Make Order Out of Chaos

Prepare for this year's tax return filing season

Tax return filing season usually gets a little crazy, but this year will be more turbulent than most. Due to new tax legislation and guidance from the IRS, you will have to cope with a wide variety of tax changes, some of which relate to the pandemic. Here are several tips for making some order out of the chaos.

If You Wait, It's Too Late!

Fire survival occurs before the first signs of smoke

It’s the dead of night. Something wakes you from a deep sleep. It sounds like popcorn. Is someone in the house? Now you are alert. You grab your phone, open the door and head for the sound. It’s coming from the kitchen. At the same time, the smoke hits you AND the smoke alarms go off. Now is the time to act, and improving your survival comes from thinking about what you need to do….long BEFORE it happens.

Plan Your Retirement Savings Goals for 2022

There's good news for your retirement accounts in 2022! The IRS recently announced that you can contribute more pre-tax money to several retirement plans in 2022. Take a look at the following contribution limits for several of the more popular retirement plans:

Small Business Tax Return To-Do-List

Eight ideas to make filing your tax return easier

Consider these suggestions for helping to make tax season smooth sailing this year for your small business:

Court Is In Session - Notable Tax Court Cases

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, political unrest and severe weather events, the Tax Court has continued to churn out decisions affecting individual and business taxpayers. Here’s a brief sampling of several cases that may be of particular interest.

Holiday Quiz: These Hot Toys Created Shortages

How well do you know the holiday shortages of yesterday?

With all the talk around ports being clogged and transportation backups causing product shortages, why not take a look back at famous holiday shortages caused by the demand for the toy EVERYONE just had to have! So grab your family and friends, put away the cell phones, take out a piece of paper, and see who knows more about these true, historic shortages.

1. In 1983, this toy came with its own certificate of adoption, but only if you could find one.
   
   
2. This hand-held gadget created a bond that if broken could be fatal. At its peak they were selling 15 of them every minute!
   
   
3. In 2014, this supplier limited purchases of this toy to two dozen per person, but it sold out months before the holidays, with some selling on eBay for as much as $1,000. Fortunately, the company making the toy was able to solve the supply problem in time for the holidays. Can you name it?
   
   
4. For three years in a row, from 2005 thru 2007, game consoles were all the rage. Give yourself a point if you can name all three.
   
   
5. Red and popular, this toy was as scarce as ice in a campfire during 1996. But every small child just had to have one.
   
   
6. This hand-held puzzle was all the rage in 1981. Can you name it?
   
   
7. In 1998 these small creatures could be trained to speak English…that is if you could get one.
   
   
8. Often a TV program inspires scarcities in the toys it creates. This colorful group was tough to find in 1993. Never fear, the supplier geared up for the next season only be out of stock once again in 1994. What is the name of this group of toys?
   
   
9. These little furballs were cute, cuddly and hard as ever to find in 2009. This $9 toy often fetched up to $60 each. Can you name them?
   
   
10. And last, but not least, this extremely popular toy in the 1950s may have started the holiday toy craze…mainly because it was advertised on television. But the toy required a food product from your pantry to make it come to life. What was it?
    
    

Answers: 1. Cabbage Patch Kids, 2. Tamagotchi, 3. Elsa doll from Disney’s Frozen movie, 4. Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Nintendo Wii, 5. Tickle Me Elmo, 6. Rubik’s Cube, 7. Furby, 8. Mighty Power Rangers, 9. ZhuZhu Pets, and 10. Mr. Potato Head

So how did you do?

0 – 2 right…No worries. Shortages don’t seem to bother you.

3 – 5 correct…You probably have asked for a couple of these.

6 – 8 correct…You are a cultural icon! Pat yourself on the back.

9 – 10 correct…You are a monster shopper.

Five Great Money Tips

Creating a sound financial foundation for you and your family is anything but easy. With low interest rates as an incentive to borrow more and even lower interest rates on savings accounts is it any wonder that it's tough to retain the discipline to save? Here are five thoughts that may help.