Member Blog Articles

Finding the right tax professional who is able to find you every deduction, credit, and write-offs can oftentimes seem like an impossible task, but it doesn't have to be.

April 15th, otherwise own as Tax Day, is ever nearing. If you're one of the millions of Americans that has decided to put off your filing to closer to deadline day and are trying to jog your memory back into tax filing gear, no worries. That's what this entry is for.

Do you think you may qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, but aren't sure where you can begin the application process? Well, you're not alone. There are plenty of Americans out there who qualify for food assistance but aren't aware of it or don't know where they can begin the application process.

Determining whether or not you have to pay taxes on your Social Security benefits really comes down to two factors: 1) your tax filing status, and 2) the amount of your "combined" income. Generally speaking though, you will not have to pay any taxes on your Social Security benefits at all, if that is your only source of income.

Finding a provider who accepts Medicaid patients has the potential be a little confusing to the individuals who have never been on the program before, but it's not as difficult as it may sound. All you need is to be enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP coverage and have a connection to the internet.

Deciding the best time to begin receiving your Social Security benefits is a decision every individual must address by themselves or with their family, but that does not mean there aren't a variety of tools out there that can help you determine the best way to get the most out of your Social Security.

Making the best of your Social Security benefits is a struggle for many Americans, especially those of you who are largely dependent on Social Security for most of your monthly income. Questions like when to begin drawing your benefits, how to best spend them, and what to do if your benefits aren't enough to survive on weigh on millions of seniors minds every year.

Whether you are already retired, close to retirement age, or just wanting to know what Social Security benefits you could expect in the years to come, this article provides all the Social Security benefits calculators available to best plan for your future.Scroll through until you find the one you are looking for.

If you are currently unemployed or know you will be getting laid off in the near future then you are probably trying to figure out how and when you should begin the process of filing for unemployment. These benefits are a vital revenue source for individuals and families who are currently unemployed, but those benefits vary wildly depending on what state you live in.

The 2020 Democratic Presidential primary field is the largest in party history with nearly two dozen declared candidates vying for the opportunity to take on Donald Trump in the general election.

The State of the Union Address is a constitutionally mandated annual address delivered by the President to the United States Congress. In the modern era, Presidents have delivered the address in front of a Joint Session of Congress in the House Chamber to a nationally televised audience.If you're looking for a simple way to research how you can watch the speech, look no further.

Political junkies and novices alike are closely following the 2018 Midterm election campaigns that will determine all 435 Congresspeople and 33 Senators. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3 and all major news organizations will be airing coverage throughout the day and into the evening reacting to the results as they come in.

For only the fourth time in our nations history, the House of Representatives has voted to begin a formal impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, and with it a set of rules governing how the impeachment process will be conducted moving forward.

Being on the receiving line of an Internal Revenue Service agents phone call or mailing informing you that your tax returns are being audited is a nightmare that millions of Americans have undoubtedly had. A tax audit can turn an otherwise quiet life upside down and cause undue stress on an individual and their family.

Getting the most out of your retirement benefits isn't as complicated as many may think. While it is true that every seniors situation is unique to themselves and their spouses, maximizing your benefits to ensure you get the best possibly outcome isn't.

When one searches for Welfare programs, it usually involves sifting through lists upon lists of vague titles and convoluted government jargon. Then why not take a glance at this one stop shop for all things related to government assistance? For those seeking benefits, benefits.gov is a good source. There, one can browse by program category, state and agency.

Applying for public housing can be a daunting task. This article aims to make the process as easy as possible for you, providing all the info you'll need to see if you qualify, how to apply, what discounts on rent look like under public housing, and what to expect at every step of the process.

Are you one of millions of Americans considering applying for a home mortgage, but don't know if you have enough equity to qualify for a loan? If you are then applying for a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured loan might be something you should seriously consider.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) helps over 8 million disabled, blind and elderly Americans in need every year. You can find out exactly what SSI is, who qualifies, how to apply, and how to get additional SSI benefits from your state all right here. Let's get started.

The open enrollment period to sign up for health insurance using the marketplace has been significantly reduced for 2018 and will only last from November 1, 2017 to December 15, 2017. If you don't sign up by December 15, 2017 and don't qualify for an exemption then you will have to wait until next years open enrollment to sign up for health insurance coverage.

As a former college admissions counselor I used to tell every prospective student that there's a lot of money out there, but you're going to have to spend some time working to get some of it. It was true then and it's true now.

Have you ever made contributions to an IRA account, then wondered if you can deduct that investment from your taxes? The simple answer yes, you can, but only in some cases.It all depends on what kind of IRA you contribute to, and in some cases your income level, and if you are covered by an employer-run retirement account or not.

Reverse mortgages can be a double edged sword. For one person, it may make the difference between poverty and stability, for another, it could be a spiral down the drain of fees and high interest. While the latter could be a reality, reverse mortgages can still be a viable option for those who are home rich and income poor.

Every state figures out a way to collect revenue in the form of taxes, but not every state is equal in how they go about doing that. Some states have a high sales tax while others have no sales tax at all. This piece will focus on breaking down the best and worst states when it comes to their sales tax.

Most people's goal every tax season is to figure out how to owe as little in taxes as possible. The purpose of this entry is to help you with that. The goal here is to show you a handful of ways that you can potentially lower your tax bracket through various personal deductions, thereby lowering the percentage you are taxed at, and save you money.

The Child Tax Credit is one of the most straight forward tax credits that are available for Americans of all tax brackets. First enacted in 1997 and expanded in 2001, this credit has helped offset the cost of raising an eligible child under the age of seventeen.

Ever wonder what would happen if you just skipped out on filing your taxes? You get your paperwork back from your employer, either in the mail or through e-mail, and just think too yourself, ugh, not again. I don't want to go through this hassle again. So you just let the task fade back to a darker corner of your mind, and forget about it.

Figuring out how to pay for college is something that millions of Americans worry about every year.

If you own real estate in the United States, you know all about property taxes. And it stands to reason that you feel each and every time you pay that you might be paying too much. Ever wonder if you can proactively get your property taxes lowered? The simple answer is you can, if you are willing to put in a little effort.

Whether you are preparing to sign up for Medicare or if you are already enrolled and are searching for ways to get the most out of your benefits, there are a few simple things you can do that will help you get the most out of your Medicare benefits.

Have you ever checked to see if you and your family are eligible for Medicaid? It seems like a simple question, but there are many individuals and families in America who are unaware that they actually qualify for Medicaid either because their state expanded it under the Affordable Care Act or because they only make a certain amount of money each year in the states that did not.

This guide will help you locate any and all healthcare physicians that accept Medicare in your area, as well as help you determine if you qualify for Medicare in the first place, and how much your premium should be.*Feel free to skip the first section if you are just wanting information on how to locate providers in your area.

Not long ago, a small headline blipped onto the news radar. It said that Credit Karma (A popular free credit score company) had just bought out an online tax preparer, and would begin to offer absolutely free tax filing to anyone interested in their new services.

Presidential candidates Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump will participate in 3 national debates before the general election occurs on November 4th. Vice Presidential candidates Tim Kaine (D) and Mike Pence (R) will also have their own debate.

The 2016 Democratic National Convention is being held in Philadelphia July 25-28 and you can live-stream every minute of it on your computer or other compatible device.Democrats will be airing wall to wall coverage on the official Democratic National Committee's YouTube Channel. They will have a live stream and also post individual speeches in case you missed a certain speaker.

This entry includes a full list of every speaker appearing at the 2016 Republican National Convention, as well as times, dates and TV channels for every day of the RNC National Convention. Donald Trump and his family will be a big part of the main headliners lineup, as well as many Republican Senators and Governors, athletes, celebrities, and more.

Many programs and benefits exist to military veterans. Some are offered through, private organizations, as well as the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA). Although most benefits are well known, still there are benefits that some veterans may be unaware of.

The Federal Estate Tax or FET, for short, has been around for literally 100 years. Misinformation has spread rampantly about this tax, mostly by those who call for its repeal; the owners of large estates, you know, the wealthy. They give it the name "Death Tax" and the plebeians begin singing of its horrors in the streets.

While the federal tax rates are the same for all fifty states, the various states are left to determine what their state income tax rate should be and those numbers are all over the map.

If you receive a 1099-MISC tax form, these guide is for you. Independent contractors, small business owners, and otherwise self-employed folks, use these 5 straightforward steps to fully take care of your tax filing and payment obligations.

Unless you live in Delaware, Montana, Oregon, or New Hampshire, you are well aware of exactly what your state (and/or local) sales tax is. Makes sense; you've had to pay it on almost every single item you've ever purchased from a retailer.

The vast majority of states hold their elections for during Presidential or Midterm election years, but there are a few that hold their elections on odd years. Louisiana, and Mississippi voters will be voting for governor, statewide executive offices, and state legislatures. Kentucky will be voting for governor and statewide executive offices, but not for the state legislature.

There are a lot of questions when it comes to who is and isn't eligible for health insurance subsidies and how these subsidies work.

Open enrollment for Obamacare is just around the corner and that means it is time to start thinking about applying for coverage if you haven't already done so.

The 2016 nomination debate schedule has been released and there will be six debates recognized by the Democratic National Committee. The first four debates have been secured and the final two debates have hosts, but do not have specific dates set as of this posting.All of the debates will be nationally televised and will also be available online at the hosts official website.

The 2016 Presidential election season is upon us and that means both parties will be going through the process of picking their nominee to succeed President Obama in January 2017. The Republican Party will have eleven sanctioned debates throughout the primary and all of them will be televised on television and available for viewing online if you have a cable subscription.

Are you thinking of going to a tax professional to have them help you file your taxes? That is an option, and a good one for many people, but it doesn't have to be the only option for many others. The IRS offers free e-filing for basic returns and has partnered with e-file.com to offer two more low-cost services for individuals and businesses who need additional services.

It happens to the best of us. You file your taxes with the IRS and are looking forward to receiving your tax return check. You are certain that all of your T's are crossed and all of your I's are dotted, but something went wrong and you hear back from the IRS that you need to correct some errors before they will be able to fully process your return.

Instituting a national sales tax has been debated, albeit halfheartedly, for years now. While I don't foresee our representatives in Washington tackling this issue anytime soon, it is still something that I've spent a lot of time thinking about, especially when it comes to the question of whether it will help or hurt the middle and lower classes.

Getting ready to sit down and manually or electronically file your taxes? Have you yet been confused by the 3 different filing options you have with the 1040 forms? You're not alone.

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is one of the few tax credits directly tailored to lower to middle income Americans who have jobs, but don't qualify for many other government benefits. It has undoubtedly helped millions of hard working Americans since it was first enacted in 1975 and is one of the most popular of tax credits in America.

Many myths fly around come tax season, making big claims that you don't have to do this, or don't worry about that. But how do you know which are true, and which to avoid? Well, the best way to not come victim to believing a myth that might sound too good to be true about filing taxes is to contact the IRS directly.

Have you ever filed your taxes only to find out from a friend or colleague that you overlooked a tax deduction you knew nothing about? Most Americans are aware of the major deductions they are able to claim when they file their yearly tax returns, but there are a host of lesser known deductions that many taxpayers simply aren't aware of.