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Crowdfunding websites such as Kickstarter, GoFundMe, Indiegogo, and Lending Club have become increasingly popular for both individual fundraising and small business owners looking for start-up capital or funding for creative ventures. The upside is that it’s often possible to raise the cash you need, but the downside is that...

Tax law generally treats mutual fund shareholders as if they directly owned a proportionate share of the fund’s portfolio of securities and you must report as income any mutual fund distributions, whether or not they are reinvested. Thus, all dividends and interest from securities in the portfolio, as well...

Millions of Americans have hobbies such as sewing, woodworking, fishing, gardening, stamp and coin collecting, but when that hobby starts to turn a profit, it might just be considered a business by the IRS. Definition of a Hobby vs. a Business The IRS defines a hobby as an activity...

July 10 Employees Who Work for Tips – If you received $20 or more in tips during June, report them to your employer. You can use Form 4070. July 17 Employers – Nonpayroll withholding. If the monthly deposit rule applies, deposit the tax for payments in June. Employers –...

QuickBooks was designed to make your daily accounting tasks easier, faster, and more accurate. If you’ve been using the software for a while, you’ve probably found that to be true. Some chores, of course, aren’t so enjoyable, like paying bills or reconciling your bank account…Or anything else that has...

Do you work at a hair salon, barber shop, casino, golf course, hotel, or restaurant, or do you drive a taxicab? The tip income you receive as an employee from those services is taxable income. Here are some tips about tips: Tips are taxable. Tips are subject to federal...

National Hurricane Season is officially in progress. If you suffer damage to your home or personal property, you may be able to deduct the losses you incur on your federal income tax return. Here are ten tips you should know about deducting casualty losses: 1. Casualty loss. You may...

Is your child a student with a summer job? Here’s what you should know about the income your child earns over the summer. All taxpayers fill out a W-4 when starting a new job. This form is used by employers to determine the amount of tax that will be...

Each year, the IRS mails millions of notices and letters to taxpayers for a variety of reasons. If you receive correspondence from the IRS here’s what to do: Don’t panic. You can usually deal with a notice simply by responding to it. Most IRS notices are about federal tax...

If taxpayers use one of the many online platforms to rent a spare bedroom, provide car rides or a number of other goods or services, they may be part of what is called the sharing economy. Here are several key points taxpayers should know about the sharing economy: 1....

Are you thinking of retiring soon, or changing jobs? You may face a major financial decision: what to do about the funds in your retirement plan. Note: As you will see, the rules on retirement withdrawals are quite complex. They are offered here only for your general understanding. Please...

Tax law allows you to deduct two types of travel expenses related to your business, local and what the IRS calls “away from home.” First, local travel expenses. You can deduct local transportation expenses incurred for business purposes such as the cost of getting from one location to another...