KPMG Says Using Year-End Tax Planning Strategies Now Can Reduce April Tax Bill.

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 16, 1998--

Personal Financial Planning Partner Henderson Available for Comment

Although April 15 is nearly five months away, using strategic year-end tax planning tactics now can help to greatly reduce your income tax bill come spring, advises KPMG's Tracie Henderson, a partner in the personal financial planning practice and one of Worth Magazine's top 250 personal financial planners in the country.

According to Henderson, following are the top 10 most important tax planning strategies to consider before December 31, 1998: -0-

1.  Consider recognizing capital losses to offset capital gains
    plus $3,000.

2.  Consider enrolling in an employer-sponsored dependent care
    program or medical expense reimbursement plan.

3.  Make charitable contributions before December 31, 1998.

4.  Bunch medical deductions and/or miscellaneous itemized
    deductions into one year.

5.  Maximize contributions to retirement plans.

6.  If an individual has self-employment income, consider
    establishing a Keogh account by December 31, 1998.

7.  Determine whether it makes sense to convert a regular IRA to a
    Roth IRA before January 1, 1999.

8.  Confirm whether federal income tax withholding is sufficient to
    avoid an underpayment of tax penalty.

9.  Make annual exclusion gifts.

10. Avoid purchasing mutual fund shares until after the mutual fund
    makes its year-end dividend distribution.

To schedule an interview with KPMG's Henderson to discuss any of the above-mentioned recommendations, please contact Randy Carlton Foster at [phone].

KPMG Peat Marwick LLP is the U.S. member firm of KPMG International, a leading professional services firm. In the U.S., KPMG partners and professionals provide a wide range of accounting, tax and consulting services. As one of the foremost providers of information-based value added services, KPMG serves clients with complex needs by capturing, managing, assessing and delivering information to create knowledge that can help maximize shareholder value. KPMG International has more than 6,500 partners and 85,300 professionals in 155 countries. KPMG's Web site is: http://www.us.kpmg.com.