Fall is the time of year to choose the employee benefits you want for the following year from the options provided to you by your employer. In making your choices for 2020, understand what these optio...
Retirement/Investments
Employees cannot deduct most business-related expenses because they are miscellaneous itemized deductions subject to the 2%-of-adjusted gross income (AGI) floor and this write off has been suspended t...
Not every type of income you get is taxable on your Form 1040. The law allows you to receive various types of income without having to pay tax on them. For example, any type of income effectively beco...
We’ve all heard about the numerous tax changes created by enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Many are exciting and can help lower your tax bill. But that law did not make changes to many tried ...
A study in 2017 (https://www.upwork.com/press/2017/10/17/freelancing-in-america-2017/) found that an estimated 57.3 million Americans now work in the gig economy, driving for Uber or Lyft, performing ...
The importance of an education is no secret. Statistically, lifetime earnings increase with the level of education. And with today’s changing technology the need for continued learning is high. From...
According to Morningstar (http://news.morningstar.com/articlenet/article.aspx?id=823957), 52.3% of those turning 65 will have a long-term care need during their lifetimes. The cost of this type of car...
You may be entitled to claim various deductions and credits, but unless you follow the rules you’ll lose out. Here are a number of recent cases that highlight what you should or shouldn’t do if yo...
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 made a number of significant changes to various write-offs that can be claimed without itemizing. Most of the changes in deductions from gross income affect 2018 retu...
As the year is winding up, there’s still time to take actions that can pay off when you file your return. The clocking is ticking... 1. Review your gains and losses. The final trading date on...
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, two thirds of American workers don’t put money into a retirement plan at work, either because they aren’t offered one or they choose not to contribute. The res...
In response to Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, which impacted people in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the IRS has provided various types of tax reli...
Savings in your IRA are designed to provide you with a financially secure retirement. Take full advantage of this special savings opportunity. But as assets in the account grow, it’s tempting to use...
There are about $173 billion in U.S. savings bonds outstanding. This makes this type of investment one of the largest assets held by individuals. Savings bonds enjoy certain special tax treatment. Her...
This year has been a bumpy ride on Wall Street, with dramatic swings up and down. Now is a good time to review your retirement account and your personal portfolio. While changes you make in your retir...
The tax law generally limits a deduction for losses from passive activities to the extent of passive activity income. Unused losses are suspended and carried over, only to be used to offset passive ac...
The cost of higher education continues to rise each year, making it challenging for families to manage this financial burden. Fortunately, all states as well as a consortium of private institutions of...
Interest on municipal bonds is exempt from regular federal income tax. However, the interest may be taxable—directly or indirectly—under certain circumstances. State income taxes Not all sta...
That may be the conclusion you reach when you see the tax breaks limited to those of a certain age: Medical and dental expenses. While most taxpayers can itemize these costs only if the total excee...
There are two personal tax-advantaged ways to save for retirement: an IRA, which may be deductible or nondeductible (“traditional IRA”), and a Roth IRA, which is made with after-tax dollars. These...
