or choose from previous Life Events Library articles below:
TAXES - Your Tax Return "Whose Responsibility Is It?" Reboot
December 2022
This article is not for those of you who prepare your own tax returns. Let us face it when you prepare your own return, you are responsible for what is, or is not, included on the forms....
TAXES - 2020 Vs 2021 Vs 2022 Federal Income Tax Brackets
September 2022
The US tax system is progressive, meaning that the more you earn the more you pay. For the years 2020-2022 there are seven different brackets for each year....
On March 25, 2020, the Senate voted unanimously to enact stimulus legislation in order to provide economic relief to individuals and businesses considering the Coronavirus pandemic....
Beginning on Jan. 1, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has new annual inflation adjustments for tax rates, brackets, deductions and retirement contribution limits. Note, the amounts...
BUSINESS GROWTH - 8 Ways To Improve Website Ranking
August 2019
Your accounting firm finally has a website, well done! But, you can not sit back and wait for your target audience or clientele to stumble on your website by chance....
BUSINESS GROWTH - Why Company Logos are so Important
Current Month
Want a successful business? Simply establish a strong identity. But, whats a logo got to do with it?
Well, its all about visual branding. Remember the common phrase a picture is worth a thousand words...
BUSINESS GROWTH - Tips on Running an Effective Email Marketing Campaign
Current Month
According to Statista, of the globe's 3.7 billion email users, 233 million live in America. The same report also projected that by the end of 2020, the number of email users in the United States will...
TAXES - IRS Releases New Projected 2019 Tax Rates, Brackets and More
November 2018
Bloomberg recently released projected tax rates, brackets and other numbers that apply to the 2019 tax year (the IRS will release the official numbers later this year). Note, these...
BUSINESS GROWTH - How to Build Trust with Customers Online
Current Month
When it comes to selling online, gaining users’ trust is a serious matter for businesses. Based on a July 2015 poll from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Telecommunications and Information......
Some experts are predicting that the recent tax legislation will create a ton of new business creation and activity – just not the kind that lawmakers originally intended. These people are predicting......
BUSINESS GROWTH - Small Business Embracing Chatbot Technology
Current Month
In the past, small business owners sometimes lacked the resources – both financial and human – to capitalize upon the latest productivity and customer service technologies. Fortunately, the......
BUSINESS GROWTH - How to Value and Sell a Website Effectively
Current Month
Whether a business owner wants to sell a website or he has been approached by an individual expressing interest in purchasing it, understanding what it's worth is essential to a fair sale for everyone involved...
BUSINESS GROWTH - Strategies to Run a Localized and Location-Based Marketing Campaign
Current Month
The potential for localized and location-based marketing is high – especially with estimates of retail sales from “beacon-triggered messages”, which grew from $4.1 billion to $44.4 billion between 2015 and......
You can pay off your mortgage, never again seeing a bill from the bank for principal or interest, but you can never pay off your property taxes. Property taxes also, unfortunately, only seem to go one way...
BUSINESS GROWTH - How to Select the Right Domain Name
Current Month
When it comes to selecting a domain name, there’s more than just registration involved. Selecting the right domain name involves a lot of consideration. This includes making sure it represents the company and its...
INVESTING - Managing Financial Risk in the New World
Current Month
Managing Risk - What a difference just a few years, a few weeks, or even a few Tweets can make. Ever since the turn of the century we've experienced a rapid boom in technology, the real estate and banking collapse, one of the...
EXECUTIVE - Business Leases: Essential Elements to Have (and Avoid)
Current Month
Whether for a first-time commercial lease or if it's time to move to a bigger and better building with a new business lease, understanding all of the elements in the contract can avoid a lot of potential problems down the...
If you have a business that deals with the public, it is almost inevitable that you’ll get a negative online review at some point. To a small business owner, a highly critical review can be alarming,...
INVESTING - Reverse Mortgage Update: Pros and Cons
Current Month
By 2030, one in five Americans will be 65 or older. Among today’s retirees, 87 percent say they want to stay in their current home and community as they age. It’s easy to imagine those numbers will increase by...
BUSINESS GROWTH - Branding Considerations: What goes into the Naming Process?
Current Month
One of the first steps in conceptualizing and building a business is branding. An important component in branding a business is creating a name that makes a great first and lasting impression. For many startups,...
Refinancing is a matter of crunching the numbers. The real question is, will it save you money? The answer lies in several factors, such as the new interest rate, the new mortgage term,...
INVESTING - How Behavioral Finance Impacts Personal Investing
Current Month
Financial planning can be intimidating, but personal financial planning is more like a puzzle you have to work out. That's because traditional finance assumes that markets are......
For several months, the Federal Reserve Board has hinted that it will begin to raise the target range for the federal funds rate when it sees progress toward its objectives of...
BUSINESS GROWTH - Does Your Business Need a Mobile App?
Current Month
If the Pew Research Center's findings from its Mobile Technology Fact Sheet are any indication of mobile device usage, your business should consider developing a mobile app....
BUSINESS GROWTH - Marketing To Millennials: What Works?
Current Month
As the Pew Research Center points out, the millennial population is expected to hit and exceed the 75 million mark. As one of America's largest upcoming demographics, business...
Most people think that they are at the mercy of the IRS. They think they have no rights whatsoever - but they are wrong. Taxpayers have always had certain rights in dealing with...
BUYING STUFF - Making the Best Choice: Should You Rent or Buy Your Next Home?
Current Month
Most people see owning a home as a milestone; a marker of success; an important step in settling down and gaining stability. Should You Rent or Buy Your Next Home?...
FAMILY - Planning Your Wedding: Important Early Steps
Current Month
Planning a wedding can be complicated - even more so than you probably realize at first - but by tackling the most important steps as early as possible, you'll save...
Did last year's family vacation create more stress than it was worth? Vacations should be a time to rest and relax, but poor planning and a hectic pace can make you want to retreat...
FAMILY - Five Basic Financial Tips for Young Couples
Current Month
For young couples starting out, money can be tight. Most likely, you're starting a new career or a family; paying back college loans; or simply suffering though...
This is a good year for buying a home, as prices are beginning to rise, interest rates are still low, and homeowner tax breaks are still available. To help...
BUYING STUFF - How to Beat Credit Card Debt in 7 Simple Steps
Current Month
The first step toward beating credit card debt is to keep it from happening in the first place. But if you are already overwhelmed with monthly credit card payments, there are...
TAXES - Property Taxes: How to Pay Only What You Owe On What You Own
Current Month
Even seasoned homeowners might shudder a little when their property tax bill arrives, but there are steps you can take to make sure you don't pay more than necessary. All it...
TAXES - Things to Know Before Applying for Social Security Benefits
Current Month
Social Security benefits are largely funded by today's workers via payroll taxes. However, the number of retired workers is projected to double in less than 30 years. Furthermore, the...
INSURANCE - How to Plan For a Long Life with Longevity Insurance
Current Month
People are living longer than ever, but that doesn't mean they are healthier. While modern medical science has done much to lengthen life spans, it has been less effective at preventing chronic...
BUYING STUFF - Young and In Debt: What Should You Do?
Current Month
Members of the so-called Generation Y are in over their heads. A new online survey by The PNC Financial Services Group shows that people in their 20s are carrying record debt, averaging $45,000 across the age range of...
When deciding upon a firm's record retention procedures, it would be wise to consult federal and IRS regulations and state and local government record retention...
If you're like most owners of growing firms, you might wonder about the best way to protect your personal assets and conduct your daily activities. For some...
Older generations were taught to save for a rainy day but the concept of saving for a rainy day or for an emergency or for anything unforeseen was lost on the younger generations. If your children are at a learning age......
INSURANCE - Homeowner's Insurance - Are You Really Covered?
Current Month
As a homeowner, you probably do everything you can to protect your home, from taking care of maintenance items to locking the door when you leave, but how often do you check the...
FAMILY - Reverse Mortgages: Easy to get, but worth the price?
Current Month
Every so often, the topic du jour for financial planning is the reverse mortgage, especially when interest rates are low and older people find themselves in need of easily attainable sources of...
It no secret that the U.S. economy is going through a great deal of upheaval these days. With the government taking control of the two largest funders of home mortgages, and major Wall Street players...
