Planet money is a fascinating podcast that I highly recommend if you'd like to be more informed about money matters. This is an episode I found particularly interesting, about how a man named Luca Pacioli, "a monk, a mathematician, a magician and, possibly, the...
It's time to start thinking about next year's taxes, and I've been getting lots of questions about the new tax laws. The Trump Administration promised a tax return that would fit on a postcard. The new Form 1040 for 2018 is indeed smaller, but is it simpler? The...
As 2018 is drawing to a close, there are a few tax-smart moves you can make to minimize what you owe in 2019. Curious what they are? Merrill-Lynch gives a good starter list, including conventional wisdom such as making more charitable donations, and maxing out your...
With the new tax laws in place, there's plenty of reason to take a fresh look at your tax planning strategy. One of the key areas to reevaluate will be your withholding. "Just over 2 in 10 taxpayers will owe money to the IRS next year" due to insufficient withholding,...
I talk a little bit about the upcoming changes in 2018.
The Trump Administration has finally published its plan for tax reform, titled a "UNIFIED FRAMEWORK FOR FIXING OUR BROKEN TAX CODE." Under the "Tax Reform" heading is the tagline: "MORE jobs | FAIRER taxes | BIGGER paychecks." Give it a read here:...
You've probably heard about the recent security breach of Equifax, one of the United States' three official credit bureaus, and how your data has most likely already been compromised. This is alarming news. What are next steps you can take to protect yourself? Anne...
The scammers are at it again! This time, there's an email phishing scheme going around from senders impersonating the IRS and FBI. The email asks you to fill out and send in a "questionnaire" from the FBI, which will then be used in a ransomware scam against...
Earlier this month, the Seattle City Council unanimously voted to approve a city income tax, affecting those considered to be "high earners"--meaning individual income over $250,000 a year, or joint income over $500,000 a year. Only 15 minutes after Mayor Ed Murray...
Less chance of the IRS coming to knock on your door? Sounds like a good thing, right? President Trump has proposed a $239-million cut to the Internal Revenue Service's budget. This could mean, among other things, reduced personnel for performing enforcement functions...
