Financial

What’s Your New Tax Bracket?

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The recent tax laws have not only changed the income tax rates, but have also expanded the income that falls within each bracket. Here’s an example of the old rates vs. the new rates for married individuals filing a joint return: Old Brackets: Rate                       Taxable Income 10%                        $0 – $19,050 15%                        $19,051 – $77,400 25%                        […]

(Don’t) Fake it ‘Til You Make It’

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Fake it until you make it! I heard this expression recently and many times in the past, but this time it made me cringe. Some might feel that there’s nothing wrong with showing people how successful and smart you are when you’re not really there yet. Here’s the problem and what to do instead: It’s […]

Don’t Start a Side Business Unless You Consider This

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It seems so easy to make money from a side business. Just resell items through Amazon or some other website and now you’re raking in the dough! Sometimes that happens, but many times it does not. Here are few things to consider before doing so and some ways to make it more profitable: The Value […]

Struggling Business Fail to Spend Money on These 3 Things

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There are characteristics of successful business and also for struggling businesses. It is almost as if they do the exact opposite of each other. Three areas that struggling business owners tend to ignore because they see them as costs instead of improvements to support and grow their business are technology, people, and infrastructure/equipment. Let’s take […]

The Overlooked Business Asset

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What is the most important asset of a business? Here are a few choices: Customers Employees Technology They are all important, but there is one missing element. Relationships. Strong relationships are what make a business successful. It’s not a new concept and it’s been around since business started. Let’s look at each one: Employees: Most […]

If You Want More Success Then Know the Difference Between Important vs Urgent

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Important vs. urgent. Many people confuse the two, but if you want to be more successful, then you need to be able to discern between them. Important items have great significance or value while urgent items require our attention immediately. Here are some examples: Important:  These are items that you need to do, but do […]

Is it Better if I File Separately from My Spouse and Other Common Tax Questions Answered

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We receive a lot of questions pertaining to tax and financial matters. Here is a sample of commonly asked questions: Q: Is it better if I file separately from my spouse? A: Usually the answer is no, and the only way to know for certain is to perform an analysis when preparing the tax return […]

Muni Bonds or Taxable Bonds?

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Investing in municipal bonds can be a benefit due to the fact that the interest income they provide is generally tax-exempt. In order to realize the full tax benefits of municipal bonds, you have to be careful not to make the following mistakes. Low Interest Rates: Interest income from municipal bonds is usually much lower […]

The LLC Trap

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Operating a business as a limited liability company, or “LLC” is very popular among small business owners. LLC’s have been around for several decades and can be formed in every state. There can be several benefits, but several major drawbacks. The Benefits of an LLC: Less Administrative Burden: If you operate as a single-member LLC, […]