I’ve been investing with Lending Club for three years now and my returns are still over 10%. I’ve developed a specific set of filters that I feel give me a distinct advantage over the average LC investor yet it’s nothing ground breaking. The average investor is doing pretty well according to Lending Club, but I […]
The Best Ways to Avoid Paying Taxes
Most articles around this time of year talk about what to do or not do with your tax refund. I’ve already talked about that, so instead I’m going to help you come up with ways to avoid paying taxes next year. I don’t mean stashing all your money in offshore savings account but we can […]
Writing Off Moving Costs During Tax Time
The IRS provides a lot of deductions for hard working Americans like us but a lot of people are unaware of them or maybe scared of an audit. I say bring it on, as long as you have the receipts and proof to back it all up, you should take advantage of every deduction available […]
Turbo Tax 2012 Review and Premier/Deluxe Giveaway
I’ve been using Turbo Tax to file my taxes for several years now so I thought it would be appropriate to review their product. Last year, I debated over whether or not to hire a CPA but ultimately decided on using Turbo Tax again. Although my taxes have gotten more complicated over the years, I’ve […]
Amazon is Now Collecting Sales Tax in California
If you’ve been following this blog, you know how much I love a good deal. So when I finally decided to upgrade my iPhone 4 to a Samsung Galaxy S3, I remembered a tip that Amazon wireless has no sales tax on smart phones. If you’ve ever bought one of these suckers, you know how […]
Guest Post: Intelligent Deductions, Why is the US Government Giving Tax Breaks to People Who Don’t Need Them?
The following article is a guest post by Justin Gordon. If interested in submitting a guest post, please ready my guest posting policy and then contact me.. Justin is a recent graduate of Temple University School of Law and majored in Political Science at USC. The United States’ federal income tax policy is a beast; it’s no wonder […]
My Tax Efficient Investing Plan
If the Mayans are wrong and Dec 21, 2012 doesn’t bring the end of the world, taxmageddon is still headed our way in 2013. Income taxes are slated to go up for every single tax-paying American unless congress and Obama act. Regardless of whether you’re for or against the proposed tax increase, it’s causing a lot of […]
Calculate Your Mortgage Interest Deduction the Right Way
With the large deficit our country is facing, politicians are starting to get creative. There’s actually been some talk about getting rid of the mortgage interest deduction for homeowners. If you don’t own property, then you may not know about one of the biggest tax deductions available. The mortgage interest deduction allows taxpayers who own […]
Reader Question: Health Savings Account Explained
Reader JY writes in, “I was wondering if you have written anything regarding the Health Savings Account and high deductible health insurance plans. I have recently signed up for this through my new employer as the idea sounded really great. Previously I was paying for one of the more expensive plans, the Kaiser HMO. Now […]
Should Young Professionals Invest in Dividend Stocks?
With fixed income investments like bonds and CD’s returning decade lows, some investors have turned to dividend stocks as a way to receive predictable income at regular intervals. Dividend stocks usually refer to companies that have a history of paying out dividends to shareholders. In fact, each year, the S&P 500 publishes a list of […]
Help Me Buy Something with My Tax Refund
I just received my yearly merit increase: a whopping 3% to stay right in line with inflation. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very appreciative of the extra money, but in the grand scheme of things, how much will this improve my life? Will I be able to buy more, spend more, save more? In the […]
Your Take on the Health Care Law
This past week, the Supreme Court wrapped up three days of oral arguments over the health care law. At stake is the health care law’s individual mandate that would require most citizens to have health care as part of a systematic overhaul intended to lower medical costs. The individual mandate is crucial to the survival […]
Why Mitt Romney Still Pays Less Tax Than You
Mitt Romney’s federal tax rate has come under a lot of scrutiny with the battle for the republican primaries heating up. He released statements that showed his effective tax rate was around 15%. This number has come under attack from the White House and critics alike, pointing out that Romney, whose estimated net worth is […]
What To Do When Your Company Offers a Roth 401k
It seems like every few years the government introduces a new retirement plan. Even though it’s getting hard to keep track of all the different types, at a minimum, a savvy investor should have a basic understanding of each option and whom it can benefit most. The Roth 401k was authorized by the IRS in […]
Do I Save Money by Doing My Taxes Myself?
By now you should have received most of your year-end tax documents. More and more Americans, each year are turning to tax software like TurboTax or H&R Block at home to file our taxes. Software like this has made a once tedious task fairly straightforward. Although the United States tax code now stands at 70,000 […]
Why Everyone Should Have a Roth IRA
While a 401k is probably the most popular and well-known type of retirement account, there are a few others you may have heard about. In this article, you will learn what a Roth IRA is, and how it’s tax-favored status can be leveraged by investors at any income level. A Roth IRA is the only […]