Prepare in Advance for Required IRA Distributions

By : November 23, 2016 Comments Off on Prepare in Advance for Required IRA Distributions

Once you reach age 70-1/2, the required minimum distribution (RMD) rules say you have to withdraw at least a minimum amount from your retirement plans each year. Since the withdrawals are considered ordinary income, planning in advance can help you

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Payroll Responsibilities Go Beyond Writing Paychecks

By : September 26, 2016 Comments Off on Payroll Responsibilities Go Beyond Writing Paychecks

As an employee, you may not have thought much about the procedures behind the issuance of your paycheck. But as a new business owner, you'll need to understand how federal employment taxes work because you'll have to withhold these payroll

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A Primer of Education Tax Breaks

By : September 20, 2016 Comments Off on A Primer of Education Tax Breaks

Are your children in college? You may be able to offset some of the costs of their education with tax breaks. Here's a "tax primer." Education tax credits include the American Opportunity Tax Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit. The

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Get Familiar With These Estate Planning Documents

By : August 31, 2016 Comments Off on Get Familiar With These Estate Planning Documents

Basic estate planning begins with completing documents that allow your last wishes to be carried out as you choose. But are you familiar with the documents you'll need? Here's a list of common estate planning documents and their purpose. Advance

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Designate Beneficiaries to Avoid Unintended Consequences

By : August 15, 2016 Comments Off on Designate Beneficiaries to Avoid Unintended Consequences

After your death, the disposition of retirement accounts, life insurance policies, annuities, and accounts at financial institutions are governed by beneficiary designations. If those designations are outdated, unspecific, or wrong, your assets may not be distributed the way you would

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Don’t Be Forced Out of a 401(k) From Your Former Job

By : July 11, 2016 Comments Off on Don’t Be Forced Out of a 401(k) From Your Former Job

When you change jobs and abandon vested amounts in your 401(k), your former employer has to follow IRS rules and plan provisions for dealing with your account balance. Pursuant to these guidelines, the 401(k) plan may have a "force-out" provision.

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Close is not Good Enough with New Reporting Rules

By : June 28, 2016 Comments Off on Close is not Good Enough with New Reporting Rules

The old adage "close only counts in horseshoes" is an accurate reflection of the new IRS information reporting rules. Beginning with 2016 returns, due dates for Forms W-2 and certain Forms 1099 have been moved up, and the penalties for

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