A checking account at one bank is the same as a checking account at another bank, right? Well, maybe not. In fact, according to the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study, now 41% of people do all their banking online. This is a pretty big shift from traditional banking. After reviewing the financial…

Tips for enhancing your digital privacy Companies are following your every move. When you have a cell phone, they are tracking what apps you use, where you go, who you talk to and more! Other smart devices listen to your conversations in your home, keep track of what you view on your TV, and report…

Tracking your miles whenever you drive somewhere for your business can get pretty tedious, but remember that properly tracking your vehicle expenses and miles driven can lead to a significant reduction in your taxes. Here are some tips to make the most of your vehicle expense deduction. Keep track of both mileage and actual expenses. The…

The first advance payment from the newly expanded child tax credit was recently sent out by the IRS. Payments are scheduled to be made on the 15th of each month through December. Here’s what you need to know about the child tax credit and the advance payments. Background For the 2021 tax year, an expanded…

Living in the information age, we are accustomed to new and innovative tools that change the way we live. We can control everything in our homes with our voice. We can talk face-to-face, albeit digitally, with anyone, anywhere in the world. We even carry supercomputers with all knowledge known to man in our pockets. As…

In late 2020, the IRS announced that it will increase tax audits of small businesses by 50 percent in 2021. Here are several mistakes to avoid if you do get audited by Uncle Sam. Mistake: Missing income. A long history of investigating has led IRS auditors to focus on under-reported income. If you’re a business that handles…

How to tell the difference Not all debt is created equal. Knowing the difference can change the way you look at your spending. Good debt adds value Good debt often leads to financial growth, because the product or service being purchased adds more value than the debt that comes with it. Student loans are usually…

Now is the time to begin tax planning for your 2021 return. Here are some ideas: Contribute to retirement accounts. Tally up all your 2021 contributions to retirement accounts so far, and estimate how much more you can stash away between now and December 31. So consider investing in an IRA or increase your contributions to…

Tax and financial planning is a year-round proposition. In fact, you can benefit personally from a continuous, 12-month rolling forecast, much like a business does. What is a rolling forecast? Rolling forecasts let you continuously plan with a constant number of periods 12 months into the future. For example, on January 1, you would plan…

Summer’s almost here, and soon most children will be on their long-awaited summer vacation. If you own or manage a business, have you thought of hiring your children, nieces, or nephews for a summer job? If you do it right, it can be a win-win situation for everyone. The kids will earn some money and…