Finances
The New Small Business Family Medical Leave Credit
There’s a new business tax credit that partially reimburses employers for providing paid family and medical leave for select employees. But small businesses should be informed before they try to use this new Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) tax break. Basics of the new credit Employers who provide at least two weeks of paid…
Read MoreOverlooked Business Metrics To Keep Your Eye On
Revenue, gross margin, net profit — these are the basic metrics every small business owner watches closely. But there are also some often-overlooked metrics that can deepen your insight into your business and inform your decision-making. Here are a few: Customer acquisition cost Divide the total amount of money you’ve spent on marketing over a…
Read More6 Tax Benefits Of Owning A Home
If you own or are considering owning a home, you can take advantage of many tax benefits. Here are six of the most commonly used homeowner’s tax breaks: Mortgage interest deduction. You can deduct the interest you pay on your monthly mortgage bill when you itemize deductions on your tax return. This can be a huge…
Read MoreGet Your Small Business Off The Rocks
Every small business eventually hits a rough patch. It’s easy to get discouraged when it happens. But look at the upside: you have infrastructure in place, you have existing customers and most importantly, you have the hard-won experience of knowing what works and what doesn’t. With that in mind, here are some ideas to get…
Read MoreHow To Handle A Gap In Health Care Coverage
Health care coverage gaps happen. Whether because of job loss or an extended sabbatical between gigs, you may find yourself without health care for a period. Here are some tax consequences you should know about, as well as tips to fix a coverage gap. Coverage gap tax issues You will have to pay a penalty…
Read MoreUpdate on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA)
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) was passed by Congress in a hurry late last year, and the IRS and tax preparers have been working to digest some of the more thorny issues created by the tax overhaul. Here are the latest answers to some of the most common questions: Is home equity…
Read MoreGreat Uses For Your Tax Refund
Most Americans get a refund every year, with the average check weighing in at $2,895 last year. Even though it’s really money that they earned, many people are tempted to treat it like a windfall and splurge. If you can resist that temptation, here are some of the best ways to put your refund to…
Read MoreKnow The IRS’s “Dirty Dozen” Tax Scams
Every year the IRS releases its “Dirty Dozen” list of the year’s most prevalent tax scams. They include ploys to steal personal information, talk people out of money, or engage in questionable tax activity. Here are some of the top scams: Phishing. Fake emails or websites claiming to represent the IRS, for the purpose of…
Read MoreWhen An Extension Makes Sense
While most people should file a tax return by April 17th, you have the option of delaying your filing date until Oct. 15 with a tax extension. When to file an extension Missing or incorrect information. If one of the forms you need to file your return has an error on it, it is often…
Read MoreStaying Organized At tax Time
Organizing your tax records not only makes filing your tax return easier, it also helps you find the financial documents you need throughout the year. Whether you’ve already filed your tax return or are about to, here are some tips to get organized. Go with the flow (of your tax return) Try organizing your records…
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