Articles

The health care reform law passed in 2010 included a provision that would require employers of 50 or more full-time employees to provide affordable health insurance to their workers or face steep penalties. That provision was scheduled to take effect January 1, 2014....

For federal tax purposes, the determination of "business" or "hobby" is a matter of deduction. If your new venture is considered a business, you can deduct losses against other income. However, when the activity is classified as a hobby, the "hobby loss" rules limit...

October 1 was the original deadline for employers to provide their workers with a notice about the state health insurance exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act. Failure to comply could have resulted in fines of up to $100 per day. The U.S. Department of Labor...

As schools get back in session, it's a good time to check the education tax breaks for which you might qualify. First, there's the "American Opportunity Tax Credit" for a percentage of qualified expenses paid during the first four years of higher education. Second,...

All small businesses start with something in common: they devour cash. They need cash for inventory, office space, insurance, legal fees, business licenses, remodeling costs, and the list goes on. Because very few start-ups can secure equity financing from venture...

If you're planning to adjust your investment portfolio by selling some losing stocks at year-end, take a minute to review the wash sale rules. A wash sale occurs when you sell a stock, bond, or mutual fund and buy the same or a substantially identical security within...

Business tax reminder   As year-end approaches, don't overlook this option to reduce your business taxes for 2013: accelerated write-offs for business asset purchases. For example, the Section 179 immediate expensing deduction lets you write off the cost of...

In a "2013 Summertime Tax Tip," the IRS reminded taxpayers about the current rules on home sales. Here's a quick review of those rules. Tax Free Home Sale The tax law allows the majority of taxpayers who sell their homes to enjoy 100% tax-free profit from the sale. If...

When you borrow from your 401(k), you become both a borrower and a lender. Whether that's a good idea depends on your personal financial situation – and in the process of making the decision about lending money to yourself, you may have questions regarding the tax...

As you begin your year-end tax planning review, keep in mind the return of the limitation on itemized deductions and personal exemptions for higher-income taxpayers. When you're married filing jointly and your adjusted gross income is more than $300,000, the amount...