I don’t know anyone who likes to pay taxes. But, you won’t win with these arguments: Filing tax returns are voluntary: Filing tax returns are not voluntary. The IRS uses the word voluntary to mean that you determine your own initial tax liability by filing your own tax returns, and not have the government determine […]
tax planning
Correct Your Mistakes Before It’s Too Late!
The end of the year is approaching, and now is the time for some last minute tax planning before it is too late. Almost every time a financial transaction is made it has an impact on your taxes. Here are some things to look out for and consider: Don’t hesitate to ask questions. If you […]
Bad Tax Planning
Tax planning can prevent you from overpaying taxes, but it has to be done before the year is over. Good tax planning takes a proactive approach, and bad tax planning includes either not planning, breaking the law, or taking it upon yourself without using a competent tax professional. Without planning you may not be able […]
Children and Tax Benefits
With the upcoming birth of our son or daughter, I thought it would be appropriate to write about the tax benefits of raising children. The rules can get tricky, and your children must meet certain criteria to become your qualifying children for tax purposes. Here are a few highlights: Dependency Exemption: For each qualifying dependent […]
But It’s Tax Deductible!
Paying mortgage interest, property taxes, equity loan interest, and business expenses are all generally tax deductible. But does it make sense to incur excessive expenses just to produce a tax benefit? For example, if you are looking to move to a bigger house, you will save a lot of money in taxes, right? Yes, you […]
FSA Plan = Money Saved
What exactly is an FSA plan and how can it save you money? FSA stands for flexible spending account, which is a special account that is used to pay for medical expenses on a pretax basis. In other words, the money put towards the plan is not subject to income taxes and social security/medicare taxes. […]
Backwards Tax Planning
The title of this article should really be “Proactive Tax Planning.” Backwards tax planning is what you want to avoid by taking steps to minimize your taxes throughout the year. Steps you should be taking throughout the year include: Businesses: Entity Selection: The entity that you use to operate your business has a very large […]