adding new funds to your IRA, Morningstar’s director of personal finance and retirement planning Christine Benz has some ideas on how to make the most of those contributions and improve your portfolio in the process.
How to Get the Most Out of Your IRA Contributions
On this episode:
 
00:00:00 Welcome
00:01:16 2026 IRA Contribution Limits
00:01:45 How to Decide Between a Traditional and Roth IRA
00:03:52 Stock Investing Mistakes to Avoid With Your IRA
00:05:20 How to Invest Your IRA When You're Early in Your Career
00:08:13 How to Assess Your IRA in the Middle of Your Earning Years
00:10:23 The Advantages of Non-US Stocks and How to Diversify Your IRA
00:14:30 How to Derisk Your Portfolio as You Approach Retirement
00:16:47 Rebalancing Your IRA Without Tax Consequences
00:17:48 Is it ever too late to Contribute to Your IRA?
 
Watch more from Morningstar:
3 Winners and 3 Losers from Emerging-Market Funds’ Big Rally
How New Retirees Can Spend More Without Risking Their Savings
Beyond AI: Are Quantum Stocks the Next Big Thing in Tech Investing?
 
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Editor's note: An earlier version of this episode published with the wrong episode name and description. Both have been updated.
 

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