If you’re planning to adjust your investment portfolio by selling some losing stocks at year-end, take a minute to review the wash sale rules. A wash sale occurs when you sell a stock, bond, or mutual fund and buy the same or a substantially identical security within 30 days before or after the sale. When this happens, you’re barred from...
Tags: Wash Sales
Category: Taxes
All small businesses start with something in common: they devour cash. They need cash for inventory, office space, insurance, legal fees, business licenses, remodeling costs, and the list goes on. Because very few start-ups can secure equity financing from venture capitalists, most business owners must get needed cash from a combination of personal assets and debt. If you’re thinking about...
Tags: start up financing
Category: Taxes
When you borrow from your 401(k), you become both a borrower and a lender. Whether that’s a good idea depends on your personal financial situation – and in the process of making the decision about lending money to yourself, you may have questions regarding the tax consequences. For instance, though you probably know the initial borrowing has no federal income...
Tags: borrow from 401(k)
Category: Taxes
As schools get back in session, it’s a good time to check the education tax breaks for which you might qualify. First, there’s the “American Opportunity Tax Credit” for a percentage of qualified expenses paid during the first four years of higher education. Second, the “Lifetime Learning Credit” allows a deduction for a percentage of qualified expenses paid for any...
Tags: education expenses
Category: Taxes
Teaching your children about money and finances is easiest when you start early. Here’s a quick review of what you should teach your children at each age if you want them to become financially competent adults. Preschool – Skills to Teach * Identify coins and bills; learn what each is worth. * Understand that you can’t buy everything; choices are...
Tags: personal finance
Category: Taxes
Review your tax deductions for 2013 while there’s still time to manage them for a lower tax bill this year. The standard deduction for 2013 is $12,200 for married couples filing a joint return and $6,100 for single taxpayers. If your deductions are close to the threshold, consider accelerating deductible expenses. For example, you can add sales tax paid on...
Tags: Tax planning for 2013
Category: Taxes
It turns out you can go back after all – at least when it comes to last year’s decision to convert your traditional IRA to a Roth. The question is, do you want to? You might, if your circumstances have changed. For example, say the value of the assets in your new Roth account is currently less than when you...
Tags: Roth ConversionsRoth Recharacterizations
Category: Taxes
As year-end approaches, don’t overlook this option to reduce your business taxes for 2013: accelerated write-offs for business asset purchases. For example, the Section 179 immediate expensing deduction lets you write off the cost of assets you purchase and place in service this year, including vehicles, equipment, and software. For 2013, the maximum Section 179 deduction is $500,000. Another example...
Tags: Business Taxes
Category: Taxes
The tax law signed last January extended the tax break that allows contributions of up to $100,000 from a traditional IRA to a qualified charity. Taxpayers aged 70½ or older can make a distribution directly from an IRA to a charity. The amount donated is not included in the taxpayer’s gross income and is considered part of the required minimum...
Tags: IRA Charitable gifts
Category: Taxes
Are you thinking about taxes while you’re enjoying the warm summer months? Not likely! But the IRS wants you to know that scammers ARE thinking about taxes and ways to dupe you out of your money. Tax scams can happen anytime of the year, not just during tax season. Three common year-round scams are identity theft, phishing and return preparer...