With apologies to Bobby Fuller (who popularized a work originally written and recorded by Sonny Curtis) we've co-opted this wonderful song to make a point about the weapons-grade BS that continues to come out of Washington. On Tuesday the Clinton campaign (via communications director Jen Palmieri) said the election is a choice between improving President [...]
"I won’t qualify for financial aid.” It’s a familiar refrain. But how do you know? The problem isn’t what you own – it’s that you feel like you own too much. The solution? Understanding which assets help/hurt the financial aid decision. With parents filing for financial aid for the 2017-2018 school year this is a [...]
Yesterday the Internal Revenue Service announced in Revenue Procedure 2016-55 the tax year 2017 annual inflation adjustments. Salient points are as follows: TAX BRACKETS (single – “S”) If taxable income is between $0 and $9,325 then 10% of taxable income. If taxable income is between $9,326 and $37,950 then $932.50 + 15% of the amount [...]
And the hits just keep on comin'... BENEFICIARIES: The Cost of Living Adjustment ("COLA") of 0.3% means the average SS check will increase $4/mo. Don't blow it all in one place! TAXPAYERS: The Social Security wage base (or amount of earnings subject to the 6.2% tax) increases from $118,500 to $127,200. Both employers AND employees [...]
The Washington-based Tax Foundation (a non-partisan, independent research group educating taxpayers about sound tax policy and the size of the tax burden borne by Americans at all levels of income) has analyzed Hillary Clinton’s proposed tax increases on people with “high incomes” and businesses and determined it to be a drag on economic growth. Findings [...]
The Annual Enrollment Period (“AEP”) for Medicare beneficiaries to change their Part C (“Medicare Advantage”) and/or Part D (prescription drug) plans begins Oct 15th running through and including Dec 7th. During the AEP a person may: join a Part D plan drop a Part D plan switch to a new Part D plan drop a [...]
Aristotle famously stated, "A is A." A fork is a fork. A fork is not a spoon (well, unless you're a fan of the spork!), a fork is not a baseball, a fork is not a pencil, etc. Seems obvious enough. Apparently politicians are lousy logicians as they seem to think permanent is temporary. On [...]
Love your companion animals? Of course! Want to be buried with them? Maybe...and if you live in New York you now have that option. On 9/24/16 Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law the measure allowing people to be buried with the cremated remains of their companion animals. Cemeteries aren't required to offer the option. Religious [...]
“You do understand the function of the magician’s assistant, don’t you?” “Yeah. She’s there to distract them as he sets up the trick.” That exchange occurs between characters played by Morgan Freeman and Mark Ruffalo in the 2013 film Now You See Me. If you prefer a musical reference here’s a favorite Pearl Jam lyric [...]
In accordance with Supreme Court decisions the Internal Revenue Service has issued final regulations redefining terms relating to marital status. The rules reflect the Supreme Court’s landmark rulings in the 2015 case of Obergefell v. Hodges and the 2013 case of Windsor v. U.S. that legalized same-sex marriage in every state and invalidated the Defense [...]