From the category archives:

Taxes

6 Reasons You Won’t Go to Finance Hell if You’re Getting a Tax Refund This Year

There are a select few articles that get republished year in and year out that start to become “gospel” in the personal finance world.  With tax time approaching, you’re going to see several writers and talking heads on television chastise you for the “free loan” you gave the US government this year if you’re receiving […]

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401K Loan Rules – Taxes, Interest, Pros and Cons

401k Loan Rules allow for easy access to retirement funds, but is that a good thing?  Many employees are unaware that they can take a loan from their 401k account for basically any personal need with very little hassle.  There are clear negative attributes to this route, but some situations may warrant considering this option, […]

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$3,000 Cash for Caulkers Details Revealed

Cash for Caulkers has been rumored to be coming for some time now, but this week, the administration finally unveiled more details on the rebate plan meant to further stimulate the economy. Following the much maligned and fraud-ridden new home buyer tax credits, cash for clunkers and the impending cash for appliances programs, the administration […]

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Winners and Losers Under Obama’s New Tax Plan

Monday, the administration released their budget plan which was purported to reduce the tax burden on middle-class Americans.  There will be clear winners and losers under the plan, so here are the high points: Winners Making Work Pay tax credit—$400 for individuals, $800 for a couple filing jointly—through 2011.  This was already in place for […]

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No Good Deed Goes Unpunished – Charitable Giving

When I was a kid, I remember listening to my Dad come home from work and frustratingly relay a story to my mom. For whatever reason, the story stuck with me and I continue to see similar behavior from people that should know better – or if they don’t know better, they should shut their […]

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Whistleblower Dilemma: Would You Do 3 Years in Prison for $20 Million?

There are few things people won’t do for money.  Would prison be one of them for you?  What if a multimillion dollar payday awaited your return?  That’s the exact situation faced by a UBS Securities whistleblower who unveiled the Swiss banking secrets that have been guarded for decades.  While he may not have known going […]

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7 Year-End Tax Tips You Can’t Miss!

Here are several year end tax tips that you should consider and a few things you may want to wait on until next year to optimize your tax deductions overall.  I’m doing several of these, I hope you are too – and would love to hear what else you’re doing to snag any last minute […]

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Should the US Adopt a “Bonus Tax” Like Europe is Enacting?

I was rather dismayed but not surprised when I saw the news that the United Kingdom was enacting a “bonus tax” which is to be a one-time tax on bonuses of bankers in excess of $40,000.  As the circus spread its influence, France signaled that it will enact a similar policy and Germany’s chancellor referred […]

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Yes, You Can Deduct Your New Car Sales Tax This Year!

I was helping my mom buy a car last month and I came across an article on the car sales tax deduction for 2009 that I must have missed in the plethora of bailouts, TARPS, TALPS and other acronyms that I wish were never invented.  Regardless, the IRS offers some useful Q&A on what the […]

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