The Fair Deal
The Fair DealOne fine summers evening, my wife Kim and I sat with a few of our neighbors out on the side porch of our house in North Chatham, N.Y., population 503. We talked politics.Most of us are Democrats. Some of us are old enough to have directly benefitted from the "New Deal" of Franklin D ... more...

What is Tax-Deferred Exchange?
Under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code, owners of real estate held for investment or use in a trade or business can swap their property tax-free for "like-kind" real estate. Exchanges are made for people wanting to stay invested in real estate, increase their leverage and to avoid paying ... more...

Home Based Business: Your Ultimate Tax Shelter
Starting and operating your own home based business is the ultimate tax shelter.Although this article has been written from a Canadian income tax perspective, the principles should be practical in other tax jurisdictions.1. Non-Deductible Personal Living ExpensesAll of us have expenses that we ... more...

Uncle Sam is Ready...Are You? Organizing Tips for Tax Time
Anyone who is closely related to an accountant knows that there are not four, but five seasons in a year: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and 'Tax Season.' During the other seasons, we accumulate leaves, snow, and mosquito bites. During 'Tax Season' we accumulate paper. And more paper. And if you ... more...

"How Much Interest is Your Home Equity Earning?"
How much interest are you earning on your home equity? If you answered nothing, zero, zilch, zip you are correct. What would you do if you could get triple compounding on your equity? Would you take action and build a fortune that would allow you to pay off the mortgage and create a retirement ... more...

Are You Overpaying Taxes If You Use Tax Preparation Software?
For many business owners the answer to this quandary is tax preparation software. Fill out a fairly simple interview, click print and out comes a completed return that will pass muster with the IRS. The answer to all your problemsor is it?Can One Software Program Cover All Businesses?Take a moment ... more...

Bailiffs & Council Tax - Knowing What To Do
This article is about bailiffs who may call trying to collect Council Tax or Community Charge (Poll Tax) arrears. If a bailiff has contacted you to collect another sort of debt the law might be different.Council Tax and Poll Tax are usually collected by private firms of bailiffs on behalf of your ... more...

The Red Flags of Getting a Home Loan
Red flags are indicators that there may be a current or future problem with the borrower or transaction. They help Underwriters isolate pertinent issues that are part of the overall loan evaluation. They are questionable items, and when there are several, they usually indicate that something is ... more...

Tax Reform, My Way
We need real tax reform and we need it now. Previous attempts have been made at tax reform, but they have only provided band-aid solutions that have still left us with too many quirks, complication, and read tape. There are several things Congress could do to simply the tax system and benefit the ... more...