Is college financial aid taxable? A crash course for families
College can be expensive. According to the College Board, the average sticker price for tuition and fees at private colleges was $43,350 for the 2024–2025 school year. The average [...]
5 Common Business Entities and Their Tax Implications
Choosing the right business entity is one of the most important decisions entrepreneurs make when launching or restructuring a business. The type of entity selected affects how the business [...]
Tax Breaks in 2025 and How The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Could Change Them
The U.S. House of Representatives passed The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act on May 22, 2025, introducing possible significant changes to individual tax provisions. While the bill is now being [...]
Why Now Might Be a Good Time for a Gift
The current federal gift tax regime is favorable by historical standards. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) significantly increased the unified exemption for 2018 through 2025 with annual inflation [...]
8 Life Events that May Change Your Tax Situation
Life is full of changes, and many significant milestones can affect your tax situation in unforeseen ways. Whether you're getting married, welcoming a new child, starting a new job [...]
Hiring independent contractors? Make sure you’re doing it right
Many businesses turn to independent contractors to help manage costs, especially during times of staffing shortages and inflation. If you’re among them, ensuring these workers are properly classified for [...]
Business Owners: Is It Time to Transition Ownership to the Next Generation
One of the upsides to owning a small business is the chance to provide a financial legacy for your family members to participate in after you exit the business. [...]
The Tax Rules for Legal Awards and Settlements: What Recipients Should Know
If you’ve recently received a settlement or award from a lawsuit, or you’re expecting one, you may be wondering how the IRS views this money. Will you need to pay [...]
Tax Advice for Recent College Grads
New college graduates will face some of the harsh realities of adulthood, including paying taxes, filing their own tax returns and possibly coordinating with their parents to achieve the [...]
The “Wash Sale” Rule: Don’t Let Losses Circle the Drain
Stock, mutual fund and ETF prices have bounced around lately. If you make what turns out to be an ill-fated investment in a taxable brokerage firm account, the good [...]
What tax documents can you safely shred? And which ones should you keep?
Once your 2024 tax return is in the hands of the IRS, you may be tempted to clear out file cabinets and delete digital folders. But before reaching for [...]
Delinquent Taxpayers May Experience Passport Issues
Let's say a person is planning to take a plane trip out of the country. And further suppose that individual owes the federal government a fair amount of back taxes. [...]
Claiming Bad Debt Loss Deductions
The issue of individual taxpayers deducting bad debt losses has historically been a source of tension with the IRS. Here's what you need to know to get the best [...]
Do You Qualify for “Head of Household” Tax Filing Status
When we prepare your tax return, we’ll check one of the following filing statuses: single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, head of household or qualifying widow(er). Only some [...]
401 (k) Plan Catch-Up Contributions
How big is your retirement nest egg? Too often, people sacrifice retirement savings to afford a bigger home, cover emergency expenses or pay for their children's education. But time [...]