Taxes

Because most states protect life insurance policies from creditors, most buyer questions come from the confusion created with ownership and beneficiary designations because of tax treatment. This is a rather complicated issue when it comes to life insurance proceeds, because there are two tax issues ...

Thinking of buying a home? We look at the initial and ongoing costs, as well as the so-called benefits.

Find out the types of back-to-school purchases that are exempt from sales tax for each state that is holding a tax holiday.

Recent legislation has added a few new items to the list of tax forms that taxpayers must use to report their investment income. Know which forms you will need to file your taxes this year.

Nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes even in your investments.

Pension maximization can be an effective solution to the single versus joint life payout dilemma that many retirees face. But, there are several factors, such as tax and investment matters, that will decide if this strategy is right for you.

The American Taxpayer Relief Act brings about new tax rules for the wealthy that people such as Warren Buffett have been calling for over the last few years.

The recent Supreme Court decision to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act has paved the way for same-sex couples to enjoy the same federal benefits as opposite-sex couples.

Capital losses are never fun to incur, but they can reduce your taxable income. Knowing the rules for capital losses can help you maximize your deductions and make better choices about when to buy and sell securities or other investments.

Many companies choose to issue rights or warrants as an alternative means of generating capital to avoid dilution of existing share value.

Use these three tips to help put your financial situation into perspective. It turns out, organizing your finances isn't nearly as hard as you thought.

Zero-coupon bonds are bonds that do not make any interest payments (which investment professionals often refer to as the "coupon") until maturity. For investors, this means that if you make an investment today in a zero-coupon bond that matures in 20 years, you won't put a single penny worth of income ...

Even Jay Gatsby's stubborn optimism in The Great Gatsby would be hard pressed to believe that rags-to-riches stories are possible in today's economy. Find out why the ever-increasing wealth gap is eroding the original American Dream and how we need to redefine our expectations for prosperity.

Property tax liens can be a viable investment alternative for experienced investors that are familiar with the real estate market.

Nobody likes taxes, but tax reporting is an inevitable and unavoidable part of investing. If you buy stock, determining your costs basis is a slightly frustrating but fairly straightforward exercise. Your cost basis is the price you paid per share, including sales commissions, adjusted for corporate ...

In any transaction between a buyer and seller, the initial price paid in an exchange for a product or service will qualify as the cost basis. When it comes to securities and related financial assets, determining the initial cost basis when there is only one initial purchase is very straightforward.

Taxes are an annoying annual chore akin to going to the dentist. Luckily, however, some of us get a nice tax refund after the process. It's important to use this refund wisely though, and Canadians have a number of wise options to consider.

Canadian mortgages aren’t tax-deductible like the U.S.-based mortgages, but there's a way around this hurdle.

Understanding equity cost basis is critical for tracking the gains or losses of an investment.

With more than 33% of American families falling close to the poverty line despite their adult members holding full-time employment, a rising number of citizens are being forced to pay a rate of tax that is disproportionate to their earnings and in comparison with the country's wealthiest earners.

The U.S. Senate has passed a bill that will impose a sales tax on online retailers. Discover how the Marketplace Fairness Act could affect your bottom line.

When you hire an accountant, getting good tax advice going forward is as valuable as – or perhaps even more valuable than - getting the previous year’s taxes filed correctly. Learn what you need to do to make this happen.

Depending on which estimate you believe, Obama's proposed budget would raise the tax bill of a household with a yearly income of $50,000 to $75,000 between $63 and $100 per year. However, that’s not all you should know.

This year, combine your spring cleaning strategies with your big-picture financial objectives.

If the IRS finds errors, it will cost you. Find out how to fix them, and how to prevent them in the first place.

You might be ready to put the stress of tax preparation behind you until next season, but ignoring your personal tax situation for 11 months of the year is what got you into this mess. Find out how some simple organization and planning techniques can make next year's tax preparation a low-stress task.

Identity thieves love tax season. In 2012, there were 13 million victims of identity theft. As easy as it is for thieves to steal your information, there are also simple measures you can take to keep your personal information secure. Find out the proactive steps you can take to ensure thieves don't steal ...

This year, find out how to stretch your tax refund further to strengthen your future.

With approximately 12 million Americans out of a job right now, many people are spending significant dollars to be noticed by potential employers. Fortunately, some of these job-search costs are deductible at tax time. Learn the details of what job-hunt expenses qualify for deductions and how much you ...

The government is considering letting the IRS do your taxes for you. While this may sound great, there are plenty of reasons why you may not want to trust the IRS to calculate your tax return. And while you could stand to lose out on a few bucks, companies like Turbo Tax are and H&R Block are fighting ...

If you report a tax evader to the IRS, you could be eligible for a reward.

The desperate search for revenue by the U.S. government means one of the key deductions that may be up for either reduction or elimination is for charitable giving.

For investors, the surge in new REIT activity is providing some pretty interesting dividend opportunities.

These little-known tax deductions can lead you to finding your own unique expenses that you didn't know you could claim.

States will now be allowed to collect sales taxes on purchases made from Internet-based retailers even if the retailer has no physical presence in that state.

Incorrect or liberal interpretations of what you can write off will often lead to the IRS taking closer interest in your filings. Knowing the rules behind these six tax deductions will go a long ways to saving you from an audit.

Find which benefits from reward programs count as income in the eyes of the IRS.

Find out what mistakes people often make on their returns, and how to avoid them on yours.

Despite their popularity, exchange traded funds have some drawbacks that investors should know about.

In order to file as head of household, you must meet several requirements. Find out whether being head of household comes with any tax benefits.

The earned income credit is one tax incentive married couples filing a joint tax return can take advantage of. Is it a good idea?

The amount of your earned income credit (EIC) is dependent upon how big your family is.

The U.S. tax code gives similar treatment to dividends and capital gains, although this will change slightly in 2013. Currently, ordinary dividends and short-term capital gains those on assets held less than a year are subject to one's income tax rate.

Find out how high your taxes will rise this year.

Generally, any money you borrow from a 401(k) account is tax exempt. This feature is one of the reasons that - for critical short-term needs - such loans may be a better alternative to hardship withdrawals or high-interest forms of credit. As long as you pay the loan back in a timely matter, the only ...

Here is a look at how ETFs are taxed and the effects that the tax treatment of ETFs will have on investors when they purchase them.

A LEAP (long-term equity anticipation security) is a call or put option that allows the buyer a long-term expiration on the option to buy or sell shares of stock at a set price, called the strike price. Expiration dates on LEAPs can range from nine months to three years, making them a more long-term ...