Home-related tax breaks are valuable on 2017 returns, will be less so for 2018
Home ownership is a key element of the American dream for many, and the U.S. tax code includes many tax breaks that help support this dream. If you own a home, you may be eligible for several valuable breaks when you file your 2017 return. But under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, your home-related […]
Can you claim your elderly parent as a dependent on your tax return?
Perhaps. It depends on several factors, such as your parent’s income and how much financial support you provided. If you qualify for the adult-dependent exemption on your 2017 income tax return, you can deduct up to $4,050 per qualifying adult dependent. However, for 2018, under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the dependency exemption is […]
Apply for a waiver if you’ve missed the 60-day IRA rollover deadline
IRAs and employer-sponsored plans such as 401(k)s are powerful retirement savings tools, but they also provide valuable estate planning benefits. If you hold a traditional IRA for life, for example, your children or other heirs can stretch out distributions over their lifetimes, maximizing the IRA’s tax-deferred growth and preserving more wealth for the family. If, […]
Could your next business loan get “ratio’d”?
We live and work in an era of big data. Banks are active participants, keeping a keen eye on metrics that help them accurately estimate risk of default. As you look for a loan, try to find out how each bank will evaluate your default probability. Many do so using spreadsheets that track multiple […]
Home vs. away: The company retreat conundrum
When a business decides to hold a retreat for its employees, the first question to be answered usually isn’t “What’s our agenda?” or “Whom should we invite as a guest speaker?” Rather, the first item on the table is, “Where should we have it?” Many employees, and some business owners, might assume a company […]
Learn the warning signs of earnings “spin”
Management wants to paint the rosiest possible picture of a company’s financial performance. But aggressive earnings management, or “spin,” can mislead investors and lenders. Here are some ways U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) can be manipulated to obscure the truth. Creative accounting vs. cooking the books Earnings management usually starts out small, but it […]
