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Rolling Over Your 401(k) Just Got Less Painful - Here's What the IRS Changed
Anyone who has moved retirement money out of an old employer's plan knows how frustrating it can be. Every administrator has their own forms. Timelines are all over the place. Paper checks show up weeks later with vague instructions. The whole thing should have been fixed a long time ago.The IRS is finally doing something…
Valuation Reserve Requirements
According to Fitch Ratings, over the past 12 months ending August 2026, there were 109 defaults by 89 entities, compared to the same period ending July 2026, when 83 entities saw 105 defaults. With businesses (especially life insurers) exposed to asset management risks, it's important to understand how to find financial balance.Defining Asset Valuation Reserve…
Heirless Estate Planning
The purpose of estate planning is to distribute your assets to heirs in a formal, legal process. If you do not have any heirs to speak of, you might not feel the need to do this. However, your assets will go somewhere, so you may want to have control over that before the state steps…
How to Save Energy This Fall
Temps are dropping, the leaves are turning, and you know what that means: Fall is here, which is the best time to prepare your house for the chill that follows. But we all know that keeping warm takes energy and, yes, is costly. Here are a few easy ways to conserve.Fix stuff around your house.…
AI-Powered Corporate Fraud: What Business Leaders Need to Know
For years, corporate fraud was limited by the costs, expertise, and resources required to carry out a convincing deception. Artificial intelligence (AI) has changed this.Today, AI can create realistic voices, videos, emails, invoices, identities, and customer interactions at a scale and speed that traditional fraud controls were never designed to address. AI-powered fraud is a…
Pre-Election Focus on Russian/Iran Sanctions, AI Utility Bills, Crypto Regulation and Nondiscriminatory FEMA Assistance
Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027 (HR 6500) – This appropriations bill was finalized and passed by both the House and the Senate on Sept. 1. The act funds the fiscal year 2027 government budget through Dec. 11 at current levels. It was signed by the President on Sept. 2.Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act (S…
How to Account for Bonds
With the global bond market size bigger than many of the world's biggest economies, it's important for businesses that sell bonds to understand how to report transactions properly. According to the International Capital Market Association (ICMA), the global bond market's capitalization is more than $128 trillion.Defining BondsOffered by government or corporate entities, bonds are a…
New Trump Account Updates
Picture two couples, each with a baby born this year, each routing $2,500 of salary into that child's Trump Account through an employer's payroll system. One couple sits in the 35% bracket. The other, at roughly $65,000 of taxable income, is in the 12% bracket. Both contributions escape federal income tax. The first couple's bill…
Understanding Inflation Accounting
According to the July 12, 2026, Consumer Price Index Release from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 12-month inflation rate rose by 3.4 percent, and the month-over-month measure rose by 0.1 percent in July 2026 compared to June 2026. With inflation higher than normal over the past few years compared to near-term historical averages,…
Bond Investment Strategies
Bonds are designed to deliver both capital preservation and income, and are generally considered lower risk than stock investing. The purchase price of a bond is basically a loan to an issuer, such as the federal government, a municipal government, or a corporation. The term of the loan is determined for a specific period of…
Rolling Over Your 401(k) Just Got Less Painful - Here's What the IRS Changed
Anyone who has moved retirement money out of an old employer's plan knows how frustrating it can be. Every administrator has their own forms. Timelines are all over the place. Paper checks show up weeks later with vague instructions. The whole thing should have been fixed a long time ago.The IRS is finally doing something…
New Trump Account Updates
Picture two couples, each with a baby born this year, each routing $2,500 of salary into that child's Trump Account through an employer's payroll system. One couple sits in the 35% bracket. The other, at roughly $65,000 of taxable income, is in the 12% bracket. Both contributions escape federal income tax. The first couple's bill…
IRS Raises Mileage Rates Midyear: What You Need to Know
For the first time since 2022, the IRS is changing standard mileage rates in the middle of the tax year. If you track business, medical or moving miles, this matters. Starting July 1, 2026, the numbers go up, and your recordkeeping needs to get more precise.What Changed and WhyThe IRS bumped the business mileage rate…
Supreme Court Will Decide What Homeowners Are Owed When Tax Sale Erases Equity
A county in Michigan was owed about $2,200 in back taxes. To collect it, the government took a home worth close to $200,000, auctioned it for a fraction of that, and called the matter settled. The family is now putting a simple question to the Supreme Court: when the state sells your house over a…
The IRS Could Owe You Money Thanks to a Pandemic-Era Court Ruling
Here's something that flew under the radar for most people: a court decision from late last year could put money back in your pocket if you got hit with IRS penalties during COVID. But you need to act fast! For some taxpayers, the deadline to file a claim is July 10. What This Case Is…
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Tax Considerations for Data Center Projects in the Age of AI
Artificial intelligence is driving an unprecedented surge in data center construction. Developers, private equity sponsors and their tax advisors are navigating a complicated web of questions that touch everything from ownership structure to site selection to power sourcing. Get the early decisions wrong and the tax consequences can follow a project for years.Why REITs Have…
Filing Your 2026 Tax Return? The Stakes Just Got Higher
Picture two things happening at the same time. The agency responsible for reviewing your tax return is understaffed and buried under a backlog, and the software that the agency uses to catch filing errors just keeps getting better.That combination should give any taxpayer pause this season. Not because an audit is necessarily coming, but because…
Filing Your 2025 Taxes? Why Accuracy Matters More Than Ever This Year
Tax season is here, and while the IRS opened its doors for 2025 returns on Jan. 26, with the familiar April 15 deadline intact, this year's filing experience is shaping up to be anything but routine. A perfect storm of workforce cuts, rushed new tax breaks, and strained systems means that getting your return right…
What to Expect from U.S. Tax Policy in 2026
After a whirlwind 2025 that produced what may be the largest tax bill in American history, the coming year looks dramatically different. Tax policy experts are predicting a legislative standstill, a turbulent tax filing season, and lingering questions about how new provisions will work when put into practice.A Year of Legislative GridlockThe forecast for 2026…
Rolling Over Your 401(k) Just Got Less Painful - Here's What the IRS Changed
Anyone who has moved retirement money out of an old employer's plan knows how frustrating it can be. Every administrator has their own forms. Timelines are all over the place. Paper checks show up weeks later with vague instructions. The whole thing should have been fixed a long time ago.The IRS is finally doing something…
New Trump Account Updates
Picture two couples, each with a baby born this year, each routing $2,500 of salary into that child's Trump Account through an employer's payroll system. One couple sits in the 35% bracket. The other, at roughly $65,000 of taxable income, is in the 12% bracket. Both contributions escape federal income tax. The first couple's bill…
IRS Raises Mileage Rates Midyear: What You Need to Know
For the first time since 2022, the IRS is changing standard mileage rates in the middle of the tax year. If you track business, medical or moving miles, this matters. Starting July 1, 2026, the numbers go up, and your recordkeeping needs to get more precise.What Changed and WhyThe IRS bumped the business mileage rate…
Supreme Court Will Decide What Homeowners Are Owed When Tax Sale Erases Equity
A county in Michigan was owed about $2,200 in back taxes. To collect it, the government took a home worth close to $200,000, auctioned it for a fraction of that, and called the matter settled. The family is now putting a simple question to the Supreme Court: when the state sells your house over a…
The IRS Could Owe You Money Thanks to a Pandemic-Era Court Ruling
Here's something that flew under the radar for most people: a court decision from late last year could put money back in your pocket if you got hit with IRS penalties during COVID. But you need to act fast! For some taxpayers, the deadline to file a claim is July 10. What This Case Is…
October 2026
Rolling Over Your 401(k) Just Got Less Painful - Here's What the IRS Changed
Anyone who has moved retirement money out of an old employer's plan knows how frustrating it can be. Every administrator has their own forms. Timelines are all over the place. Paper checks show up weeks later with vague instructions. The whole thing should have been fixed a long time ago.The IRS is finally doing something…
Heirless Estate Planning
The purpose of estate planning is to distribute your assets to heirs in a formal, legal process. If you do not have any heirs to speak of, you might not feel the need to do this. However, your assets will go somewhere, so you may want to have control over that before the state steps…
September 2026
New Trump Account Updates
Picture two couples, each with a baby born this year, each routing $2,500 of salary into that child's Trump Account through an employer's payroll system. One couple sits in the 35% bracket. The other, at roughly $65,000 of taxable income, is in the 12% bracket. Both contributions escape federal income tax. The first couple's bill…
Bond Investment Strategies
Bonds are designed to deliver both capital preservation and income, and are generally considered lower risk than stock investing. The purchase price of a bond is basically a loan to an issuer, such as the federal government, a municipal government, or a corporation. The term of the loan is determined for a specific period of…
August 2026
IRS Raises Mileage Rates Midyear: What You Need to Know
For the first time since 2022, the IRS is changing standard mileage rates in the middle of the tax year. If you track business, medical or moving miles, this matters. Starting July 1, 2026, the numbers go up, and your recordkeeping needs to get more precise.What Changed and WhyThe IRS bumped the business mileage rate…
Travel Companions: How to Share Expenses
No matter how well you know someone, you usually learn a lot more once you’ve traveled with them. We are all different in this activity, from people who prefer aisle seats over window seats, to Airbnb renters or hotel enthusiasts, to the outdoorsy versus museum aficionados.Friendship compatibility does not always translate to travel compatibility. Therefore,…
July 2026
Supreme Court Will Decide What Homeowners Are Owed When Tax Sale Erases Equity
A county in Michigan was owed about $2,200 in back taxes. To collect it, the government took a home worth close to $200,000, auctioned it for a fraction of that, and called the matter settled. The family is now putting a simple question to the Supreme Court: when the state sells your house over a…
Tips for Early Retirement Planning
Retirement planning starts with retirement spending. Ideally, retirees are mortgage-free and relatively debt-free before they leave the working life behind. In retirement, a key strategy is to maintain low monthly staple expenses.Therefore, if you want to devise a financial plan that will allow you to retire early, consider cutting back your basic household expenses a…
June 2026
The IRS Could Owe You Money Thanks to a Pandemic-Era Court Ruling
Here's something that flew under the radar for most people: a court decision from late last year could put money back in your pocket if you got hit with IRS penalties during COVID. But you need to act fast! For some taxpayers, the deadline to file a claim is July 10. What This Case Is…
Windfall Planning Makes Sense for Everyone
Financial windfalls are not uncommon. Every year, entrepreneurs who build their businesses from scratch sell them for millions in profit. In 2024 alone, state lotteries paid out a combined $70.2 billion to prize winners. Additionally, over the next 20 years, around $84.4 trillion in wealth transfers are expected to take place, with $72.6 trillion of this…
October 2026
Heirless Estate Planning
The purpose of estate planning is to distribute your assets to heirs in a formal, legal process. If you do not have any heirs to speak of, you might not feel the need to do this. However, your assets will go somewhere, so you may want to have control over that before the state steps…
Valuation Reserve Requirements
According to Fitch Ratings, over the past 12 months ending August 2026, there were 109 defaults by 89 entities, compared to the same period ending July 2026, when 83 entities saw 105 defaults. With businesses (especially life insurers) exposed to asset management risks, it's important to understand how to find financial balance.Defining Asset Valuation Reserve…
September 2026
Bond Investment Strategies
Bonds are designed to deliver both capital preservation and income, and are generally considered lower risk than stock investing. The purchase price of a bond is basically a loan to an issuer, such as the federal government, a municipal government, or a corporation. The term of the loan is determined for a specific period of…
Understanding Inflation Accounting
According to the July 12, 2026, Consumer Price Index Release from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 12-month inflation rate rose by 3.4 percent, and the month-over-month measure rose by 0.1 percent in July 2026 compared to June 2026. With inflation higher than normal over the past few years compared to near-term historical averages,…
August 2026
Travel Companions: How to Share Expenses
No matter how well you know someone, you usually learn a lot more once you’ve traveled with them. We are all different in this activity, from people who prefer aisle seats over window seats, to Airbnb renters or hotel enthusiasts, to the outdoorsy versus museum aficionados.Friendship compatibility does not always translate to travel compatibility. Therefore,…
Understanding the Exchange Ratio
With more than $57 trillion in mergers and acquisitions, according to the Institute for Mergers, Acquisitions & Alliances, understanding how the Exchange Ratio works is essential for businesses and investors to maximize these processes.The ratio assesses how many shares the company that's purchasing the takeover company must issue per share of the takeover business. Transactions…
July 2026
Tips for Early Retirement Planning
Retirement planning starts with retirement spending. Ideally, retirees are mortgage-free and relatively debt-free before they leave the working life behind. In retirement, a key strategy is to maintain low monthly staple expenses.Therefore, if you want to devise a financial plan that will allow you to retire early, consider cutting back your basic household expenses a…
Understanding Depreciation Recapture
This accounting and tax method refers to a treatment used by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to obtain tax remittances on sales of depreciated property. Understanding how it works is essential for filers to make the most of it.Required ConditionsAs property depreciates, its value declines. When depreciated assets are sold, it's able to be filed…
June 2026
Windfall Planning Makes Sense for Everyone
Financial windfalls are not uncommon. Every year, entrepreneurs who build their businesses from scratch sell them for millions in profit. In 2024 alone, state lotteries paid out a combined $70.2 billion to prize winners. Additionally, over the next 20 years, around $84.4 trillion in wealth transfers are expected to take place, with $72.6 trillion of this…
Understanding Horizontal Analysis
Horizontal Analysis provides businesses a method to examine financial statement entries by looking at the documents’ number for a specific accounting time frame compared to the same length of a historical period for the same accounting line item. Breaking the Process Down It's a way to measure trends and variances by looking at the current…
May 2026
What to Expect with an IRS Audit
If the IRS sends notice that you’re being audited, you’re likely to become anxious. However, not all audits mean you did something wrong. In most cases, it is simply a matter of verifying information on a tax return or perhaps correcting a minor error. Knowing what to expect – and how to respond – can…
Understanding the EV/2P Ratio
When it comes to raw materials, especially for fossil fuels, it's essential to evaluate existing and potential production capabilities for such companies. Using the EV/2P Ratio is a powerful tool when evaluating fossil fuel-related companies.Defining the RatioThis ratio is calculated by dividing a business’ enterprise value into the company's reserves. It provides financial analysts, investors…
April 2026
Natural Disaster-Proof Your Finances
Hurricanes, floods, wildfires, tornadoes and earthquakes are becoming more severe and more frequent with each passing year. Without sufficient protection, these events can cause lasting financial disruption. While no one can prevent a natural disaster, preparing your finances in advance is one of the most practical forms of crisis readiness.Build a Financial Safety NetSave at…
Understanding Cash EBITDA
While Cash EBITDA isn’t recognized by generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), it’s a way for company owners and investors to account for deferred revenue during valuation modeling. This financial metric measures a business’ year-over-year change in postponed revenue to analyze a company’s financial situation.Defining EBITDABefore Cash EBITDA is defined, EBITDA must be defined.EBITDA = earnings…
March 2026
The Value of Diversifying with International Stocks
When investors think about building a strong equity portfolio, U.S. stocks often dominate the conversation. The United States is home to many of the world’s most innovative, profitable, and well-known companies, and has a history of delivering strong long-term returns. However, the United States is not the only country with successful, growth-oriented businesses. In fact,…
Understanding Qualifying Dispositions
With 57 percent of public companies offering their workers employee stock purchase plans (ESPPs), according to the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals (NASPP), understanding how qualifying dispositions work is an essential skill.The concept refers to someone selling or otherwise “disposing” of equities who sees advantageous tax benefits. This is especially pronounced when a stockholder’s…
February 2026
Scam-Proof Guidelines for Wiring Money
Wiring money is like sending cash: Once you’ve sent it, it’s gone. It is very difficult to retrieve – in fact, more difficult than recovering physical dollar bills.For businesses, always call the recipient to verify ACH details before sending; this is required by law in 50 states. This law does not require calling, but if the sender's…
Understanding the Equity Multiplier
Whether you are an investor, an owner, or an internal financial analyst, understanding how the equity multiplier works and how to interpret it is a helpful skill.Defining the Equity MultiplierThe equity multiplier is a metric that tells the user what percentage of the company’s assets are loaned against shareholders’ equity. The smaller the calculated number…
January 2026
What Seniors Actually Got in the Latest Tax Bill
Campaign messaging would have you believe retirees just scored a major victory. The talking point is everywhere: Social Security benefits are now tax-free. But anyone who reads the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will discover something different. The legislation contains nothing that removes Social Security from federal taxation. Zero provisions. The tax structure that has…
Defining An Activity Cost Driver
An activity cost driver is anything that causes a company's variable costs to either reduce or grow. Since measuring an activity cost driver is a way to streamline the administration of managing production costs, it’s an integral part of activity-based costing.Examples of activity-cost drivers are warehouse expenses, modifying engineering designs, and retooling, setup, and maintenance…
Heirless Estate Planning
The purpose of estate planning is to distribute your assets to heirs in a formal, legal process. If you do not have any heirs to speak of, you might not feel the need to do this. However, your assets will go somewhere, so you may want to have control over that before the state steps…
Bond Investment Strategies
Bonds are designed to deliver both capital preservation and income, and are generally considered lower risk than stock investing. The purchase price of a bond is basically a loan to an issuer, such as the federal government, a municipal government, or a corporation. The term of the loan is determined for a specific period of…
Travel Companions: How to Share Expenses
No matter how well you know someone, you usually learn a lot more once you’ve traveled with them. We are all different in this activity, from people who prefer aisle seats over window seats, to Airbnb renters or hotel enthusiasts, to the outdoorsy versus museum aficionados.Friendship compatibility does not always translate to travel compatibility. Therefore,…
Tips for Early Retirement Planning
Retirement planning starts with retirement spending. Ideally, retirees are mortgage-free and relatively debt-free before they leave the working life behind. In retirement, a key strategy is to maintain low monthly staple expenses.Therefore, if you want to devise a financial plan that will allow you to retire early, consider cutting back your basic household expenses a…
Windfall Planning Makes Sense for Everyone
Financial windfalls are not uncommon. Every year, entrepreneurs who build their businesses from scratch sell them for millions in profit. In 2024 alone, state lotteries paid out a combined $70.2 billion to prize winners. Additionally, over the next 20 years, around $84.4 trillion in wealth transfers are expected to take place, with $72.6 trillion of this…
What to Expect with an IRS Audit
If the IRS sends notice that you’re being audited, you’re likely to become anxious. However, not all audits mean you did something wrong. In most cases, it is simply a matter of verifying information on a tax return or perhaps correcting a minor error. Knowing what to expect – and how to respond – can…
Natural Disaster-Proof Your Finances
Hurricanes, floods, wildfires, tornadoes and earthquakes are becoming more severe and more frequent with each passing year. Without sufficient protection, these events can cause lasting financial disruption. While no one can prevent a natural disaster, preparing your finances in advance is one of the most practical forms of crisis readiness.Build a Financial Safety NetSave at…
The Value of Diversifying with International Stocks
When investors think about building a strong equity portfolio, U.S. stocks often dominate the conversation. The United States is home to many of the world’s most innovative, profitable, and well-known companies, and has a history of delivering strong long-term returns. However, the United States is not the only country with successful, growth-oriented businesses. In fact,…
Scam-Proof Guidelines for Wiring Money
Wiring money is like sending cash: Once you’ve sent it, it’s gone. It is very difficult to retrieve – in fact, more difficult than recovering physical dollar bills.For businesses, always call the recipient to verify ACH details before sending; this is required by law in 50 states. This law does not require calling, but if the sender's…
What Seniors Actually Got in the Latest Tax Bill
Campaign messaging would have you believe retirees just scored a major victory. The talking point is everywhere: Social Security benefits are now tax-free. But anyone who reads the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will discover something different. The legislation contains nothing that removes Social Security from federal taxation. Zero provisions. The tax structure that has…
October 2026
Heirless Estate Planning
The purpose of estate planning is to distribute your assets to heirs in a formal, legal process. If you do not have any heirs to speak of, you might not feel the need to do this. However, your assets will go somewhere, so you may want to have control over that before the state steps…
September 2026
Bond Investment Strategies
Bonds are designed to deliver both capital preservation and income, and are generally considered lower risk than stock investing. The purchase price of a bond is basically a loan to an issuer, such as the federal government, a municipal government, or a corporation. The term of the loan is determined for a specific period of…
August 2026
Travel Companions: How to Share Expenses
No matter how well you know someone, you usually learn a lot more once you’ve traveled with them. We are all different in this activity, from people who prefer aisle seats over window seats, to Airbnb renters or hotel enthusiasts, to the outdoorsy versus museum aficionados.Friendship compatibility does not always translate to travel compatibility. Therefore,…
July 2026
Tips for Early Retirement Planning
Retirement planning starts with retirement spending. Ideally, retirees are mortgage-free and relatively debt-free before they leave the working life behind. In retirement, a key strategy is to maintain low monthly staple expenses.Therefore, if you want to devise a financial plan that will allow you to retire early, consider cutting back your basic household expenses a…
June 2026
Windfall Planning Makes Sense for Everyone
Financial windfalls are not uncommon. Every year, entrepreneurs who build their businesses from scratch sell them for millions in profit. In 2024 alone, state lotteries paid out a combined $70.2 billion to prize winners. Additionally, over the next 20 years, around $84.4 trillion in wealth transfers are expected to take place, with $72.6 trillion of this…
May 2026
What to Expect with an IRS Audit
If the IRS sends notice that you’re being audited, you’re likely to become anxious. However, not all audits mean you did something wrong. In most cases, it is simply a matter of verifying information on a tax return or perhaps correcting a minor error. Knowing what to expect – and how to respond – can…
April 2026
Natural Disaster-Proof Your Finances
Hurricanes, floods, wildfires, tornadoes and earthquakes are becoming more severe and more frequent with each passing year. Without sufficient protection, these events can cause lasting financial disruption. While no one can prevent a natural disaster, preparing your finances in advance is one of the most practical forms of crisis readiness.Build a Financial Safety NetSave at…
March 2026
The Value of Diversifying with International Stocks
When investors think about building a strong equity portfolio, U.S. stocks often dominate the conversation. The United States is home to many of the world’s most innovative, profitable, and well-known companies, and has a history of delivering strong long-term returns. However, the United States is not the only country with successful, growth-oriented businesses. In fact,…
February 2026
Scam-Proof Guidelines for Wiring Money
Wiring money is like sending cash: Once you’ve sent it, it’s gone. It is very difficult to retrieve – in fact, more difficult than recovering physical dollar bills.For businesses, always call the recipient to verify ACH details before sending; this is required by law in 50 states. This law does not require calling, but if the sender's…
January 2026
What Seniors Actually Got in the Latest Tax Bill
Campaign messaging would have you believe retirees just scored a major victory. The talking point is everywhere: Social Security benefits are now tax-free. But anyone who reads the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will discover something different. The legislation contains nothing that removes Social Security from federal taxation. Zero provisions. The tax structure that has…
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