Every year during the Christmas season our family likes to watch the old Christmas classics like “It’s a Wonderful Life,””Miracle on 34th Street” and “The Bishop’s Wife.“ In “The Bishop’s Wife” the well-meaning but misguided bishop, Henry, dreams of constructing a monumental cathedral. He is obsessed with his dream and the movie begins as he […]
Archives for 2010
2011 Federal Income Tax Brackets: IRS Marginal Tax Rate Changes To Be Aware Of
The Congress and President Obama signed into a law a week or two ago an extension of the Bush era tax cuts, H.R.4853. We had been speculating for quite some time that Congress would actually raise the tax rates on the highest income earners only, but after the November election and solid Republican gains and […]
$1000 Child Tax Credit Extended Through 2011-2012
Yesterday we talked about how the energy efficient home improvement tax credit was extended into 2011, albeit at a lower reduced maximum of a $500 max credit per homeowner, at at a reduced amount for many eligible products. While the credit is still around, the effect it will have at this reduced amount is anyone’s […]
2011 Home Improvement Tax Credits For Energy Efficient Products (Insulation, Windows, Heaters, Etc)
In 2009 and 2010 a lot of people decided to take advantage of the home improvement tax credits for energy efficient improvements. The tax credits, which were a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, allowed you to claim up to $1500 in tax credits on qualified energy efficient home improvements like […]
Blessings To You And Yours This Holiday Season. Merry Christmas!
Another year has passed, and as the year comes to a close we are all looking forward to the festive Christmas holiday, and the coming of a new year. It’s a time to reflect, and be thankful for all the blessings that we’ve received throughout the year. At our house it has been an exciting […]
5 Tips To Fatten Your Wallet During The Holidays
YAY, It’s Christmas! A time of family, joy, singing, and love that also happens to boost the US economy up and bring many retailers back into the black for the year. However, it is also a time when you will need more money than usual to buy gifts, hold parties, and travel to visit loved […]
How To Get A Better Deal: Negotiate Or Be Ready To Walk Away
A year or so ago we decided to sign up for a pay TV service because we wanted to have a few more entertainment options at our house. My wife wanted to be able to watch her favorite HGTV and TLC shows, while I wanted to be able to watch my favorite sports teams like […]
Give The Gift Of Stock This Christmas: Help Someone Build A Solid Financial Foundation
A few weeks ago I published my post called “75 Frugal Gifts You Can Give For Christmas“. The post was an extensive list of frugal gift ideas, gifts that people could buy or make for their loved ones, but not break the bank. One of my favorite gift ideas from the list was one that […]
Obama Set To Sign Tax Cut Bill After The House Passes It. Bush Era Tax Rates To Be Extended
We’ve talked quite a bit about the Bush tax cuts and how they are expiring at the end of 2010. If something wasn’t done about the expiring rates ALL taxpayers would have been seeing an increase in their taxes in 2011. An average family would have ended up paying thousands more in taxes. Tax Cut […]
Checklist Of Things You’ll Need At Tax Time In 2011 For Doing Your 2010 Taxes
The end of the year is coming up quickly, and with the end of the year comes tax time! Tax time is a time of year that many folks look forward to because they use their taxes as a way to save and get a once a year windfall in the form of a tax […]
Secrets Of A Successful Budget: Setting Yourself Up To Win Financially
One thing I’ve thought an awful lot about these past few years since starting this site is the topic of budgets. I’ve done a few of them for my family during that time, and not all of them have been successful ones. There are a lot of problems, expenses and other glitches that can crop […]
10 Tax Deductions And Credits That You Can Still Claim In 2010
The end of the year is quickly coming upon us, and with it comes your last chance to take advantage of some last minute tax deductions for the 2010 tax year, in addition to planning ahead for the tax credits you’re going to claim. If you’re anything like me, you’ll do what you can in […]
Thoughts On Escaping The Middle Class
I‘ve been thinking about financial survival a great deal lately. I’ve been asking questions such as how one party gains a financial advantage over another. How is it that the middle class has grown to be so large? It’s like a bell curve, with the middle class at the center with the most population while […]
Deal Reached Between President Obama And GOP On Extension Of Bush Tax Cuts
Over the past year or so we’ve been talking on this site quite a bit about the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts, and whether or not they would be renewed in some form before they expire on December 31st. We looked at what would happen to the tax rates if they weren’t renewed, and […]
