Not everyone aspires to
It’s tax time, and for more than two-thirds of Americans, their tax refund is the single largest payment they’ll receive all year.
Last year, approximately 80 percent of all tax returns resulted in the issuance of a refund, and the Internal Revenue Service estimated the average tax refund was approximately $3,100. For most Americans, particularly
Our society is becoming increasingly digital. While digitization brings many benefits, it also generates a number of cyber-related risks. For example, consider cyber-fraud. At the heart of every fraud is a compelling story, which profiles seemingly easy ways of making money. Most people want to make a great deal of money, but it is important
Progress Through Business and its sister organization, the Center on Business and Poverty, helped establish a number of years ago volunteer tax preparation sites in three cities in Wisconsin: Madison, Milwaukee, and Wausau. This year, we are happy to report another successful tax season for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. The 87 volunteers
Americans are losing as much as $40 billion a year to investment fraud. In the recent past, 30.2 million—13.5 percent of consumers—fell victim to fraud in one year.
Investment fraud occurs when people are persuaded to invest in fraudulent stocks or bonds and consequently lose their money.
The elderly especially are targeted for investment fraud for several
Anonymous giving is something we rarely talk about. Some might argue the nature of the topic makes it elusive; it is intrinsically invisible. Another reason we skirt around the topic is because some would prefer to not give anonymously, and to point it out is awkward.
People often want to be noticed when they give. For
Since Roth 401(k) plans are relatively new, it’s easy to get these mixed up but the differences are important and not just when filing your taxes. – See more at: http://www.financialfinesse.com/blog/2016/02/roth-ira-or-roth-401k
Source: Roth IRA or Roth 401(k)? – Financial Wellness @ Work
Each year during tax time millions of consumers put their financial future in the hands of strangers, trusting that these tax preparers — who are largely unregulated — know the rules, will get them the best possible result (hopefully a refund), and won’t sell them on a product that costs more than it’s worth.
Compassion, often reckoned to be the “highest personal virtue,” is held to embody the very essence of humanity. It is widely attributed to play a fundamental role in pro-social behavior, cooperation and human morality. But there is compelling evidence that the “compassionate instinct” to care and cooperate is not the sole preserve of humans. Across
Tax season can be frustrating enough. But it’s also peak season for identity theft. So before you whip out that W-2, take a second to consider security.
Source: Computer safety do’s and don’ts at tax time
Act Now The National Cyber Security Alliance has some easy-to-use tips
Consumers looking for someone to handle their income tax returns may not know that many paid tax preparers aren’t required to have special training or pass a test to prove their expertise. So it’s important to do some research before handing over your financial information.
Read this before you plunk down your contribution. The first step in finding the right plan. The next step is careful research…
Source: Everything you need to know about 529 college savings plans
TO DO MORE to save for college for a family member by opening a 529 plan, compare plans do your research at this site:
Vanguard research shows women are more likely than men to sign up for 401(k) plans and save a larger piece of their salaries for retirement.
Read from the source: Women save more than men for retirement: Study
Here’s an interesting article and video about saving money: Act Now
As more and more American workers reflect on their ability to secure a financially comfortable retirement, the mismatch between when they think they will retire and when they actually do provokes both concern and reflection. Retirement ages have undoubtedly increased over the past decade — a 2015 analysis by the Centre for Retirement Research at
A new study shows how low-income households frequently report the exact right amount of income to get the maximum refundable tax credit from the Internal Revenue Service.
Source: How Some Americans Hit the Maximum Tax-Refund Sweet Spot – Real Time Economics – WSJ
TO DO MORE to assess your personal tax knowledge, take this helpful assessment:
Tips for tax filers from Tom Herman. What you need to know about deadlines, deductions, and dividends.
Source: Tips for Filing Your 2015 Taxes – WSJ
TO DO MORE to get a head start on filing your taxes take a look at your filing options: ACT NOW
TO
A good friend recently asked me several questions about selecting a charity. As I was considering how to respond, he asked, “Isn’t it a lot like selecting an investment?”
There are obvious differences between making an investment and supporting a charity. Primary amongst these is that charities are generally chosen to align with one’s belief system
Winston Churchill is widely regarded as one of the most influential people of the 20th Century. Many political and military books have been written about him. I was therefore pleasantly surprised when I came across a recently published book that chronicled Mr. Churchill’s life from a personal finance perspective.
David Lough’s superb book, “No More Champagne:
A number of people advised me not to write a column involving fraud and charities, especially religious-based charities, because they considered it controversial. As I was deciding whether or not to do so, a good friend advised me that the potential controversy is exactly the reason why I should write such an piece, so here
Many companies encourage their employees to participate in 401(k) plans and, even though the participation rate may be high, the plan may not be fulfilling its purpose. The ultimate purpose of a 401(k) plan is to provide an opportunity for adequate income replacement upon retirement. So how much money is needed? There are many factors
