WEEKLY QUOTE“Life is an adventure in forgiveness.”– Norman Cousins WEEKLY TIP If 2012 is a year in which you start a business, remember three essentials to have on hand: an emergency fund, a year’s worth of operating capital and the support of your spouse or partner. WEEKLY RIDDLE They are sometimes stomped...
Benefits increase for 2012. Ideas for reform are numerous. Social Security gets its first COLA since 2009. As moderate inflation has made a comeback, the federal government has decided to boost Social Security benefits by 3.6% for 2012. This means an average increase of $39 per...
WEEKLY QUOTE“Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious.” – Peter Ustinov WEEKLY TIP About to do some holiday shopping? Try keeping your credit cards at home. The interest you save can be a financial gift to yourself. WEEKLY RIDDLE A man leaves home and makes three left turns. He comes home...
WEEKLY QUOTE“Education is the transmission of civilization.” – Will Durant WEEKLY TIP In search of a sizable tax deduction? One idea: donate clothes, electronics and other household items to an IRS-approved charity before 2012 arrives. There are free online tools that can help you keep track of itemized deductions. WEEKLY RIDDLE Seven people...
WEEKLY QUOTE“A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” – Charles Spurgeon WEEKLY TIP Dropping a landline and just using your cell phone might save you as much as $300 annually. Using a broadband phone system might give you even greater savings. WEEKLY RIDDLE Alexandra’s...
WEEKLY QUOTE“The trust of the innocent is the liar’s most useful tool.” – Stephen King WEEKLY TIP Income from stock options and bonuses could put you into a higher tax bracket for 2011. If that is a problem, consider deferring that income until 2012. WEEKLY RIDDLE A sudden noise startles a gopher, an...
WEEKLY QUOTE“Experience is a dear teacher, but fools will learn at no other.” – Ben Franklin WEEKLY TIP Starting a small business? A written plan is handy for forecasting, risk management and raising capital. A written plan is far preferable to one you keep in your head. WEEKLY RIDDLE What can run but...
How hard will this hit the world economy? The task of rebuilding will soon begin. Over the weekend, power was partly restored to the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and the outlook in Japan became slightly less negative, with prospects for stabilization improving. Its devastated...
Here are some things to consider. Be sure you understand your options. When the owner of an IRA passes away, his or her heirs must be aware of the rules and regulations affecting the inherited IRA. Ignorance could lead you straight toward a tax disaster. Please note...
Some of these may provide big savings. The Internal Revenue Code is around 700 pages thick – not as long as War and Peace or Remembrance of Things Past, but much drier reading. However, some very nice tax breaks may be found within its pages and...