When you look at your retirement plan statement and it's down 30% or more from a couple months ago, it's hard to believe there might be a silver lining there somewhere. While the market downturn has created a tremendous amount of anxiety and it's caused a significant change in plans for some who … [Read more...]
Bail-Out Bill Tax Changes Affecting Individuals
The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, referred to by some as the "bailout bill," or, as others prefer to call it, the "rescue plan," was recently enacted in an attempt to stabilize the turmoil in the U.S. economy. While a great deal of attention has been focused on the true bailout … [Read more...]
2009 contribution limits announced
On October 16, 2008, the IRS issued news release IR-2008-118 announcing cost-of-living adjustments to dollar limitations for pension plans. Items addressed for 2009 include: Elective deferrals * The annual elective deferral limit for 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, 457(b) plans, SAR-SEPs, and the … [Read more...]
Tax Credits and Deductions for Higher Education
What are the tax credits and deductions relating to higher education? There are two education tax credits--the Hope credit and the Lifetime Learning credit--that provide some relief to families in the midst of financing their children's college education. There is also a federal income tax … [Read more...]