Did you turn age 70 1/2 in 2015? If so, an important date is coming up soon. By April 1, 2016, you must begin taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) from your traditional IRAs — or face a steep penalty. (Lifetime…
Some lucrative federal income tax credits for certain energy-efficient home improvements were extended recently. The extensions were part of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (the PATH Act), which became law on December 18, 2015. Here’s what…
The Baby Boomer generation reached its peak in 1957 at an annual birth rate of about 4.3 million people. It’s hard to believe that these Baby Boomers will turn 59 years old in 2016. An important rite of passage that…
Many companies choose to lease certain assets, rather than buy them outright. Leasing arrangements are especially common among construction contractors, manufacturers, retailers, health care providers, airlines and trucking companies that rely on expensive equipment or real estate in their day-to-day…
Attending college or graduate school is one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make — and spring is the time schools normally announce who’s in and who’s out. If you or your child (or grandchild) plans to attend an institution…
2016 ushers in a few changes to the tax laws that govern benefits, as the IRS recently laid out in its annual “Tax Guide to Fringe Benefits.” The document features important clarifications, not just identifying which benefits are and aren’t…
Tax Day is right around the corner. Have you filed your federal tax return yet? The filing deadline to submit 2015 individual federal income tax returns is Monday, April 18, 2016, rather than the traditional April 15 date. Washington, D.C.,…
Most Americans hate receiving unsolicited telemarketing calls. Inevitably, they seem to happen at the worst possible times — when you’re sitting down to dinner, tuning in to your favorite television show or drifting off to sleep. Fortunately, the Federal Trade…
Many presume that a sizeable charitable donation to a favorite cause-oriented organization or university should be in the form of cash. Meanwhile, opting to make that contribution instead as appreciated stock could offer tax benefits that would otherwise be missed,…
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) released an update on the April 2015 proposed Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2015-230, Not-for-Profit Entities (Topic 958) and Health Care Entities (Topic 954): Presentation of Financial Statements of Not-for-Profit Entities that received significant…