taxes
Posted 3 days 10 hours ago by Xin Lu
Personal Finance, Taxes
I received my Social Security statement this week and it was a useless piece of paper to me since I do not qualify for retirement benefits yet. I always hear critics of Social Security say that it is a government sanctioned Ponzi scheme, and today I did a little research into why this comparison is often made.
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Posted 1 week 3 days ago by Paul Michael
Consumer Affairs, Cars and Transportation
Both John McCain and Hillary Clinton are proposing a new Gas Tax Holiday that will run during the summer months, bringing “much needed relief” at the pumps. But will it? More than 200 economists, including four Nobel prize-winners, have already signed a letter rejecting the proposal.
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Posted 2 weeks 6 days ago by Paul Michael
Consumer Affairs
Wow. I guess pigs may just fly after all. Because, believe it or not, the goverment is actually paying out the economic stimulus checks ahead of schedule. And that means you could get your cold, hard cash as early as Monday, depending on your SSN.
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Posted 4 weeks 1 day ago by Mark P. Cussen
Real Estate and Housing
A great many sellers are entitled to the home sale exclusion, but counting on it when you may not be eligible will provide unpleasant surprise come tax time.
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Posted 4 weeks 3 days ago by Xin Lu
Personal Finance, Frugal Living, Lifestyle, Taxes
My parents always told me that buying a timeshare is a bad idea because of the inflated upfront cost and perpetual maintenance and exchange fees the timeshare companies pile on. It is also quite difficult to sell a timeshare you no longer want because there is usually a giant supply of them on the market. If you do want to get rid of a money sucking timeshare, donating it may be the most economical option.
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Posted 6 weeks 2 days ago by Xin Lu
Personal Finance, Taxes
When I was single, I thought that getting married would reduce my expenses greatly, and after I got married I realized that in some instances married life is actually more expensive . In general, divorces are extremely costly and detrimental events, but ironically there are so many laws pertaining to marriage and finances that could make a divorce financially advantangeous for a committed couple. Here are some of the bizarre examples I have read in the news recently.
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Posted 7 weeks 4 days ago by Philip Brewer
Taxes
This is really a non-issue, if you work a regular job: Your employer withholds taxes. It's also not much of an issue if you're self-employed and your income is reasonably steady through the course of the year: You estimate your annual tax bill and send in quarterly estimated tax payments. If your income is unpredictable, though, it is an issue. Happily, the IRS does not demand that you be able to predict the future.
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Posted 7 weeks 4 days ago by Philip Brewer
Taxes
I wasn't looking forward to doing my taxes this year. They were going to be more complicated than in years past, because I left my regular job and started working full-time as a writer. I also had some other new complications. TurboTax handled it all without difficulty.
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Posted 8 weeks 2 days ago by Philip Brewer
Taxes
Surely by now everyone has heard of the economic stimulus tax rebate. What may not be universally known is that one of the little tweaks the Democrats added were some rules under which even many people who don't pay taxes can get a rebate. To get it, though, you have to file a return.
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Posted 12 weeks 1 day ago by Nora Dunn
Taxes
Enjoy this lighthearted anecdotal story illustrating the North American tax system.
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Posted 15 weeks 2 days ago by Paul Michael
Personal Finance, Taxes
As you’re no doubt aware, President Bush has created an economic stimulus package in the hopes of stalling the impending recession (or if you believe some, depression) that’s on the horizon. It’s not approved yet, but it has already passed its first major hurdle – The House Of Representatives approved the $146 billion dollar deal. Want to know how much you'll get?
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Posted 15 weeks 4 days ago by Mark P. Cussen
Personal Finance
Taxable Social Security income can be a nasty surprise if you're unprepared. Know the rules of Social Security taxation and take control of your tax bill.
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Posted 15 weeks 5 days ago by Philip Brewer
Taxes
The kind folks at Intuit have given us some free copies of TurboTax. I snagged one that I'm going to use to do my taxes, and once I'm done, I'll post a review and tell you how it worked for me. In the meantime, here's a brief rundown of the latest features, together with a chance to win a free copy yourself.
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Posted 16 weeks 4 days ago by Mark P. Cussen
Personal Finance
If you are self-employed or an employee working from home for your employer's convenience, then you can deduct at least a portion of your home office expenses. This article will cover the basic criteria that must be met in order to do this.
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Posted 17 weeks 5 days ago by Paul Michael
Personal Finance
If you don’t know what the AMT is, you may well be in for a shock this year. And if your household income is around $75,000 or more, gross, then AMT could very well take a big bite out of you. Read on…
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Posted 19 weeks 3 days ago by Philip Brewer
Personal Finance
Recessions spread. A minor downturn in one business spreads to its suppliers and then to their suppliers. Workers are laid off (or simply fear that they will be) and buy less, spreading the downturn to other sectors of the economy. Since the 1940s, governments have tried to act to limit the damage caused by recessions, but not everyone agrees that government action can help.
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Posted 20 weeks 12 hours ago by Julie Rains
Taxes
The Quiet Millionaire author and Certified Financial Planner Brett Wilder states that “Most ‘normal’ people think that the subject of taxes is an absolute bore and would much rather spend their free time thinking about more interesting, stimulating, and happier aspects of life.” Thankfully, I would be considered normal by this measure. Thinking about avoiding taxes, the focus of Chapter 6, however, is mildly exciting. I've selected some ideas and insight that I found particularly useful.
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Posted 21 weeks 10 hours ago by Mark P. Cussen
Personal Finance
Don't forget to take advantage of these year-end strategies to reduce your taxes.
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Posted 38 weeks 1 day ago by Nora Dunn
Personal Finance
I don't care who you are. (Well, actually I do, otherwise I wouldn't be writing this).
What I mean, is I don't care about your background, education, financial prowess, or absolute lack thereof.
You need a Financial Planner!
Here are a few things to consider in your search for the perfect Financial Planner and why you even need one at all.
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Isn't it weird that there isn't a central list of post offices at, oh I don't know, say, USPS.com, that tells you which post office branches are going to be open late tonight for last-minute filers? Or is there a list and I simply couldn't find it (possible)?
Here's a partial list. Feel free to add your own in the comments section. These are remarkably difficult to find.
Continue reading "Last Minute Tax-Filing? Extended Post Office Hours and More"
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