Become Debt-Free

The average household carries $137,063 in debt, while the median household income is less than $60,000, according to data from the Federal Reserve and U.S. Labor Department. While it’s easy to get into debt, it can be hard to get out. Here are five tips personal finance experts recommend to lower your debt burden: List…

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Five Tax Breaks for New Parents

New parents have their work cut out for them. Not only are they dealing with lost sleep, they also face the extra cost of raising a child. At least there are a lot of potential tax breaks available to them. Check out this list and share it with any new parents you know. Child Tax…

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5 Finance Tips Everyone Wishes They Had Followed

Sadly, it usually takes hard-won experience and costly mistakes to really internalize good financial advice. Here are some of the top five things we all wish we knew and followed earlier in life: Pay yourself first Paying yourself first means taking a percentage of everything you earn and saving it. Consider it as important as…

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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…

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Overlooked 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…

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6 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…

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It’s Tax-Planning Time

Now is the ideal time to schedule a tax-planning session. Your tax return outcome is still fresh, and it’s early enough in the year to make corrective action to take advantage of the numerous new tax law changes taking place in 2018. Here’s a brief overview of some of the new tax issues that you…

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Update 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…

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Stay Prepared To Sell Your Business

If you enjoy running your own business, selling it may be the furthest thing from your mind. But the reality is that eventually an opportunity to sell will come, whether due to your own life changes or a perfect buyer walking in the door. Planning, often years in advance of the sale date, is necessary…

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Great 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…

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