The idea of insurance – Back to basics
This comes from Michael Plaks, a licensed insurance agent: Insurance as an industry is fundamentally messed up, and I have no idea how it can be fixed. Here are the three biggest problems, as I see them: […]
Critical Thoughts about Critical Times
[…] Whoever’s fault this mess is, we all mostly agree that the near future is bleak. We expect that people will lose jobs, houses, families, and sanity. The trick is to survive. Naturally, we’re trying to be prepared. We’re making changes. […]
Bookkeeping for Investors – the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
The more you invest in different forms of real estate, the more complicated your taxes become. Whether or not you do your own taxes, there is one thing of utmost importance […]
Reducing Taxes With Cost Segregation
[…] When using asset segregation to lower your taxes, you utilize the principle that money in your pocket now is better than money in your pocket 10 or 20 years from now. […]
IRS helping investors: 2009-10 Homebuyer credit
[…] If you are looking to buy your own home for the first time – it is obviously exciting news. However […}]
“Random Audits” are Back!
[…] The IRS announced that they are restarting the “random audits” program…In a “random audit”, you are selected at random – meaning, for no reason at all. Simply your Social Security number was picked by the IRS computer. What’s the problem, if you […]
Hello? The IRS? Hello?
[…] Your defense #1: ALWAYS write down the employee number of the person you spoke to. They must introduce themselves with a 7-digit number when they answer the phone. Politely ask them to repeat the number and record it before you ask your question. Make sure […]
Dealing with the IRS people
[…] Their first objective (collecting more money) is exactly opposite to your interests. The good news is that their second goal is […]
QuickBooks, Quicken or Excel – what should I use?
[…] I’ve used Excel. I bought a QB Pro program last year but never figured it out; I’m my own bookkeeper… I’m willing to put all the numbers into QB if […]
Myths about US tax system
Myth: a fictitious or imaginary story; a false belief. [Source: The American Heritage Dictionary.] Myth: Taxes are illegal and/or anti-constitutional. This is a popular topic on the Internet and in high-school debate clubs. Groups of so-called “tax protesters” keep promoting various theories about illegal nature of income taxes. To date, none of them won in …