Secret of Success-Your Strengths! 11/29/2011
Identify and develop your greatest strengths One of the secrets of success is making the most of your strengths. First, though, you have to determine what your strengths are-and they may not be obvious, especially if you’re just starting out or looking to make a career change. Zero in on the skills that make you special by looking for these clues: What tasks attract you? Think of the types of jobs that you look forward to, those that you’d find some way to do even if you weren’t paid. What tasks do you lose yourself in? When you’re involved on certain tasks, do...
Read MoreTaking Credit VIII-Taking CAPITAL loss deductions 11/15/11
If you have capital gains on your investments, you can take any capital losses against those gains and pay no tax on your positive investment returns. Even if you have no capital gains from investments, you can still take up to $3,000 of capital losses against your ordinary income. The trick is in defining capital gains and losses. For instance, money that you get back from an investment that is simply a return of your original principal does not qualify as a capital gain. You traditionally receive dividends that include return of principal from such investments as real estate...
Read More5 Great Year-end Tax Tips 11/8/2011
The leaves are falling, and so is the temperature. That means it is the time of year when we all start thinking about taxes. What? Well okay, maybe that’s just me. Here are some great tips to avoid overpaying income taxes this year: Make your Jan. 1st mortgage payment before Dec 31st. If you itemize your deductions, moving your January payment to December can give a boost to your 2011 total tax savings. If you are an investor with taxable gains in 2011, take a good look at your portfolio for opportunities to capture offsetting losses in 2011. This strategy has some potential...
Read MoreI have moved! 10/31/2011
I have moved. The new mailing/drop-off address is: 2600A E Seltice, #258 Due to the wonders of modern technology the phone numbers stay the same. Warmly, JEFF P.S. Don’t forget to update your address book! “Slowness to change usually means fear of the new.” –Phillip Crosby
Read MoreWhy didn’t you tell me that before? 10/18/2011
Recently I found myself speaking with the telephone company. I had called merely to check on the timing of my latest bill, as I thought I should have already received it. During the inquiry the representative asked if she could review my account as long as she had me on the line. Reluctantly, figuring she was going to attempt to sell me something, I agreed. What she “discovered” is that due to a change in the telephone company’s pricing/packaging I could purchase the EXACT SAME service I currently had for $23 less per month. I wondered, how long has this new pricing been...
Read MoreTaking Credit VII-Deduct a home-based office when used for your employer 10/11/2011
People who work for companies whose headquarters or branch offices are not located in the same city as the employee, or outside salespeople who use their home office as a base, can often use these deductions. Even employees who do administrative paperwork in addition to their regular duties that require an outside office environment can use their expenses as a deduction. There are rules that must be followed in these cases, however. The office in your home has to be your primary office – you can’t have another office at your employer’s regular business location. Your home office...
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