Archive for the ‘Tax and Government’ Category

Quick! Go Buy a New Home! New $6,500 Homebuyer Tax Credit for Existing Owners and $8,000 for First-Timers Gets Extended

Thursday, November 5th, 2009 |

The lawmakers have acted. There is now a $6,500 tax credit for current homeowners to go out and buy another home. You no longer have to be a first-timer to take advantage of the homebuyer credit. Trade up, baby! And as predicted by yours truly, Congress has also extended the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit. I [...]

Save Money on Health Care: A Quick Summary of Tax Advantaged Medical Savings Accounts

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 |

In light of recent Health Care discussions on my blog and the fact that it’s soon to be benefit re-enrollment period at your work, I thought I’d address a couple of tax-advantaged health care accounts: the Health Savings Account and the Flexible Spending Account.
I’ve used an Flexible Spending Account for some time and I’m just [...]

Should You Move to a High-Deductible Health Insurance Plan and Use an HSA to Make Up the Difference?

Friday, October 30th, 2009 |

General Motors recently announced that they are moving towards higher deductible insurance plans. Such things wouldn’t normally be news worthy. But here we are in the middle of a government controlled health care battle. Every piece of health care news seems to have an impact.
So, should you consider moving to a high-deductible plan, if given [...]

Questions About the $8,000 First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit

Thursday, October 1st, 2009 |

I find myself way behind in answering comments on my recent post about the $8,000 First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit. So instead of answering them all there, I thought I’d use today’s post to share some Q&A on the $8,000 tax credit. That way, everyone learns. Let’s get it started with some basic information.
What is [...]

Tax Incentives Found in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Sunday, September 27th, 2009 |

Are you taking advantage of the tax incentives available to you as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)? Often referred to as the economic stimulus package, the ARRA was unleashed on our down economy in February of 2009. It’s been a while since the act was rolled out, so I thought [...]

Cash for Clunkers Tax Rules

Friday, August 28th, 2009 |

The Cash for Clunkers program came to a close earlier this week. But many people still have questions about the Cash for Clunkers tax rules. Before I get into the tax rules, here’s a quick review of the program:
Cash for Clunkers Ends
The Cash for Clunkers (or CARS) Act was passed into law earlier this summer. [...]

Details About the $8,000 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit

Friday, August 14th, 2009 |

Want a free $8,000 tax credit just for buying a home? Well, if you’re a first-time home buyer, you may be eligible for a first-time home buyer tax credit of up to $8,000. If you ever thought about buying a home, now might be a good time to go for it.
I know this credit has [...]

Cash for Clunkers Program May Get More Funds – But is the Program Good for Consumers?

Friday, July 31st, 2009 |

Cash for Clunkers Funds
Earlier today there were reports that the Cash for Clunkers program was being suspended due to initial funding of $1 billion running out. In only one week! Wow. There’s obviously a huge demand for this program, which was intended to last up until November 1. I have to admit, I’m surprised it [...]