Are Solar-Powered Batteries the Answer to Power Outages?

Over the past few years, several wildfires have been blamed on power lines downed during periods of low humidity and gusty winds, which typically occur in the fall. The 2018 Camp fire, sparked by downed power lines, was the deadliest in California…

Tax Issues That Arise When Converting a Home into a Rental

There are many reasons to convert a home into a rental, such as to ensure that a prior home produces income and appreciation after the owner buys a new home; to maximize the tax benefits for an elderly person who can no longer live alone by…
Hands Holding House

What Are the Tax Advantages of Homeownership?

Housing is a big expense for everyone. The choice generally involves either renting or purchasing – and financing that purchase with a home loan. This article explores the tax benefits and drawbacks that individuals should consider when deciding…
Hands Holding House
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Facing a Huge Gain from a Realty Sale?

If you are contemplating selling real estate property, there are a number of issues that could impact the taxes that you might owe, and there are steps you can take to minimize the gain, defer the gain, or spread it over a number of years. The…
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Household Help: Employee or Contractor?

Taxpayers often will hire an individual or firm to provide services at the taxpayer’s home. Because the IRS requires employers to withhold taxes for employees and issue them W-2s at the end of the year, the big question is whether or not…
Tax Reform
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Don’t Overlook Tax Credits

Tax credits are a tax benefit that offsets your actual tax liability, as opposed to a tax deduction, which reduces your income. Congress provides tax credits to individual taxpayers for a number of reasons, including as a form of assistance…
Disaster
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When To Claim a Disaster Loss

Tax reform eliminated the deduction for casualty losses but did retain a deduction for losses within a disaster area. With the wild fires in the west, hurricanes and flooding in the southeast and eastern seaboard we have had a number of presidentially…

Are You Prepared for a Disaster?

This year’s wildfires, record rains, flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes and potential for earthquakes should all act as reminders that you should be prepared for a disaster. Sure, it will take some effort on your part and you may never be affected…
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Good and Bad News About The Home Office Tax Deduction

“Home office” is a type of tax deduction that applies to the business use of a home; the space itself may not actually be an office. This category also includes using part of a home for storing inventory (e.g., for a wholesale or retail…