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 MoreTax Season 2016 Begins Tomorrow!
Let Tax Season 2016 Begin! With the start of the new year comes the start of tax season! Are you ready for tax season 2016? The IRS announced that the individual tax return fling season will begin tomorrow, Tuesday, January 19th and last a little longer than usual this year. While most tax seasons end on April 15th, this tax season 2106 will end on April 18th. This is due to the observance of Emancipation Day on Friday, April 15th. They expect over 150 million returns to be filed this tax season and to give refunds to more than seventy percent of those filers. Last year they gave out 109...
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...
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