The news of another massive online data breach may make you feel powerless to safeguard your financial privacy. But you can take some concrete steps to protect yourself in the aftermath of the recent Capital One case, as well as other breaches. "If you needed yet another nudge to start keeping an eye on your credit report to protect against identity theft, Capital One has delivered it," … [Read more...] about Another Massive Data Breach: How to Help Protect Yourself
Digital Addiction in the Workplace: What Employers Need to Know
The powerful draw of social media, messaging, Internet browsing and related activities on smartphones is hard for many people to resist. As with forms of chemical dependency (alcoholism, for example) the boundary between excessive digital activity and digital activity that's clinically disabling is complex. It revolves around the extent to which the activity impairs a person's ability to … [Read more...] about Digital Addiction in the Workplace: What Employers Need to Know
To Capitalize or Expense: How to Treat Website Costs for Tax Purposes
For most small businesses, having a website is a necessity. But what's the proper tax treatment of the costs to develop a website? Unfortunately, the IRS hasn't yet released any official guidance on these costs. Therefore, you must extend the existing guidance on other subjects to the issue of website development costs. Depreciable Fixed Assets The cost of hardware needed to … [Read more...] about To Capitalize or Expense: How to Treat Website Costs for Tax Purposes
How to Structure a Business Asset Purchase with Taxes in Mind
Taxes are a major consideration in mergers and acquisitions (M&As). The parties generally can structure a business purchase as either: 1. An asset purchase. The buyer can purchase all or some of the assets of the business. 2. A purchase of stock (or another ownership interest). The buyer can purchase the seller's … [Read more...] about How to Structure a Business Asset Purchase with Taxes in Mind
Tax Issues When Winding Up the Estate of a Loved One
When a loved one who was "financially comfortable" passes away, his or her family must deal with the emotional issues that come with the loss — as well as winding up the decedent's financial affairs. Surviving family members are often unprepared for the tax issues that may arise when a loved one dies. Here's some guidance to help you manage important tax and financial considerations … [Read more...] about Tax Issues When Winding Up the Estate of a Loved One
When to Update Your Estate Plan
Estate planning isn't just for the rich and famous. Many people mistakenly think that they don't need an estate plan anymore because of the latest tax law changes. While it's true that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) provides generous estate tax relief, even for well-to-do families, the need for estate planning has not been eliminated. There are still numerous reasons to develop a … [Read more...] about When to Update Your Estate Plan
Top 5 Mistakes When Naming Beneficiaries of Insurance Policies
Protecting Your Goals and Your Loved Ones Naming the beneficiaries of an insurance policy seems likes an easy thing to do. If a person is married, the spouse is the beneficiary. The children are often named as contingent beneficiaries. If a person is not married but has children, the children are often named as first beneficiaries. Usually, these are the people that life insurance is intended to … [Read more...] about Top 5 Mistakes When Naming Beneficiaries of Insurance Policies
5 Last-Minute Ideas to Lower Your 2018 Taxes
Tips on Lowering Your Taxes 1. Choose to Deduct State and Local Sales Taxes If you live in a jurisdiction with low or no personal income tax or you owe little or nothing to the state and local income tax collectors, you might consider deducting state sales taxes instead of state income taxes. However, this option only applies if you have enough itemized … [Read more...] about 5 Last-Minute Ideas to Lower Your 2018 Taxes
Itemizing vs. Taking the Standard Deduction
Itemize or Standard Deductions? Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), fewer people will be itemizing deductions — and more will be claiming the standard deduction — for the 2018 through 2025 tax years. Why? First, the TCJA almost doubled the standard deduction amounts: STANDARD DEDUCTIONS 2018 2019Single filers and married people whofile separately $12,000$12,200Heads of … [Read more...] about Itemizing vs. Taking the Standard Deduction
Six Common Mistakes When Taxpayers Prepare Their Own Tax Returns
Tax filing season kicked off as scheduled on January 28. But tax returns for 2018 may require extra time to file and process due to confusion over the sweeping tax law changes under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Most the TCJA provisions that affect individuals are effective for 2018 through 2025, unless Congress extends them. In addition, people who prepare their own returns may … [Read more...] about Six Common Mistakes When Taxpayers Prepare Their Own Tax Returns
