You may already have big plans for spending your tax refund. Many think of this extra money in black and white terms — you either do something responsible with it or you frivolously spend every last cent of it. Here are a few suggestions for making the most of your tax refund while still having [...]
With the new administration in Washington D.C., tax changes are likely in our future, but the details of those changes are unknown. What we do know about 2017 core tax rates and inflation-adjusted figures will come in handy when you file your 2017 tax return in early 2018. Standard deduction increases. The 2017 standard deduction [...]
Donating a car to charity can be a big deduction on your tax return, but the value of your deduction can depend on the organization you donate your car to and how they use the vehicle. Fair market value or not quite When you donate a vehicle, the value of your donation is either the [...]
A simple way to think about your 1040 tax return is focusing on a single line, your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). Anything "above the line" creates an AGI that can yield tax opportunities or tax consequences for anything "below the line." Being aware of "the line" and the impact it has on your tax return [...]
Are you ready to get started on your 2017 tax planning? Here are the numbers to use to take full advantage of retirement and other tax-advantaged savings. If you’re under full retirement age, the social security earnings limit is $16,920. That means if you collect benefits before your full retirement age and earn more than [...]
With weather-related disasters making the news these days, emergency preparedness may be front of mind. You probably have tools to cope with a flat tire, or a hurricane lantern or candles for times when the electricity to your home is interrupted. But have you considered what records you might need if your wallet was stolen? [...]
The filing requirement rules for individual federal income tax returns are fairly straightforward. In general, you are required to file a return based on your filing status, your gross income, and your age. Here's an overview of the rules for 2016 tax returns. Single taxpayers (including those who are divorced or legally separated). If you're [...]
Tax filing season officially begins this month. Did you know due dates for certain returns have been changed? Why are the dates changing? One reason is to bring due dates into a more logical order. For example, in prior years, if you were a partner in a partnership, you may have had to extend your [...]
Even the most dedicated small business owners eventually want to retire. But business succession planning can be tricky. If a transfer to an outside party isn't feasible, an alternative is to consider selling your business to your employees. How? One common approach is to transfer shares through an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), a type [...]
When your business makes money, you pay income tax on the profit. What happens when your business deductions are greater than the income in a particular year? In that case, the result is what's called a net operating loss, or NOL, and you may be able to benefit from federal tax rules that allow you [...]
