Alliance Financial & Income Tax

Google will start deleting inactive accounts after two years

Google is doing some spring cleaning. If you've got an old Gmail account gathering dust that you want to keep using, time to find your old password and jump back in there.

If you don't want it, Google's got you.

Google will start deleting inactive accounts after two years Google says you'll get lots of emails before your account is deleted.

Changing Unhealthy Behaviors

There’s 5 phases to changing unhealthy behaviors. Here’s how to do it.

Changing Unhealthy Behaviors Five phases to changing unhealthy behaviors.

3 signs of a broken portfolio📉

1. Too much risk: Losing more than you’re comfortable with

2. Lack of clarity: Uncertain about how your investments support long-term goals

3. No Stability: Zero loss protection/limited diversification

$250,000.

That’s the amount your bank account is insured to by the FDIC.
Lose more than that in a bank failure and you can, well… lose more than that.

So, your first consideration in protecting your banked money is keeping to the FDIC threshold.
Don’t go over it per account per bank, and you’re good.

If you have more than this amount in savings, think about putting the excess in other accounts at different banks.

How do you feel?

Happy Memorial Day to you and your loved ones.

As we spend the day at backyard barbecues with family and friends, may we take a moment to remember and honor those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

For this, let us be truly grateful.

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have fought and died while serving in the United States armed forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May.

The purpose of wealth is not to own a luxury car or any other material possession.

The purpose of wealth is to have total ownership over our most valuable asset - Time

NET WORTH = ASSETS - LIABILITIES

Simple Truth: The key to building wealth is buying assets and decreasing/eliminating liabilities.

Assets are anything that increases in value and/or produces income.

Examples: Retirement Accounts, Mutual Funds, Real Estate, Annuities, Bonds, CDs, etc.

Liabilities are anything that restricts cash flow or hinders you from building wealth.

Examples: Taxes, Credit card debt, Auto loans, Personal loans, Mortgages, Student loans, etc.

What the right to challenge the IRS's position and be heard means for taxpayers | Internal Revenue Service

You have the right to challenge the IRS's position.

Here's what that looks like.

What the right to challenge the IRS's position and be heard means for taxpayers | Internal Revenue Service Tax Tip 2023-64, May 9, 2023 — The IRS wants every taxpayer to be know and understand their rights in the event they need to work with the IRS on a personal tax matter. These 10 fundamental rights are collectively known as the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

Please Leave Home Without It

Concerned about identity theft? Some things to leave at home.

Please Leave Home Without It Concerns over identity theft continue to grow, especially with data breaches at major companies and financial institutions.

Urgency is a tyrant.

Especially when things go awry related to your money. You’re motivated to defend it with an iron grip … even at the expense of your overall state of mind.

That’s how the banking “crisis” has a lot of people feeling right now.

If you’re losing your cool because you don’t know exactly how all of the recent banking news will affect your own finances, keep in mind, this has happened before, and because it did, there are some protections on your money as a result.

While there is some uncertainty in the economy and the banking world right now, don’t let that tyranny of the urgent fan your anxiety into a wildfire that leads you into unwise decisions.

What you decide to do with your money should be the result of careful, rational thought, as well as guidance from professionals you can trust who know what they’re talking about.

The federal tax code is complicated. A lot of business owners end up with big tax problems because they don't know or understand their obligations to the IRS.

Here are SIX ways to stay in front of your tax commitments... especially # 6:
1. Keep accurate records to file accurate tax returns.
2. Know the tax deadlines. Being late means penalties and interest charges.
3. Know what tax deductions are available to you. One of the perks of business ownership.
4. Make sure you stay compliant with all applicable tax laws and regulations.
5. Plan for your tax obligation. You can minimize your tax liability if you do.
6. Hire a tax professional to do it all for you.

What You Should Do About Insurance Following a Divorce

Facing divorce? Don't overlook changes to your insurance coverage.

What You Should Do About Insurance Following a Divorce In the face of divorce, making changes to insurance coverage may be overlooked.

Alliance Financial & Income Tax · 807 NW Vesper St, Blue Springs, MO 64015

Excellent review by Angie Miller, via Google

We have been using Alliance Financial for several years. I appreciate their expertise and sound advice. I would highly recommend Mike Mead and his team!

Alliance Financial & Income Tax · 807 NW Vesper St, Blue Springs, MO 64015 ★★★★★ · Tax preparation service

Tech CEOs fall out of love with WFH

Some CEOs think offering remote work is a costly mistake.

Tech CEOs fall out of love with WFH Tech execs who readily embraced remote work as the permanent way forward are now blaming it for declining productivity.

Often somebody you know will need a loan for a valid reason, such as an emergency outlay. Maybe they don’t have the credit history yet to qualify for a third-party loan or a line of credit, or they just lost their job in an otherwise good history of employment.

If you do decide to help out, it’s smart to get something in writing — in this case, a loan contract or agreement.

Your contract, which you and the borrower sign, should include:
1. Your names
2. The amount and date of the loan
3. The minimum regular re-payment
4. Payment frequency
5. Dates when each payment is due
6. Legal consequences (if any) for defaulting.

It’s a good idea to get professional guidance as you draft your contract.

www.afitonline.com

Three steps may make a difference if you find yourself suddenly single.

www.afitonline.com

Jumping in the game late is a 10X better strategy than sitting on the sidelines until the clock expires!

You’re not too old to invest or plan for retirement. The time to make it happen is now.💥

PAY YOURSELF FIRST!!💰

Automate a % of your income toward savings/investments.

If you only save/invest the leftover scraps, don’t be surprised when you only have leftover scraps to retire on!!

Lest you think we just sip margaritas by the pool all day after tax season...

What we really spend a lot of time doing in the summer is sitting down with families and business owners to carefully analyze their tax situation -- BEFORE the winter strikes and the moves become much more limited.

This is called "tax planning," an essential move to get the maximum tax savings possible. And with what *might* be coming down the pike from Congress, wisdom says it’s time to get your ducks in a row and plan for what lies ahead.

If you’re ready for some tax planning tips, let’s chat.

Personal Finance Tips for Military Families

U.S. Service Members should consider taking advantage of programs that are available.

Personal Finance Tips for Military Families Military families face unique challenges, making personal finance even more critical.

The IRS doesn't play around when it comes to employment taxes. Over half of all the tax debt owed to the IRS is employment tax debt. These taxes consist of income tax withholding from your employees, plus both halves of Social Security and Medicare taxes.

The vast majority of small businesses must deposit these taxes on a monthly basis. If your business fails to make the required tax payment, you may be subject to a combination of stiff tax penalties.

Make sure you review your business filing requirements to avoid these and the other 100+ penalties the IRS can assess.

Saving for Education: Understanding 529 Plans

Many parents are looking for ways to save for their child's education, and a 529 Plan is an excellent way to do so. Even better is that, thanks to the passage of tax reform legislation in 2017, 529 plans are now available to...

Saving for Education: Understanding 529 Plans A Section 529 plan can be an especially attractive estate-planning move for grandparents. There are no income limits for contributing, and the account owner giving up to \$85,000 (\$80,000 in 2022) avoids gift tax and estate tax by living five years after the gift, yet has the powe

If you're thinking about dipping into the portion of your 401(k) retirement account that comprises your contributions and the contributions of your employer (that now belong to you) in order to pay off tax debt, you'll need to consider:

PROS: You can generally borrow well into the five figures. Interest charged on this loan is deposited back into your 401(k). You have up to five years to pay back the loan.

CONS: Your nest egg diminishes.

Repayment has to be regular, generally quarterly. If you lose or quit your job, you’ll have to repay the remaining balance by the tax deadline of the following year.

Default on repayment and the leftover balance will be treated as a withdrawal on which you’ll owe income taxes and a possible 10% early-withdrawal penalty.

Prevent a Rift: Money Tips for Newlyweds

10 tips that can head-off marriage money problems.

Prevent a Rift: Money Tips for Newlyweds Couples may be able to head off many of the problems in a marriage that money can cause.

WSJ News Exclusive | Wendy’s, Google Train Next-Generation Order Taker: an AI Chatbot

AI's next job... "May I take your order, please?"

WSJ News Exclusive | Wendy’s, Google Train Next-Generation Order Taker: an AI Chatbot The fast-food chain has customized a language model with terms like “JBC” for junior bacon cheeseburger and “biggie bags” for meal combos.

Understanding the Basics of Medigap Policies

Medicare doesn’t cover all the health-care expenses you may experience. Enter Medigap.

Understanding the Basics of Medigap Policies Important as it is, Medicare does not cover the full range of health-care expenses you may experience in your golden years.

Lies For Likes: Evaluating Social Media Tax Scams

Tax scams grow and change every year. And they're getting more and more difficult to spot.

It's only natural they would flow into social media platforms.

Here's some insight on how to spot them.

Lies For Likes: Evaluating Social Media Tax Scams Professor Samuel Brunson of Loyola University Chicago discusses social media tax scams highlighted in the IRS’s 2023 “Dirty Dozen” list of scams and how to spot this misinformation.

Wealth is typically created or destroyed in our subtle decision making!

To all the Moms.

Google accounts can now be passwordless

In an effort to secure your account, Google is doing away with passwords...

Google accounts can now be passwordless Passkey support allows users to sign in directly using their devices.

Protecting Your Business from the Loss of a Key Person

For a small business, the loss of a key person could cause financial hardship.

Protecting Your Business from the Loss of a Key Person Business owners may be able to protect themselves from the financial consequences of losing a key employee.

How much do I need to retire? What is the 5% rule?🤔

Pretty much everything in personal finance comes back to income and expenses! How much do you need to live comfortably? First, consider the income you will receive from Social Security, Part-time Employment, Annuities, and/or Pension. Next, you must ensure that your retirement portfolio can fill the income gap you need to retire comfortably. I like to follow the 5% retirement rule to simplify this concept.

The 5% retirement rule is a guideline to estimate how much money a retiree can withdraw from their investment portfolio each year. According to this rule, retirees can withdraw 5% of their portfolio's value in the first year of retirement, adjusting the amount for inflation in subsequent years.

For example, a retiree with a $1,000,000 investment portfolio could withdraw about $50,000 in the first year of retirement. If inflation is 2% in the second year, they could withdraw $51,000 ($50,000 x 1.02) to maintain the same purchasing power.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to retirement planning. The amount a retiree can withdraw depends on factors such as age, expected lifespan, investment returns, and other sources of income.

Having a plan is critical to creating a successful retirement! If you need help creating your retirement plan, we can help you get started.

Alliance Financial & Income Tax · 807 NW Vesper St, Blue Springs, MO 64015

Excellent review by Jason Shotwell, via Google

I have been using Alliance Financial since my 2019 return. Mike and Julie do a wonderful job from beginning to end of the tax return process. They are so good that my family and I moved back to St. Louis area last year and I still drove the 3 hours to meet with them to work on my 2022 return. I will be doing the same next year!

Alliance Financial & Income Tax · 807 NW Vesper St, Blue Springs, MO 64015 ★★★★★ · Tax preparation service

When you're considering taking out a personal loan to pay off your tax debt, a question worth asking is...

"Can I get a loan big enough to cover my entire tax bill?"

A personal loan dings your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio unless your income increases at the same time you take out the loan. Your DTI impacts your ability to get a mortgage or other loans.

With personal loans, try to pre-qualify with multiple lenders so you can comparison shop for rates and repayment plans.

The IRS's take on cryptocurrency has changed frequently, but right now crypto is considered property for tax purposes (and subject to gain and loss reporting requirements on a tax return).

They've been getting steadily stricter about reporting crypto transactions.

It’s a fair bet they’ll be even more so in years to come.

Make sure you know your obligations and plan for them.

Countdown to College

Do your kids have the right stuff for college?

Countdown to College Preparing for college means setting goals, staying focused, and tackling a few key milestones along the way.

Tax debt is stressful and can seem much heavier than it is, especially when full payment isn't an option right now.

But you could take out a loan to consolidate and take care of that balance owed..

Four loans you could consider:
1. Personal loan
2. Home-equity loan or line of credit
3. Liquid asset-secured financing
4. 401(k) loan

Each one has its pros and cons, so consider carefully before diving into one.