Blog

When the subject of estate planning comes up many people think this is just for the super wealthy. The reality is if you have a family, own a home or other assets, you need some basic estate planning documents in place. Without this, your assets can be tied up in probate court, which can be [...]

It’s on the news almost every week – a major retailer’s database is compromised by hackers and confidential customer information becomes hijacked. Even if the customer's information isn't compromised, the concern that is can be remains and everyone is alarmed. Identity theft continues to become increasingly concerning in today’s digital age. Here are a few tips [...]

In response to growing fraud and identify theft, the IRS has implemented new direct deposit limits.  Effective January 2015, the IRS will allow a maximum of three tax refunds electronically deposited into a single bank account.  Also, tax refunds will only be directly deposited into bank accounts that match the taxpayer’s name. Subsequent refunds will [...]

An ETF, or Exchange-Traded Fund, is a security that tracks an index, a commodity or a basket of assets like an index fund, but trades like a stock on an exchange. An ETF will experience price changes throughout the day as it is bought and sold. Because it trades like a stock, it does not [...]

1. Start saving today!  There’s no time like the present.  Try to start saving as early as possible – preferably in your early twenties or sooner. The value of compounding investments is almost impossible to beat over the long run – unless your one of the rare few that win the lottery. 2. Contribute to [...]

We’ve all heard countless times to keep out tax records for at least seven years. This seems relatively simple because we can just file it away or store it in a box in the closet, right? What most of us don’t plan for is the loss of these records due to a flood, fire or [...]

Why do I need insurance?  This is the first question most people ask when the subject comes to mind. You have insurance for your automobile mostly because it’s required by law. If you have a mortgage on your home, you are required to have insurance. Even if you own your home outright, or own a [...]

Recently, while applying for a loan, I had a chance to review my credit report. I was surprised to find one of the agencies reporting an outstanding loan balance that had been paid off over 5 years ago. Even though the loan no longer existed, the bank had to include the balance in their calculations [...]

New for the 2013 tax year is the simplified home office deduction rule from the IRS. Not only is it easier to determine but keeps things simpler if you sell your home in a later year. You basically take a standard deduction of $5 per square foot of your home that is used for business, [...]

Thanks to an extension through 2016, you can still get an energy efficiency tax credit for the cost of the alternative energy equipment for your home. This tax credit is 30% of the cost of alternative energy equipment you installed on or in your home. Qualified equipment includes solar water heaters, solar electric equipment and [...]