In the News: Tactical year-end financial moves to help improve your financial situation
Bil Lako, CFP®, explains that if you own stocks or mutual funds, there are some moves at year-end that might help your financial situation.
Can I borrow money from my wholly owned business?
Yes, you can borrow money from your wholly owned business. Generally speaking, the terms of the loan must be reasonable and must be properly documented. Otherwise, you run the risk that the IRS could reclassify the proceeds of the loan as compensation or dividends, leaving you with an unanticipated tax bill. Troubles may arise if…
Do I need to provide credit information on my auto insurance application?
When you apply for an auto insurance policy, don’t be surprised to find questions about your credit on the insurance company’s application. In addition to the other information you provide, the company may use your credit information as part of its applicant-screening process. But are insurance companies being too nosy and intrusive when they request…
Wonder What a Tax Deduction Is Worth?
There is no straightforward answer because some deductions are above the line, others must be itemized, some must exceed a threshold amount before being deductible, and certain ones are not deductible for alternative minimum tax purposes, while business deductions can offset both income and self-employment tax. In other words, there are many factors to consider,…
Gray Divorce: Dividing Assets Can Impact Retirement
Although most people who marry hope their unions will last forever, about 50% of first marriages in the United States end in divorce.1 Individuals age 50 and older are still less likely to get divorced than those who are younger. Even so, the divorce rate for Americans under age 40 has declined since 1990, while it…
Managing the Failure Points
By: Tim O’Pry | Chief Security Officer Over the years (decades), I have been asked for tips on everything from starting a business to the perfunctory cocktail question of, “What do you do?”. Regardless of the question, the answer is the same: I manage failure points. That answer tends to end most casual cocktail conversation…
Business Meals Are Still Deductible
If you are a business owner who is accustomed to treating clients to sporting events, golf getaways, concerts and the like, you were no doubt saddened by the part of the tax reform that passed last December that did away with the business-related deductions for entertainment, amusement or recreation expenses, beginning in 2018. You can…
What is Individual CrowdSourcing?
Individual crowdsourcing (also known as personal crowdsourcing) refers to a process of raising money for a personal cause or project using an online platform such as GoFundMe. But how exactly does the process work? Here are some answers to common questions about individual crowdsourcing. What causes can be supported via individual crowdsourcing? Individual crowdsourcing can…
Will You Get a Refund or Owe for 2018?
Your refund is the amount that your pre-payments (withheld income tax, estimated tax payments, and certain credits) exceed your tax liability, and if the pre-payment also got reduced, you could be in for an unpleasant surprise at tax time. So, why would the pre-payments, particularly withholding, be less? Simply because the current W-4 form on…
What Happened to Your Money?
December and January are the perfect months to look back at what you earned, saved, and spent, as W-2s, account statements, and other year-end financial summaries roll in. How much have you saved? If you resolved last year to save more or you set a specific financial goal (for example, saving 15% of your income…