Identity Theft: Dirty Dozen Tax Scams 2016
Identity Theft: Tax Scams With tax season upon us, the IRS has issued warnings that scam artists are on the prowl and they could be after you. They have again issued their list of the “Dirty Dozen” Tax Scams, this time identity theft tops the list. You can read about 2015’s number one, phone scams, in our post from last year. While identity theft can happen at any time of the year, many criminals take advantage of tax season to get their victims. Tax-related identity theft happens when someone uses your social security...
Read More10 Ways Successful People Stay Calm
10 Ways Successful People Stay Calm Success Magazine recently published an article by writer Travis Bradberry detailing the 10 ways successful people stay calm. Since staying calm under pressure is highly important for success in your field, we thought we’d highlight a few of our favorite tips here on the GQ Law blog. Bradberry writes “The ability to manage your emotions and remain calm under pressure has a direct link to your performance.” TalentSmart conducted a study with more than a million people. Ninety percent of the highest performers out of the million people were...
Read MoreTax Tips: Giving Gifts to Charity
Tax Tips: Gifts to Charity Tax Tips for Charitable Giving You must itemize your deductions in order to claim donations to charity. Give to qualified charities: You cannot deduct donations to charities not found on the IRS Select Check tool. Check it out here before you donate. You can deduct gifts to churches, synagogues, temples, mosques and government agencies, even if the Select Check tool does not list them. Keep records: You must have a bank record or written statement from the charity in order to deduct gift money on your tax return. Gifts of money include those made by cash, check,...
Read MoreThanksgiving: A Great Time for Estate Planning
Thanksgiving: Time for Estate Planning With Thanksgiving and other end of the year holidays just around the corner, its prime time to get family together and prime time to get your family talking about estate planning. Yes, yes, we know that conversations about estate planning can be awkward but we know that the longterm benefit of having these talks far outweighs the uncomfortable feelings in the moment. Many people like to keep things close to the vest and don’t share their wishes and pertinent financial information with close family members. While we respect individual feelings and...
Read MoreSmall Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday Tips We all know the drill, it starts Thursday with the food. We stuff ourselves with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls, pie…the list goes on. Yum! We rest it off (or walk it off hitting the early bird sales) then hit the ground running Friday and shop ’til we drop. Black Friday is known for offering some of the best prices of the year on a variety of items. You can get everything from TVs to shoes to DVDs on sale. Then comes the somewhat lesser known festivity, Small Business Saturday. With all the big box stores setting their prices at rock bottom...
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