Key Takeaways Check if your tax withholdings are correct with a W-4 calculator  Learn if you can still itemize deductions this year Find out other ways tax reform may have affected you  Was one of your New Year’s resolutions to improve your financial planning? We’re still in the front end of 2019, so to help […]

Continue Reading

Key Takeaways Expect significantly higher standard deductions for 2018 due to new tax laws Itemizing deductions may no longer make sense for many taxpayers      Learn how the new tax code affects specific deductions such as mortgage interest and alimony As you receive your 2018 tax documents such as W-2s and 1099s, you’re likely starting to […]

Continue Reading

Key Takeaways The 2018 tax law included a potential perk for small business owners who operate as pass-through entities Sole proprietorships and partnerships are typically pass-through entities, as are some LLCs and corporations Tread carefully, as pass-through tax rules can get complicated depending on the type of business entity you own Have you struck out […]

Continue Reading

Key Takeaways Understand the difference between a tax credit and a tax deduction Learn how the type of credit (refundable or nonrefundable) might impact your tax liability Consider how recent changes in the tax code might affect your taxes   Tax season is underway, which means figuring out what you owe—and finding ways to potentially reduce […]

Continue Reading

Go ahead, throw yourself on the mercy of State U’s aid office and crank out the scholarship essays. But you may also want to consider a tax-advantaged 529 College Savings Plan. Ask any college student who’s stumbled through organic chemistry and they’ll probably stress the same thing: always learn the exception to the rule. That […]

Continue Reading

As first-semester college kids head off for the ivied walls, parents are digging deep to cover the skyrocketing costs of a degree, and some are looking at nontraditional accounts like a Roth IRA as a method to fuel the financial madness. It’s an out-of-the-box approach that’s doable, but financial advisors don’t suggest it without heaps […]

Continue Reading

A four-year public, out-of-state college education now averages roughly $100,000 in tuition and other expenses, according to the College Board, leaving multiple generations to help shoulder the bill. For many families, grandma and grandpa are helping to pay for college, and are turning to tax-advantaged 529 College Savings Plans. Why the Need? Parents on average […]

Continue Reading

Is a piece of paper from a top-tier university worth the pile of debt it may take to obtain it? That’s the evergreen question that burdens students and their families as tuition and living costs escalate at a rate that dwarfs average wage gains. Is the college ROI worthwhile? There are ways to help reduce […]

Continue Reading

The average 2016 college graduate holds $37,172 in student debt, a 6% jump in debt compared to 2015 graduates. While you may be planning back-to-school shopping lists for your young kids right now, you might think about carving out some time to set up a 529 college savings plan. These plans can help you build […]

Continue Reading

From choosing the right sunscreen to making sure they eat enough vegetables, the day-to-day task of raising kids is a lot of work. Add in big things like choosing the right elementary school, and it gets even more complicated. And paying for college? That one’s big and looming. When parents hear stats about the growing […]

Continue Reading