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Choosing to retire is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make. Giving up your salary means having to live from other sources of income, and if you haven’t planned extensively, then you might not even be aware of the resources at your disposal, let alone how much money they might provide toward your support. By considering the following questions, you’ll be in a much better...

Beneficiaries of a trust typically pay taxes on distributions they receive from the trust’s income. However, they are not subject to taxes on distributions from the trust’s principal. When a trust makes a distribution, it deducts the income distributed on its own tax return and issues the beneficiary a tax form called a K-1. The K-1 indicates how much of the beneficiary’s distribution is interest...

Americans living abroad are still required to file US taxes. The US is the only country that requires its expats to file. It is because the US taxes based on citizenship rather than on residence. This leaves the millions of Americans who work abroad at risk of double taxation, paying taxes in both the country where they live, and to the US, on the same income, as the US requires all its citizens...

With several of my family members working in the education field, I know it will be only a matter of time before I’ll get tweets and Facebook shares on the back to school deals they find. Depending on where you live, your state may be offering a huge savings with a sales tax free shopping weekend on specific purchases. With state sales tax ranging 4-7%, that means more money in your pocket. Dates...

Millions of people enjoy hobbies that also provide a source of income. From catering to cupcake baking, crafting homemade jewelry to glass blowing – no matter what your passion is, there will likely be tax repercussions. Some taxpayers are surprised to learn that they must report income earned from hobbies on their tax return. The exact rules for reporting income, as well as deducting expenses,...

A trusteed IRA offers provisions beyond a custodial plan, but is it a good strategy for clients? That answer depends on several factors, including how much control — or not — the client wants their beneficiaries to have. Under the tax code, an IRA can be established as a trust or custodial account. With a trusteed IRA, a financial organization adds trust terms and language to the plan. Thus, the...

Taxpayers contesting IRS assessments of additional taxes, penalties and interest have a number of different options to contest and appeal those assessments. One of those options includes bringing a case to the United States Tax Court (Tax Court). Here are some Tax Court practice tips for taxpayers: 1. Know What Tax Court Is Congress created the Tax Court as an independent judicial authority for...

For many people, thinking about retirement simply means contemplating enjoyable ways of spending time during their golden years. What some people may not account for, however, is the impact taxation can have on savings, investments, and cash withdrawals. Just as it is important to plan your investments—and it is never too soon to start—it is also wise to consider your strategy for withdrawals...

There are plenty of myths about franchising. A great deal of them revolve around money. I hear these two statements a lot: “Franchise companies make most of their profits from franchise fees.” “If it wasn’t for those franchise fees, I’d probably consider buying a franchise business.” In this article, I’m going to teach you all about franchisee fees, including why you pay them and how franchisors...

Did you get a large refund this past April? More than $1,000? Or perhaps you owed money and had to write a check you didn’t want to write? It may be time to sit down, sip your beverage, and learn a bit about how to adjust your tax withholdings. Withholdings are the taxes your employer takes from your pay each check, and it all starts with your payroll department. It’s not too tough once you...