Employee Stock Options- Should You or Shouldn't You

Just about everyone has pride in their company, to one extent or another.  Corporate picnics and holiday parties are one way of thanking hardworking employees for their time and energy.  Stock options are another. But are you willing to take gamble with your hard-earned cash when it comes to investing into the future of your company?

What is Tax Deducible- For the Not-So Rich and Famous

Sometimes it seems like you need an MBA, a PHD, or some other multi-letter, high-level academic degree to keep up with the IRS and the 1040 forms that seem to change every year. And when it comes to what’s deductible, what’s not deductible, changes in the deductibles, half deductions, partial deductions and every other confusing percentage of a number, it’s almost impossible to keep up. Not to worry, for the normal, time-honored deductions don’t change; it’s the trendy ones that soak up their 15 minutes of the sun before heading south for the winter that you have to watch out for. 

Know When its Time to Call in the Professionals- Tips to Pick the Perfect Accountant

The Internet has made it so incredibly easy to file a personal tax return; it’s almost funny that tax specialists are still in-demand during tax time.  Some people remember their parents doing their taxes back in the day, and they were unable to eat dinner sitting down due to the stacks of papers scattered all over the dining room table.  Add that to a very cranky father, and the tax professionals might just have your business forever.

All You ever Needed to Know about Doing Your Own Tax Return

Sure, you can pay someone or a company to complete your tax return for you, but the majority of us would rather spare this expense if at all possible, or at least cut it down to a reasonable size.  The truth is simple: If you have a basic sort of tax return, complete with a house, picket fence, dog and 2.3 kids, you can complete your own tax return and save yourself some serious cash. Even with a few extra deductions, like business expenses that haven’t been reimbursed (mileage driven as well as physical supplies), you shouldn’t shy away from the relatively intimidating IRS forms.

Avoiding Audits-Tips to Keep the IRS from Banging Down your Door

Filing early, filing late, filing in March and filing online are each viable reasons for the IRS to pick you for an audit, right?  If you make over $100,000 a year, you have a higher risk of being audited than someone who makes less than that, right?  And if you have a lot of medical expenses in one particular year, you’re doomed to be audited by the Feds, right?  To be honest, there’s a bit of truth to each of these scenarios as well as a touch of fiction added for good measure, as the fear of an IRS audit is one that plagues us as US citizens, to say the least.

All You Really Wanted to Know about the US Tax System (but were afraid to ask)

It seems like every time you turn around, there’s another tax or an increase that takes our hard earned money out of our pockets and into the hands of the Feds.   But have you ever wondered what part you play in the “big picture”? There’s a lot more to the US Tax System than just nickel and diming us to death, seemingly sucking the life out of our paychecks.  In fact, the majority of the income generated by the feds comes from the income taxes we pay.

A Woman's Guide to Mutual Fund Classes

It’s a crazy world we live in- especially when it comes to investing. It seems that just when we get a handle on the current situation, something else gets thrown into the mix to add confusion and instability to an already nerve-racking experience.  Take Mutual Fund Classes- it seems like they do this just to make it even more confusing.

Saving for a Rainy Day? When to Buy an Umbrella!

What does an umbrella do? It gives you shelter from the elements- rain, sun, snow--when you have nothing to keep you safe, it serves to protect you. Umbrella insurance protects you against a catastrophic lawsuit or judgment after your regular homeowner’s or auto insurance policy runs dry. To sum it up, an umbrella is a shield that’s primary goal is to protect you.

Why Social Security Is Not Enough

The severe economic crisis known as the Great Depression was so overwhelming to the US that it drained every possible means of financial aid for the unemployed, aging, widowed, orphaned and disabled.  In order to overcome the newly created obstacles resulting from a mass outbreak of poverty (and to help steer clear from it ever happening again), President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed the Committee on Economic Security.  His goal was to create a national program that could establish a financial backup for the unemployed and the aging, plus enable each individual state to provide a better range of welfare benefits.  With all of this in mind, the committee went to work and came up with the 1935 Social Security Act, which also established cash relief for the above individual’s dependent children, the blind, and other needy folks. All was paid for with a simple payroll tax.

Value vs. Growth -Which Type of Fund is Right for You?

So you’re interested in investing some money and you’ve decided to go via the route of Mutual Funds.  Don’t be intimidated by big words and fancy terminology just yet, as there are different types of funds that require your attention first, like Value Funds and Growth Funds . Since each type of fund will yield completely different results, you’ll need to have a general idea of what your financial goals are (if you have a lot of time for your investments to sit or just a year or two) before you hand over a dime to any financial advisor or company. Here’s a bit of insight into the differences between the two.