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More than ever, taxpayers are engaging in hobbies that bring in extra income to the household. There’s no limit to the creativity of humans, and hobbies run the gamut from painting, ceramics, baking, photography, weaving, blogging, coin collecting and more. The IRS classifies hobby activities differently, particularly when it comes to tax liabilities. If you have hobby income, it’s crucial to understand the potential tax implications.

If you’re a business or self-employed, you have to deal with estimated tax payments. These are used to pay alternative minimum tax, income tax and self-employment tax. Many people find estimated tax payments to be a nuisance, and they wonder if they are mandatory.

Relocating can be an exciting adventure, filled with the anticipation of new experiences and better opportunities. But proper financial planning ahead of time is crucial to ensure that  your move goes as smoothly and stress-free as possible. From understanding your current financial situation to budgeting for your new cost of living, there are several key things to consider.

Review Your Current Financial Situation

Everyone deserves a chance to take a break from the day to day and take a vacation. Vacations are a time to relax, maybe explore a new place and enjoy some of the things that life has to offer with your discretionary income. You shouldn’t have to worry about keeping your money safe while on vacation, but unfortunately, that’s just a fact of life. Today, there are more ways than ever for things to get out of control while you’re on vacation.

Receiving a tax refund can be a nice financial boost. Technically though, if you’re doing things well, you shouldn’t be getting a tax refund. You can make sure you don’t pay the government too much during the year with the help of a CPA. But for now, if you do find yourself anticipating a gas return, there are some ways that you can maximize the potential of this so-called windfall.

The 1031 Exchange, also known as the like-kind exchange, is a powerful tool in the arsenal of savvy real estate investors. In its essence, this provision, under the IRS code, allows investors to defer paying capital gains taxes on an investment property when it's sold, as long as another "like-kind property" is purchased with the profit gained by the sale of the first property.

What is a 1031 Exchange?

In an era where traditional compensation packages are evolving, accepting stock options instead of a bonus or a raise is becoming a common practice, especially in the startup and tech industries. Companies often use this approach to conserve cash, motivate employees towards the company's success, and save on payroll taxes.

In an economy where uncertainty has become the only constant, protecting yourself against a recession is of utmost importance. It's an unavoidable fact that economies go through cycles. Periods of growth are often followed by slowdowns or recessions. While predicting the exact timing of a recession is impossible, there are proactive steps you can take to shield yourself financially when one occurs.

At some time or another, almost every small business owner has considered hiring their children to work in the family business. It's an attractive idea. The concept of passing down a business to the next generation is as old as the days of settling the Old West in this country. But things are more complicated now than they were back then.