Blog
How Income Taxes Work
A quick look at how federal income taxes work. Taxpayers and businesses spend an estimated 7.1 billion hours a year complying with tax-filing requirements, which is worth $388 billion in economic value just to comply with tax regulations.1 As complex as the details of...
A Primer On Dividends
A company's profits can be reinvested or paid out to the company’s shareholders as “dividends." When looking for income-generating investments, some investors turn to dividend-yielding stocks. When a company makes a profit, that money can be put to two uses: It can be...
Filing Final Tax Returns for the Deceased
The federal government requires deceased individuals to file a final income tax return. When a family member passes away, there are many decisions that need to be made and many emotions to handle. The last thing anyone thinks about is taxes. Unfortunately, even the...
Estate Management Checklist
Is your estate in order? This short quiz may help you assess your overall strategy. Do you have a will? A will enables you to specify who you want to inherit your property and other assets. A will also enable you to name a guardian for your minor children. Do you have...
Social Media: #NewestBusinessLiabilityRisk
Social media may be a modern imperative for businesses looking to grow and build their brand, but it also introduces risk. The stories of social media fails are legendary—companies using inappropriate humor regarding serious social issues, typographical errors, and...
What Will You Do With Your Bonus or Windfall?
This article examines one's options when receiving a work bonus or other financial windfalls. While many of us have been conditioned to expect a regular bonus from work or some other gift of money, either from living relatives or through an estate, there is still a...
A Cheat Sheet for Sending Your Kid to College
Dropping off your child is loaded with emotions; here are a few tips for a smoother experience. College marks a great milestone in a child’s life. It may be the first time he or she will live away from home. Dropping off your child at college may be an experience...
4 Steps To Protecting A Child With Disabilities
Planning for a child with special needs can be complicated, confusing, and even overwhelming. Raising a child is expensive and can cost over a quarter of a million dollars, excluding college. For a child with special needs, that cost can more than triple. If you’re...
Fixed or Variable Mortgage, Which Should You Pick?
When selecting a mortgage, one of the most critical choices is between a fixed or variable interest-rate mortgage. Buying a home is the single-largest financial commitment most people ever make. And sorting through mortgages involves a lot of critical choices. One of...
