When it comes to annual business planning, businesses often spend too much time on the planning process or too little because they are busy with day-to-day operations. There's simple method called the "Hourglass Approach" that can help you efficiently focus on your goals and create a plan to achieve them. Top of the glass In [...]
It's hard enough to watch your child leave for college. Now you also have to say goodbye to the college tuition tax deduction for tuition and fees. Congress decided not to extend this $4,000 deduction for 2017, leaving many parents worried that college will now be more expensive. But it isn't as bad as it [...]
Renting an apartment, condo or house; leasing a piece of equipment; renting business property; leasing a car: all involve the common practice of renting something that is owned by someone else. To make sure you always have a good experience, here are some hints on how to be a smarter renter Read all agreements. Read [...]
Google, Facebook and Southwest Airlines are among the top five companies on job search site Indeed's "Best Places to Work for 2017" list. You may not have the resources of these large companies, but you can incorporate some of their ideas into your company's culture. Respect The best companies cultivate a culture of respect, according [...]
Imagine your college-aged son has an accident while away at school and ends up in the emergency room. When you call the hospital, you are medical denied information about his care because you do not have the proper forms signed. HIPAA not so hip Due to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), you [...]
A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a great way to pay for medical expenses, and since unused funds roll over from year to year, the account can also provide a source of retirement funds in addition to other plans like 401(k)s or IRAs. But be aware that HSAs have significant disadvantages when compared to other retirement [...]
Hiring your child to work in your business can be a win-win situation for everyone. Your kids will earn money, gain real-life experience in the workplace, and learn what you do every day. And, you will reap a few tax benefits in the process. Before you decide if hiring your child is the right thing [...]
A marriage is worth celebrating, but bringing up the marriage penalty may bring down the celebration. The marriage penalty occurs in the tax code when you pay more tax as a married couple than you would as two single filers making the same amount of money. This occurs throughout the federal tax code. The following [...]
When it comes to paying bills, many people can’t imagine returning to paying and sending bills via the U.S. Postal Service. But, the “turn it on and forget it” nature of automatic payments can create zombie payers who no longer challenge or review the details and amounts of bills. Here are some ideas to keep [...]
Yes, that’s correct, there are some forms of income you receive that may be tax-free. Here is a list of ten common sources of tax-free income. Gifts. Gifts you receive are not taxable income to you. In fact, they are not subject to gift tax to the person giving the gift as long as the [...]
