The tax-code-defined vacation home rules come into play when you have both rental and personal use of a home. Thus, you can have tax-code-defined vacation homes in the city, in the suburbs, and in recreation areas. If you have no combined rental and personal use of the home, the rules are easy. The property is… Read More

If you owe back taxes to the IRS, some amount of panic is understandable. After all, the Internal Revenue Service has the power of the federal government in its corner, something no other debt collector can claim. They are considered the most brutal collection agency on the planet.   It is easy to freeze up… Read More

When you owe money to the IRS, it is hard to think about anything else. While being in debt is never fun, no matter who the creditor is, the IRS enjoys almost unlimited power to collect the money they are due.   Unlike your mortgage lender or credit card company, the Internal Revenue Service has… Read More

If you are a member of the gig economy, you are not alone. Millions of others have made the same choice, voting with their feet and their time, and leaving the world of traditional employment behind.   As a member of the gig economy, you have a lot to look forward to, but tax season… Read More

Working at a tender age is an American tradition. What isn’t so traditional is the notion of kids contributing to their own IRA, especially a Roth IRA. But it should be a tradition, because it’s a really good idea.   Here’s what you need to know about IRAs for kids. Let’s start with the Roth… Read More

A growing number of people are voting with their skills and leaving the world of traditional employment behind. These are the folks who are opening their own small businesses, the people who are embracing freelancing, and the men and women who are using gig work to make a good income.   As this trend continues,… Read More

One of the biggest stories in the world of business is the growing shift toward self-employment. An ever-increasing number of men and women are saying goodbye to their colleagues, their cubicles, and their corporate overlords, choosing instead to make their own way in life.   If you are one of these self-employed individuals or a… Read More

If you are running a small business, you have one unwanted partner that will dig into your pocket every year, it’s the IRS. The IRS wants to know what you are doing, how much you are earning and most importantly how much you are paying in taxes, and the tax agency is becoming increasingly aggressive… Read More

Opening the mailbox and finding a letter from the IRS is frightening, but what happens next can be even scarier. The tax agency wields incredible power, and if they claim you owe additional taxes they have many different options for forcing you to pay.   When the IRS claims you owe additional money, they will… Read More

The old saying that nothing is certain in life except death and taxes has never been truer, or more frightening. In the current environment, fear of the IRS is creeping in, and nothing will get your heart racing quite as fast as opening the mailbox and finding a letter from the tax agency. When the… Read More