Articles in Featured Articles
Part of putting together an effective tax management strategy is gaining an understanding of what you can and cannot deduct from your tax return. I see business owners that make mistakes every single day. Every …
I watched the second half of the State of the Union last week. Needless to say that after listening to the program and then all of the commentary after, it confirmed in my head how …
Forming a new LLC, S-Corp, or C-Corp can be intimidating. Not only will you have to navigate the fees, taxes, and filing requirements, but also learn how to build credit history from scratch for this …
I really think over the next five years the whole notion of retirement planning is going to change. The X and Y generation don’t think about retirement the way their parents or grandparents did. Since …
It’s official. Suze Orman is now in the game of selling financial products to consumers. This past week she launched her new card called “The Approved Card” which is supposed to be a low cost …
I’m pretty sure Apple can’t be hurting even though Steve Jobs is not at the helm anymore. My kid’s went back to school last week and mentioned to meet the glut of Apple products that …
Even though I have workaholic issues, I did manage to do a few fun things with my family over the holidays. We caught some movies, saw an Atlanta Hawks basketball game, went to the Peach …
If you have owned a business for a long period of time and were considering selling, 2012 may be year for you find a buyer to take over your shop. The Presidential election and many …
These past couple of years many clients have asked about whether or not they should refinance their mortgage. Along with people who have never refinanced, those that did even 18 months ago may be licking …
People think the whole income tax debate is political. With the debt we’ve racked up as a country, it’s now become a financial issue. Watch the hard truth on why you better start paying attention …
If Santa Clause didn’t come down your chimney with anything good this year, Congress has decided to give you a stocking stuffer for the New Year. With nearly 160 million workers that will benefit from …
Another holiday season has passed and isn’t it ironic that many us walked away with a little loot and lot of gift cards. I guess if you don’t know what to get anymore, you’d rather …
Here are 5 ways to cut your 2011 personal income taxes like a tax pro:
1. Review your 2011 securities sales for gains and losses – Review your capital gains and losses for the year. If …
I happened to be watching 60 minutes the other evening with another interview with President Obama. After the interview, they did a short piece on Howard Buffett who is slated to take over as Chairman …
It’s holiday time, so you might get a chance to relax and get caught up by watching a movie or two over the holidays. Here is my list of the top 10 movies about money …
It’s official. Everyone in America has decided we should be just like the Federal Government. Get up and keeping adding more zeros to your debt because it just doesn’t matter. Remember that movie many years …
At Your Smart Money Moves, we get questions that we get from clients, through the website, or others that I see on the internet. Here is a great one I recently came across around student …
These past few years we have seen a high level of unemployment, countless numbers of foreclosures, and many American citizens hitting hard times. While many people are learning how to make ends meet, there can …
In the past year, many of our clients have seen changes made to their 401(k) plan. These changes may happen from two separate businesses merging, your employer trying to save costs, or simply a change …
If you need some extra cash, one thing to consider during the holiday season (don’t wait til’ it warms up) is to have a year end garage sale. Garage sales can be really profitable or …
One of the more recent trends in the practice of CPAs structuring entities is the idea of forming a limited liability company (LLC) under state law and then making an election under Federal tax rules …
It’s that time of year to start thinking about your 2011 taxes and what moves you might be able to make to save in taxes!
Here are 5 ways to cut your 2011 business taxes:
1. Equipment …
According to a report from the American Farm Bureau Federation, you’ll spend 13% more on Thanksgiving groceries than you did in 2010. The report also mentions how the average cost for a Thanksgiving dinner to …
Generation X is classically defined at people born between the years 1965 and 1979. Pretty much those of you in your early 30’s to the mid 40’s. However, having given personal financial advice to thousands …
After the turkey, the football, and the one awkward conversation with your cousin that happened to get stuck at the card table with you at the end of the big Thanksgiving table comes the second …
Generation X is classically defined at people born between the years 1965 and 1979. Pretty much those of you in your early 30’s to the mid 40’s. However, having given personal financial advice to thousands …
Generation X is classically defined at people born between the years 1965 and 1979. Pretty much those of you in your early 30’s to the mid 40’s. However, having given personal financial advice to thousands …
Every six months you get a bill in the mail from your auto insurance company. After your eyes glaze over 12 stapled pages of different line items of coverage and boiler plate language, you get …
Since I write mostly on financial advice, investment, tax, and insurance products, from time to time I like to just have a chance to rant. Really, just to share some observations about life or what …
The color of the trees are changing during the beautiful fall season, and that also means it’s time to begin thinking about strategies for minimizing your 2011 income taxes before the year has come to …
Generation X is classically defined at people born between the years 1965 and 1979. Pretty much those of you in your early 30’s to the mid 40’s. However, having given personal financial advice to thousands …
If it wasn’t already clear that most politicians don’t have the foggiest idea about how to set up decisions that are financially responsible, the state of Georgia recently had an act proposed that shows how …
Everybody at some point of their life has that dream of having enough money to do whatever they want whenever they want irrespective of cost. Well, even if you do think about cost, that idea …
Generation X is classically defined at people born between the years 1965 and 1979. Pretty much those of you in your early 30’s to the mid 40’s. However, having given personal financial advice to thousands …
Like many in the entrepreneurial community, I have always admired the innovative cutting edge approach Steve Jobs took with building the Apple brand. It is never easy taking the path less traveled as the journey …
Generation X is classically defined at people born between the years 1965 and 1979. Pretty much those of you in your early 30’s to the mid 40’s. However, having given personal financial advice to thousands …
When my father passed away many years ago, I remember how traumatic life can be for the person left picking up the pieces. My mom was a schoolteacher, and she didn’t spend very much time …
I worked for a Fortune 100 company for over 15 years. When you rise through the ranks of management at a large company, they generally stop talking to you about salary and instead use the …
With the high unemployment we have today in the United States, it is more important than ever to prepare financially should you be laid off from your job. You should make sure you have a fresh …
If you can’t decrease your overall expenses, then maybe it’s time to figure out how to start making more money. You could change careers. You could pick up a second job. Or, you could really …
It seems more than ever that clients are asking me the question, “does my credit score really matter?” Your credit score has always counted, but I truly believe it will become even more important in …
For three years now, we have been teaching individuals and families to begin thinking about their family finances like they were running a business. We know that in every business the two major dashboards are …
Are you one of those people who bought a big entertainment book that sat in your glove compartment until the end of the year when you realized you used only three coupons? Or worse yet, …
We have begun to see the litany of new candidates who are throwing their hat in the ring to be President of The United States of America in the election next year. Each of them …
During a time when the only thing for certain seems to be economic uncertainty, have you considered investing in diamonds? For months now, you’ve watched your stocks and other investments see-saw while watching gold prices …
The recent United States credit downgrade, unsteadiness in the stock market, and overall challenging economic times have had some people asking where might be a good place to put your money now. As always, you …
I hoped the title of this article would grab your attention because it is really about you and your neighbors. This article is about you and your friends from college. It is about you and …
I waited a week to pass to the let the media frenzy subside around the recent credit downgrade. All we needed was Tiger Woods to miss the cut at the PGA Championship this past week …
I’m going to perform a small magic trick here at Your Smart Money Moves. I am going to help you reduce a huge amount of stress with the wave of my magic wand. I want …
I don’t think couponed out is a real phrase. But if it was, that is exactly how I think most of us would be feeling these days from the onslaught of daily deals we get. …
I wrote a recent article about not becoming a slave to your possessions. It made be begin to ponder the question about what kind of impact paying with cash only would make on your financial …
You get up out of bed on Monday morning and head out for a new week of work. As you feverishly make your way through the to do list, get ready for the big sales …
A HIDDEN GEORGIA TAX CREDIT YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS FOR 2011!
Tax write-off. Tax credit. Heard these terms before? Most people have. The problem is, tax professionals and non-tax professionals alike tend to throw them …
In the past year, the price of a pound of coffee beans has more than doubled on the commodities market in New York, to $2.23 a pound as of Thursday, May 24th of this year. …
Technology has made many items slowly disappear and some have become extinct. While I was vacationing in Europe, I walked past a table of ‘antique’ typewriters that I can remember using not that long ago …
I can still remember being in my freshman year at Boston College when someone called upon me to share in the money making opportunity of a lifetime called the ‘money tree’. It sounded …
I don’t watch a ton of reality television, but I guess it is hard to ignore that more than half the programming on network and cable channels alike are reality based. Programs …
Have you ever heard that saying that money can burn a hole in your pocket? Although you can find many different meanings for this expression, over the past decade I have seen spending …
Google announced Thursday of last week that they wanted their Google powered cell phone to be your new wallet. They essentially announced that a new payment system will link your smartphone to …
I’m not really sure sometimes that all the technology we have has made everything so much better. When you walk through the mall most people don’t make eye contact because they are …
I was having a discussion the other day with a client of mine when we got on to the topic of rising costs. As you have all seen, the cost of gas, …
(source – Articles by Ted Jenkin published on IGrad.com )
With all of the financial jargon you see today about mutual funds, exchanged traded funds, real estate investment trusts, and target funds, it’s no …
Have you ever met someone who you would classify as a wine snob? Someone who knows all the best wines and will tell you why that $50 bottle of wine is superior to …
What is going on with the math skills in America? With more and more young people using ATM cards, debit cards, and credit cards to make their purchases, I am beginning to …
Oink! Oink! Oink! Who says that pigs aren’t smart? For almost 20 years I have been helping individuals and businesses work on reaching their financial goals. The credit card in many cases …
In today’s big banking world you see all sorts of advertisements to sign up for a checking account. I recently looked at the Wells Fargo website and choosing a bank account is …
Like so many kids growing up I had dreams of playing professional baseball. I also spent much of my time between the ages of 8 and 14 collecting baseball cards. I bought sets of cards, …
Here is the scenario. Your husband is driving home that night on the local highway. Out of nowhere a large truck sideswipes the car sending it reeling off the road. After …
You would think with all of the customer surveys we via e-mail and the little cards you see at hotels or restaurants that say “please rate my service”, we should start to see an upgrade …
When I pick up one of those travel and getaway magazines in the bookstore, I always feel like there is a resort I should be taking my family to for a vacation. …
Today’s housing environment has more single home buyers entering the real estate market than ever before. With inventory levels high, interest rates near record lows and affordability up in many areas across …
With the recent disaster in Japan and our experience in the United States with Hurricane Katrina just a few short years ago, it made me think about what kind of smart money …
We all have our pet peeves in life that get under our skin.Every season my kids are engaged in some type of sports program within the local community. They have played in many …
With the first big day of March Madness behind us, day two is sure to give us some other memorable buzzer beaters for the years to come. While we all get focused on …
Growing up in Iowa “The Old Farmer’s Almanac” provided planting charts for those who lived on the farm giving advice as to when to plant as well as information about weather forecasts for …
I am still amazed about how many people call us or come into our office having not filed their taxes for multiple prior years. Some people file for an extension ever year at …
About 18 months, I took up the sport of golf after 20 years of saying I just didn’t have the time to play the game. I was probably avoiding playing so I wasn’t …
Many of the big banks still oppose the recent Dodd-Frank financial overhaul which was enacted last year, crying that it would hurt customers because they would be forced into a position to …
I have been asked over the past several months how far up the stock market will run before it has some sort of pull back. While these types of questions always create …
The names of two very famous magazines are front and center on the racks of grocery and book stores all across the country. Those two names are Time Magazine and Money Magazine. …
Over the past couple of years during this very tough economic cycle we have witnessed some very large well known chains go out of business like Circuit City and Linens and Things. …
I flew home to Atlanta on Saturday evening from Denver on Delta, and once again I left the plane dumbfounded on why things just aren’t built into the price of your plane …
The tax documents have been likely hitting your mailbox over the past week or two from your employer, the bank, and your IRA accounts. If you did some part time work or took on …
At 41 years old, I fit into that whole segment of the population called Generation X. The media classically defines this generation by people who were born between 1965 and 1979. For …
I have been giving financial advice for 20 years now, and each new idea that passes through our political system continues to baffle me on how we are going to help our …
First, a Living Trust is a trust you set up to hold your property and to govern the use and distribution of your property during your lifetime, during any period when you are incapacitated, and …
A few years ago, my sister ran into a truly awful situation. She had to face the music that part her family might pass way. One of her …
Now that the holiday season is over, I’m sure that everyone walked away with a few gift cards from family, friends, or co-workers. Whether it be an i-tunes card, store …
What happens if I die without a Will?
First, a little context is required. If you own any property when you die, then your surviving spouse or family will need to go through a legal process …
I am always searching for websites where I think you can get a deal or two during the year. Last year I talked a bunch about www.1saleaday.com, and hopefully you …
The holiday season brought snow on Christmas Day to the state of Georgia along with some relief around tax breaks that helped both the wealthy and the unemployed. It seemed like everyone’s …
For those of you who recently went through open enrollment, take a closer look at what you contribute to your Flexible Spending Accounts in 2011. FSA’s allow employees to contribute pre-tax …
People who own a business often understand the powerful concept of multiple streams of income. Given that any business can have economic, regulatory, or industry changes that can hurt the …
If you are in the market to buy life insurance, you need to remember that not all term insurance is created alike. Here are some key items to remember so you can …
It’s that time of year when the real holiday shopping season begins. Everyone knows it as the dreaded Black Friday. With my schedule today on Thanksgiving, I almost wonder if they should …
With interest rates being incredibly low, I have been asked the question over and over the past several months about whether or not it is a good idea to refinance a home. Here …
I am officially sick of it. For many years now I read my phone bill each month with the many small line item fees that nobody really understands. The worst of them according …
Now that the elections are done, there are some really large looming financial questions that the new mix of Republicans and Democrats need to decide before the year ends. As the band …
Do you have Klout? Yes, I spelled it correctly. There is a new website for all of you who use social media to grow your personal or business results. Klout has developed a methodology …
On Monday, the Justice Department sued Visa, MasterCard, and American Express for anticompetitive practices. At the same time, it reached a proposed settlement with Visa and MasterCard. The ruling aims to end …
