No one wants to think about income taxes at this time of year, but those who plan thoroughly will reap the rewards in April. Take these steps now, and you’ll have an easier time (and hopefully owe less to the IRS) next spring. Check your paycheck withholding. Ideally, this step should be performed earlier in [...]
December 31 marks the last day of the year, and you might have planned something exciting for New Year’s Eve. But it’s also the last day to make contributions to charities, if you plan to use those contributions as a deduction for the 2022 tax year. Here’s what you need to know. Limits on charitable [...]
You probably know that where opportunity exists, con artists will take advantage. Unfortunately, the rise of digital money movement services, like Venmo and Zelle, has offered plenty of opportunity to unscrupulous folks who wish to take advantage. The services themselves are legitimate, but some of the people requesting money transfers are not! If you receive [...]
Refinance offers have poured into your mailbox over the past year, and you probably know several people who already refinanced their own homes. So should you join in? Or is now actually a beneficial time to refinance your mortgage? What about cashing out your equity? Maybe not, due to the following four factors… Mortgage rates [...]
Most of us are feeling a bit on edge about gas prices lately. So the last thing you need is even more trouble at the gas pump! But that’s exactly what can happen if you accidentally use a credit card machine that has been equipped with something called a “skimmer” that steals your card number [...]
We all know that too much debt is a bad thing. And in particular, you don’t want to throw away thousands of dollars on interest or enter retirement burdened by debt. On the other hand, credit cards can be useful tools at times, for many reasons. So how do you know that your credit card [...]
We often think of market downturns as bad things, but we can also reap some benefits from the situation. In particular, this might be the right time to pursue tax-saving opportunities such as a Roth conversion. What is a Roth conversion? When you first established your retirement account, you choose between a traditional or Roth [...]
Receiving a nice, fat tax refund check can provoke quite a bit of temptation. You might consider rushing off on a dream vacation, or at least purchasing an upgraded home entertainment system. But if you view your tax refund as a chance to get ahead and change your circumstances, it can make a significant difference [...]
You’re always hearing about the high cost of pay interest on debts, especially credit cards. And of course, no one enjoys wasting money! But there are even more reasons that paying off your debts can be a very wise decision. Freedom. Not only are you free from those notices that keep showing up in the [...]
We all know that saving for retirement is important. But when life throws unexpected events our way, savings can take a backseat to medical bills, a necessary move, or some other major expense. If you realize you’ve fallen behind, the following strategies can help you catch up your retirement savings. Increase your earnings. It seems [...]