Special Tax Deductions for Special Education via the WSJ

Wall St Journal

This Wall Street Journal Article contains a good overview of the tax breaks available for special education costs. “More than six million children in the U.S. fall into the “special needs” category, and their ranks are expanding. The number of those affected by one developmental disability alone—autism—grew more than 70% between 2005 and 2010. The…

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Why annuities may not be a good fit for senior citizens

  This article highlights difficulties that some senior citizens have had with annuities.    Arizona seniors lost millions in annuity fees, lawsuits say  Lawsuits highlight risks for elderly of investment choices   by Robert Anglen – Nov. 7, 2011 12:00 AM-The Arizona Republic   Hundreds of Arizona senior citizens cashed in their retirement investments and paid millions of dollars in unnecessary fees,…

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The theory of relativity is in the tax code

Albert Einstein

This is not the theory discovered by Einstein, but the one that states that certain tax advantages may be disallowed if you sell an asset to someone (or a company) that the tax code calls  a “related party.” Simply put, selling a capital asset at a loss to any of the following entities will cause the loss…

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Even Rodney may need an advanced degree to understand this.

tax credits for education

Not only are there several different types of tax credits and deductions for education, but   they can vary according to status within college (Freshman,Senior, etc.) and your level of income. This article from the Wall Street Journal gives a basic overview of what’s available.     As always, contact us before acting on this or any tax credit. …

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What you can learn by adding (and subtracting) 8 zeros

government burns our money

Putting things into perspective by removing 8 zeros  It’s amazing what simple math can show: An analysis of the numbers below reveals why the average household budget is far better managed than the budget in Washington!      -Why S&P downgraded  the US credit rating • U.S. Tax revenue: $2,170,000,000,000 • Fed budget: $3,820,000,000,000 •…

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What could happen without a Will?

Sadly, this could be the legacy you leave to your heirs. Think about the results this would produce and then email us for some solutions. What Happens With No Will? LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF JOHN DOE (WHO DIED WITHOUT A WILL) I, John Doe, of Nimrod, Missouri, hereby do make, publish and declare this…

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The one time that it’s good to be average

Here are the average deductions, by level of income, based on the latest available IRS stats. Average Itemized Deductions         Adjusted Gross Income Medical Expenses Taxes Interest Charitable Contributions $15,000 to $30,000 $7,074 $3,147 $9,245 $2,189 $30,000 to $50,000 $6,153 $3,830 $9,055 $2,189 $50,000 to $100,000 $7,102 $6,050 $10,659 $2,693 $100,000 to…

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Planning for the unexpected in the chess game of Life

spreadsheet to calculate yield

A Will to Live by It’s never too early to make a living will. Have you started one? By Rosemary Carlson • Bankrate.com [Breaking news- The Georgia State Bar has made available a free sample medical directive for your use. E-mail us for a free copy.] It could happen at any time. Walk across the street and…

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