Would you invest in something that you knew in advance would always lose 28% a year?

I’m pretty sure your answer will be no.

But what about consistently putting your money into something that would always cost you 3% a year? Does the smaller amount of consistent money loss change your answer? (more…)

Taxes can be a confusing subject if you’re self-employed. Actually (if you’re in the U.S. at least) taxes can be massively complicated and confusing period, no matter what your employment status. The tax code is huge, and it’s probably safe to say that no one person actually knows everything in it. (more…)

Late filing and me — those are two things I never wanted to see in the same sentence. I always file pretty late in the tax season, because I’m usually waiting on a form to straggle in. There have been a couple of times when I dropped off my return late at night on tax day. (more…)

This guest post is by Matt Robinson, an accountant and part-time personal finance blogger. Matt contributes regularly to TaxDebtHelp.com’s tax blog, a website that provides tax debt resolution services, information, and guidance for taxpayers looking to resolve serious tax problems.

You might be surprised to learn about some of the tax deductions people have claimed on their tax return, and with what they got away! You will have to look hard to find these in your tax software. Remember, the difference between a tax deduction and a tax credit is simple: a tax deduction lowers your taxable income, where a tax credit (such as energy tax credits, for example) lowers your tax liabilities dollar for dollar. (more…)

If there’s one thing everyone can agree on, it’s that taxes in the United States are confusing.

There are last-minute changes to laws, forms for everything under the sun, and (at least if you have any non-wage income) always an element of uncertainty about exactly how much you will owe come tax day. (more…)

If you have an employer, you might be offered a health care or dependent care flexible spending account benefit. Flexible spending accounts are one of those benefits that can make your eyes glaze over, because at first glance they don’t seem like a benefit. (more…)