15 Ways To Invite An IRS Audit
The rich, the careless and those with offshore accounts or big deductions are most likely to get audited.
View ArticleCost Basis FAQ
Image via Wikipedia If you are like most brokerage customers, you have gotten a mailing recently warning you about the scary new rules for determining the cost of stocks you sell. What’s going on?...
View ArticleWash Sale Trap: What Is Substantially Identical
How do you claim a tax loss on your Facebook without exiting the stock?
View Article11 Ways To Tap Retirement Cash Early, Without A 10% Penalty
Congress has created more than a dozen different retirement savings accounts, each with its own rules on contributions, loans and early distributions. Here’s help.
View ArticleDo You Really Qualify To Deduct A Home Office?
Photo credit: Sean MacEntee You sometimes work at home, but should you claim a deduction on your taxes? People worry it will flag their return, yet more than half of working Americans own or work for a...
View ArticlePlanning A Family? Start Your 529 Yesterday
Planning a family? Start your 529 account yesterday.
View ArticleA Formula To Help You Decide Whether To Use Your Own State’s 529 Plan
This story has been updated to mention California's cheap portfolio option. You’ve got a dazzling array of choices when it comes to putting money aside for college. You don’t have to invest in your...
View ArticleStandard Mileage Rates On Your 2014 Tax Return
The IRS has announced the official numbers for the tax year 2014. Those include adjustments for standard deductions, tax brackets, the kiddie tax and more.
View ArticleThe Definitive Q&A On The 3.8% NIIT
On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or as it's affectionately or derisively known, depending on your point of view, Obamacare. Following...
View ArticleHow To Leave Your IRA To Those You Love
Some of the most costly estate planning mistakes involve retirement accounts. Here's how to steer clear of the pitfalls.
View ArticleEstate Planning For The 99%
Lawyers see their role to anticipate and provide for every contingency. But many clients crave simplicity.
View Article7 Mistakes With Form 1099 That Can Cost You Big
Each Form 1099 Reports Information to the IRS Keyed to your Social Security Number. Don't Land in a Tax Dispute By Ignoring Them.
View ArticleUnderstanding Your W-2
So you have your form W-2, what now? Are you just simply going to hand it over to your preparer or enter the numbers into your tax software? Take a moment to look it over first. Here's what you need to...
View ArticleTax Deduction Audit Risk
When is an itemized deduction high enough to catch the attention of IRS auditors?
View ArticleLessons From Philip Seymour Hoffman And Other Celebrities’ Estates
Celebrity deaths remind us all to plan for the unexpected, and to keep key documents up-to-date--and private!
View ArticleWeird Things That Could Happen With Your IRA At Tax Time
Mistakes and misunderstandings about IRA distributions could come back to bite you many months after you file your tax return. Here's how to avoid or minimize the damage.
View ArticlePensions Create Yet Another Tax Trap For U.S. Expatriates
Think your taxes are confusing? Ha! Try living and working abroad as a U.S. citizen. As the following guest column details, even something as seemingly ordinary as participating in a pension plan can...
View ArticleThe Best And Worst States For Dividend Lovers
If you live in California, stay away from dividend stocks.
View ArticleWhat You Need To Know About RMDs From IRAs
What's your IRA's Required Minimum Distribution? This is a shortcut to the complicated IRS rules.
View ArticleWhat Are The Penalties For Failing to File Your Tax Return On Time?
Unless you plan to file for a six-month extension, your individual income tax return is due on April 15th, a mere three weeks away. Among the dozens of annoying questions I endure on a weekly basis...
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