1) Harvest Capital Losses

Capital gains property includes stocks, bonds and mutual funds.  Currently, the stated rate on long term capital gains is 15%.  If you have a net loss after netting all of your gains and losses, the tax deduction is limited to $3,000. Any excess capital losses can be carried into the future. more…

Donors should give appreciated property to their favorite charity. Appreciated property is property whose Fair Market Value exceeds the cost basis.  Cost basis is generally what was paid for an item. more…

The primary reason to make the Subchapter S filing status election is to have a single federal income tax when the business is eventually sold. 

If the corporation is not an S corporation and the company assets are sold, there will be a double tax on sale.  The first tax will be at the corporation level.  A regular or C corporation will pay a tax on the gain on the sale of its assets.  The second tax will be when net proceeds are paid to the shareholders.

more…

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…

In December, 2010 President Obama signed into law the tax bill which extends many of the Bush-Era federal income tax cuts and the Pension Protection Act of 2006. This law has extended the provision that allows some people to make qualified charitable distributions from their IRAs. more…