Next to saving for retirement, your biggest financial challenge is probably saving for your child’s college education.  College costs have skyrocketed!  People wonder how they will afford the cost of a college education in the future.  A 529 College Savings Plan is a very simple way to save money for your child’s college education.  The benefits are tremendous. Here are some highlights of the plan: more…

Recently enacted legislation makes significant changes to Section 12-700(a) of the General Statutes retroactive to January 1, 2011. Employers and taxpayers need to perform catch-up withholding for the current tax year.  The following is a brief overview of the changes which may affect your employees: more…

The Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts Form TD F 90-22.1 ("FBAR") is due June 30, 2011.  This form must be filed by a United States person with a financial interest in or signature authority over a foreign financial account if the total value of all of the accounts exceeded $10,000 at any time during the year.  This form is merely an information form.  There is no tax due with this return. more…

What direction do you think interest rates are headed in?
Homeowners have ridden the variable interest rate mortgage ride for all it's worth. The prime rate hit 20% in 1980.  Since then interest rates have been in a long and steady decline.  Along the way, borrowers would refinance their house and take out more cash as the value of the property was rising.  Times have changed just a wee bit.  more…

Unemployment Insurance benefits are financed by employers through the payment of taxes. Because of the severe economic recession, unemployment has risen to a current level of 9.1% nationally. In October of 2009, Connecticut’s Unemployment Trust Fund became insolvent and in order to continue to pay claims the state has had to borrow from the United States Department of Labor. These borrowings have been interest free through 2010 due to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which waived the interest on unemployment loans. This benefit was not extended with the most recent legislation passed by Congress; therefore all states who have borrowed funds must begin paying back interest as of 2011. more…