You have two main deduction options when you file, standard or itemizing. This gobbler duo represents that choice, which you make each year, based on which gives you the most beneficial tax result. You can make sure you make the most of your deductions by having a bunching strategy. (Photo by sterlinglanier Lanier on Unsplash) Deductions are one way to trim you tax bill. But since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 essentially doubled the standard deduction amounts, most taxpayers claim that set amount instead of collecting receipts and itemizing. That’s the wisest tax move for most... Read more →
U.S. Holiday
This showy Texas turkey, not to be confused with music icon Bob Wills' Turkey, Texas, hometown, is a spectacular representation of the ol’ blog’s first tax turkey to avoid this holiday season, or any time of year. It’s Thanksgiving week. Most Americans are looking forward to the upcoming fourth Thursday in November, when they’ll gather to share food and fun with family and friends. A turkey will be the featured food on most tables, a tradition dating from the turn of the 19th century. But turkey also is disparaging slang for loser. Tax turkeys, in addition to being unwanted, can... Read more →
The construction sector is one of the areas in which veteran-owned companies play a major role. Veterans Day is tomorrow, Nov. 11. This solemn day is one of the few federal holidays that isn't shifted to Monday. It is always commemorated on Nov. 11 because the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 was the specific moment marking the armistice between World War I's Allied forces and Germany, ending the fighting on the Western Front. The Veterans Day date has held firm, but its focus was expanded in 1954. That year, at the urging of... Read more →
Updated, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024 Tuesday, Oct. 15, is Tax Day again, this time for most taxpayers who got an extension to file their annual tax return. (Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich) Another Monday holiday has come and gone. At the federal level, yesterday was Columbus Day. But some states and localities instead celebrated Indigenous Peoples' Day. Even the White House recognizes both, issuing separate proclamations for Christopher Columbus’ landing in the Americas and the native people already here. Technically, Columbus Day still is a legal holiday, meaning U.S. government workers had the day off and no mail was delivered. But... Read more →
Updated Oct. 3, 2024, to include tax relief in newly declared major disaster areas. Photo by Vlad Chețan October is a scary month. Of course, there’s Halloween. As an adult, I’ve learned one of the most frightening things is a bad Oct. 31 costume party! It’s also the time of year when weather turns colder, sending a chill along the spines of those (me!) who prefer warmer weather. And scariest of all, it’s the start of the final quarter of the annual tax year. If you got a filing extension, you’ve got to face your fears and submit that extended... Read more →
Labor Day isn't a holiday for some workers. They are on the job helping customers. (Photo by Ron Lach) Happy Labor Day! This holiday, which we celebrate with a three-day weekend, was created in the late 1800s to “recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.” States were the first to officially adopt the holiday. New York led the way as the first state to introduce a bill, but Oregon was the first to pass a law, on February 21, 1887, recognizing Labor Day. That year, four more states — Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and... Read more →
Photo by Rene Bernal on Unsplash Happy Independence Day, America! Or as we call it at our house, the July 3 Until Whenever Our Neighbors' Fireworks Stash Is Fully Exploded holiday. Yep, residents of our suburban enclave started celebrating last night. It's an annual dress rehearsal for the full array of pyrotechnics today. And it continues for days. I’m sure the hubby and I are not alone. In 49 states and the District of Columbia, private display of certain types of fireworks are legal. Which jurisdiction is the outlier? Massachusetts is the only U.S. state where it is illegal to... Read more →
Unsplash+ in collaboration with Leire Cavia Juneteenth commemorates a key stage in the end of slavery, June, 19, 1865. That’s the day when official word arrived in Galveston, Texas, that President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation 2½ years earlier. But even as we celebrate the newest U.S. federal holiday, we are aware that work remains to ensure fairness throughout the country. The latest challenge involves Fearless Funds, an Atlanta-based venture capital (VC) firm's nonprofit grant program. Grant issuance was halted this month by a federal appeals court panel ruling. Grants program, lawsuit background: Fearless Funds was sued last... Read more →
“Veterans,” acrylic on canvas, by Jesse T. Hummingbird (Cherokee, b. 1952) celebrates the generations of Native Americans who have, and still do, serve in the various branches of the U.S. military. The painting is on display at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American Indian. This Memorial Day many of us are incorporating honoring fallen U.S. military men and women into our more recreational activities. That’s easy to do if you live in or visit the national capital area. Washington, D.C., is full of monuments and museums, many of which have special military-themed exhibits, either as permanent displays or shown on... Read more →
Happy Mother’s Day! I hope all the moms out there got everything they wanted today. Of course, we should be grateful for all that our parents do for us every day of the year. In additional to the emotional support, moms (and dads) literally pay for parenthood. A recent calculation of the average cost to raise a child to age 18 came to $312,202. That figure is for a middle-class family, and doesn’t include college expenses. Yikes! Isabel V. Sawhill, a senior fellow emeritus in economic studies at the Brookings Institution, told WTOP News that the true price could be... Read more →
Updated Thursday, April 4, 2024 via GIPHY Tax Day is less than two weeks away, but some aren't sweating the April 15 filing deadline. They have more time to complete their tax paperwork and, in some cases, may any associated payments. Here's a look at the special situations where taxpayers have more time to file their federal tax returns. International, including military, taxpayers: When it comes to individual taxes, the tax code doesn't care where you live. If you're a U.S. citizen or resident alien, including those with dual citizenship, you must pay tax to Uncle Sam even if you're... Read more →
Unsplash+ in collaboration with Meg Aghamyan First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes filing your taxes together in one package. 💘💕💗💕💘 Or not. OK, I pushed it trying to rhyme marriage and package. Now it's clear why I stick to prose instead of poetry And that "or not" stanza is a bit counterintuitive on Valentine's Day, a time when we traditionally celebrate love and inseparability. But we are talking taxes on this heart day, so there's always an exception. Married filing options: It's true that most of the time, it's better to file one return jointly. Not only is... Read more →
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at the March on Washington, D.C., on Aug. 28, 1963. (Photo by Unseen Histories on Unsplash) With much of the United States in the grips of severe winter weather, many of today's celebrations of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and legacy have been postponed. If that's the case where you live, you can spend your extra time on this legal holiday reconnecting with King's works. A good starting place is Britannia's timeline of King's life, travails, and accomplishments. You'll also want to read some of his works. There is, of... Read more →
Updated Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, to include the just announced official start of the 2024 tax filing season. Not only is it the first week of a brand, spanking new year, it's the first week of the 2024 tax filing season. I know, the Internal Revenue Service isn't yet accepting 2023 tax returns. That won't happen until the official start of the 2024 filing season on Monday, Jan. 29. But lots of taxpayers already are getting their forms in order, so they can send them the minute the IRS officially opens its doors, and computer system, to process them. And... Read more →
Although hybrid work is still around, most companies returned mostly to pre-COVID-19 pandemic operations in 2023. That apparently includes bonuses for workers. These added employee payments came back in a big way this year, according to a survey last month by the national staffing firm Robert Half. The agency found that 96 percent of employers expect to award year-end bonuses, with 54 percent of those generous employers saying the amounts will be more than a year ago. If you're among those who got a little (or a lot of) extra cash from your boss, congratulations. Now let's talk taxes. Bonus... Read more →
No tax talk today. On this Dec. 25th, enjoy your traditions however and whatever way you celebrate, or even if you don't! My annual wish for you and yours is that on this day, and during the whole holiday season, you get whatever you want, or at least what you need. I'll be back here with a return to taxes tomorrow. Until then, I'll leave you with a few Christmas movie suggestions if you need a break from your regular festivities. The notable new ones this year are Eddie Murphy's Netflix streamer "Candy Cane Lane," and Alexander Payne's well-reviewed "The... Read more →
Photo by Jonathan Meyer on Unsplash My favorite Christmas carol is "We Three Kings." As most know, especially the youngsters who donned paper crowns to play Christmas pageant rulers traversing afar, the song tells the tale of the biblical Magi in Matthew 2:1-12. John H. Hopkins, Jr. wrote the song around 1857. It was part of the United Methodist Hymnal, which was part of my childhood. As a youngster, I was fascinated by these three travelers, often referred to (though not in the carol) as the Magi. It was the first time this West Texas desert dweller had heard of... Read more →
Cutting the Christmas tree is a family affair at this tree farm. (Photo by Chris Briggs on Unsplash) The first Christmas tree the hubby and I shared was a plastic one. A cheap plastic one. We were newlyweds on a budget, and we couldn't justify spending what even a small real fir cost back then. So we got the artificial tree, trimmed it with our few ornaments, watched the cat find creative ways to attack it (and the items hanging from it), and had a very merry first married Christmas. Our tradition was born. As both our finances and artificial... Read more →
Shopping with your true love can be fun, but you'll probably have to make a separate, solo trip so you can surprise your partner. And if you want to buy any or all of the true love gifts in "The 12 Days of Christmas" carol, you also will want to make sure you have lots of cash or a large credit card limit. (Photo via Unsplash+ in collaboration with Getty Images) Even though inflation has slowed this year, Americans are still grumbling about prices. But it hasn't slowed holiday shopping. More than 200 million people went in search of perfect... Read more →
Are you enjoying Thanksgiving? I hope so. And if your Turkey Day celebration extends, like it does for most of us, into Friday and the weekend, Happy Beyond Thanksgiving! But when you're ready (or forced) to get back to your regular routine, you might want to make time to consider the items in the box below: five tax turkeys and how to avoid them. A few relatively easy tax moves in these areas could help make your tax life easier. 2023's Tax Turkeys 🦃 🍗 🦃 to Avoid Not adjusting your incorrect withholding Not collecting your employer's maximum 401(k) match... Read more →