Please use the calculators below to assist in the planning of major purchases and life-changing decisions. Then let us help you in the planning stages of these decisions. We can offer you an outside perspective and objective opinions and hopefully save you from headaches and financial strains.
While we don't want you to leave us, we do want to offer other sites that might be beneficial or of interest for you.
Where's my Refund? Find out the status of your refund.
Internal Revenue Service An online resource to find the latest in tax law
U.S. Treasury Department Get the latest government-issued press releases and other national budget/economy details
Small Business Administration Business resource available for small business research
We hope you will find these articles, decision tools, and FAQs helpful and informative. We have included various topics on business ownership, education planning, government benefits, personal finance, special situations and tax planning (to name a few).
General tax planning
- Am I having enough withheld?
- Choosing an income tax filing status
- Help! I can't pay my tax bill
- Income tax planning and 529 plans
- Surviving an audit
- Tax benefits of home ownership
- Tax planning for income
- Tax planning for the self-employed
- Taxation of investments
- Year-end tax planning
Tax credits and deductions
- Education tax credits
- Personal deduction planning
- Qualifying for the home office deduction
- Understanding personal tax credits
Taxes and insurance
General tax planning
- Am I having enough tax withheld from my paycheck?
- Are my Social Security benefits subject to income tax?
- Are scholarships and grants subject to federal income tax?
- Do I have to file a federal income tax return?
- Do I have to pay U.S. taxes when I work abroad?
- How did the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 change capital gains tax rates?
- I don't have the cash to pay my taxes. What can I do?
- I have investment property. What does basis mean, and how do I determine the basis of my property?
- I received a state tax refund last year. Must I include that amount as income on my federal return this year?
- My spouse passed away this year. When I file my taxes, what filing status should I claim?
- What is my tax bracket?
- What is the alternative minimum tax?
- What is the basis of property received as a gift?
- What is the kiddie tax?
- What penalties and interest will I be charged for paying and filing my federal income taxes late?
- What's the difference between an "injured spouse" and an "innocent spouse"?
- Will I have to pay tax on my investment income?
Tax credits
- Can I take the credit for the elderly or disabled?
- Can I take the tax credit for child care?
- Now that my child is in college, am I entitled to any education tax credits?
- What are the Hope credit and the Lifetime Learning credit?
- What is the child tax credit?
- What is the difference between the child tax credit and the child and dependent care tax credit?
- What is the earned income credit and who qualifies for it?
Tax deductions
- Can I deduct home office expenses?
- Can I deduct premiums paid for long-term care (LTC) insurance?
- Can I deduct the cost of improvements or repairs I've made to my home?
- How do I deduct and substantiate my gambling losses?
- I paid my mother's real estate taxes last year. Can I deduct this on my tax return?
- I refinanced my principal home last year and paid points. What are points, and can I deduct them on my tax return?
- If I prepay next year's taxes this year, can I deduct them this year?
- If I work at home occasionally, am I entitled to a home office deduction?
- Is student loan interest deductible?
- My spouse and I are filing separate returns. Can we both itemize our deductions? If so, how do we split the deductions?
- My town has assessed against me a real estate betterment for new sewer lines installed in my street. May I deduct this amount on my tax return?
- We just bought our first home. What can we deduct from the settlement statement?
Taxes and child support/alimony
- Are alimony payments considered taxable income?
- What are the tax implications of child support payments?
Taxes and home ownership
- Can I deduct the cost of improvements or repairs I've made to my home?
- How do I figure the tax on the sale of my home?
- I refinanced my principal home last year and paid points. What are points, and can I deduct them on my tax return?
- I rent my home out for two weeks each year. Do I have to show this rental income on my federal income tax return?
- If I prepay next year's taxes this year, can I deduct them this year?
- My town has assessed against me a real estate betterment for new sewer lines installed in my street. May I deduct this amount on my tax return?
- We just bought our first home. What can we deduct from the settlement statement?
Taxes and insurance proceeds
Choosing investment vehicles
- Annuity basics
- Creating an investment portfolio
- Investing in bonds
- Investing in stocks
- Mutual fund basics
- Other investments
- The best ways to save for college
- Understanding mutual fund share classes
Investment basics
- Handling market volatility
- Investment planning--the basics
- Six keys to successful investing
- Taxation of investments
- Understanding investment terms and concepts
- Understanding risk
Investment goals
Saving, spending, and borrowing
Credit basics
- How can I correct errors on my credit report?
- How can I get credit if I have no credit history?
- How can I reduce my spending?
- How can I repair my poor credit?
- How do I get a copy of my credit report?
- How long should I keep copies of my tax returns?
- How much money should I keep in a savings account for emergencies?
- Should I invest my extra cash or use it to pay off debt?
- Will debt consolidation hurt or help my credit rating?
General tax planning
- Am I having enough withheld?
- Choosing an income tax filing status
- Help! I can't pay my tax bill
- Income tax planning and 529 plans
- Surviving an audit
- Tax benefits of home ownership
- Tax planning for income
- Tax planning for the self-employed
- Taxation of investments
- Year-end tax planning
Tax credits and deductions
- Education tax credits
- Personal deduction planning
- Qualifying for the home office deduction
- Understanding personal tax credits
Taxes and insurance
General tax planning
- Am I having enough tax withheld from my paycheck?
- Are my Social Security benefits subject to income tax?
- Are scholarships and grants subject to federal income tax?
- Do I have to file a federal income tax return?
- Do I have to pay U.S. taxes when I work abroad?
- How did the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 change capital gains tax rates?
- I don't have the cash to pay my taxes. What can I do?
- I have investment property. What does basis mean, and how do I determine the basis of my property?
- I received a state tax refund last year. Must I include that amount as income on my federal return this year?
- My spouse passed away this year. When I file my taxes, what filing status should I claim?
- What is my tax bracket?
- What is the alternative minimum tax?
- What is the basis of property received as a gift?
- What is the kiddie tax?
- What penalties and interest will I be charged for paying and filing my federal income taxes late?
- What's the difference between an "injured spouse" and an "innocent spouse"?
- Will I have to pay tax on my investment income?
Tax credits
- Can I take the credit for the elderly or disabled?
- Can I take the tax credit for child care?
- Now that my child is in college, am I entitled to any education tax credits?
- What are the Hope credit and the Lifetime Learning credit?
- What is the child tax credit?
- What is the difference between the child tax credit and the child and dependent care tax credit?
- What is the earned income credit and who qualifies for it?
Tax deductions
- Can I deduct home office expenses?
- Can I deduct premiums paid for long-term care (LTC) insurance?
- Can I deduct the cost of improvements or repairs I've made to my home?
- How do I deduct and substantiate my gambling losses?
- I paid my mother's real estate taxes last year. Can I deduct this on my tax return?
- I refinanced my principal home last year and paid points. What are points, and can I deduct them on my tax return?
- If I prepay next year's taxes this year, can I deduct them this year?
- If I work at home occasionally, am I entitled to a home office deduction?
- Is student loan interest deductible?
- My spouse and I are filing separate returns. Can we both itemize our deductions? If so, how do we split the deductions?
- My town has assessed against me a real estate betterment for new sewer lines installed in my street. May I deduct this amount on my tax return?
- We just bought our first home. What can we deduct from the settlement statement?
Taxes and child support/alimony
- Are alimony payments considered taxable income?
- What are the tax implications of child support payments?
Taxes and home ownership
- Can I deduct the cost of improvements or repairs I've made to my home?
- How do I figure the tax on the sale of my home?
- I refinanced my principal home last year and paid points. What are points, and can I deduct them on my tax return?
- I rent my home out for two weeks each year. Do I have to show this rental income on my federal income tax return?
- If I prepay next year's taxes this year, can I deduct them this year?
- My town has assessed against me a real estate betterment for new sewer lines installed in my street. May I deduct this amount on my tax return?
- We just bought our first home. What can we deduct from the settlement statement?