When Filing for a Tax Extension Makes Sense

by Steven Sundberg on
The annual meeting is rescheduled to sometime later this quarter and the family reunion is sometime next summer, but like certain holidays and your birthday you know you can always count on a few specific dates. It's reassuring. One such day is Tax Day, AKA April 15. Yet, unlike a birthday this looming deadline tends to sneak up on you in the least enjoyable way.

The Coronavirus pandemic has affected us all in ways that we didn’t anticipate at the start of the year, especially when it comes to our finances. And unfortunately, just as federal emergency benefits are starting to run out, signs of a second wave of the virus are looming—and some may even say it’s...

Retiring as a Small Business Owner

by Steven Sundberg on

There are over 30 million small businesses in the United States. Many people start their own businesses in order to become their own boss and take control over their schedules, career goals and finances. It can be incredibly rewarding to start and own a successful small business. But one thing that...

Leave your Legacy through Planned Giving

by Steven Sundberg on

There comes a point in life where you want to begin sharing or gifting all the things you’ve collected over the years—stories, wisdom, financial wealth. And unlike the Ancient Egyptians believed, you cannot take your worldly goods with you when your light goes out. You can share your stories wisdom in a manifesto or through funny tales to your family, but what about the money?

Here’s a thought: retirement doesn’t mean the end. It doesn’t mean an end of self-importance or purpose, it just means a new chapter—a paradigm shift of what life is beyond long days and meetings and bosses. Unless you own your own business, and even then, you are not your business.

Green Energy as an Investment Strategy

by Steven Sundberg on

Green, clean energy has reached new heights in America. There are more hybrids than ever on the streets (Americans bought their four millionth hybrid car in early 2016), wind turbines out above the cornfields, solar panels on roofs, and even that new convenience store down the street is LEED certified.

For some a car is simply a means of getting from point A to point B; for others it’s a status symbol. Cars are a hobby, a passion, for some and necessity for others, but whatever your level of affinity toward automobiles is, there comes a time where just about everyone needs to start shopping for a new (or used) one; but, don’t run down to the local dealership just yet.
After the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, we dig up our hopes and dreams and make some resolutions. Getting back in the gym, losing weight, and eating clean, are usually at the top of the list, but what about your finances? The health of your accounts, spending habits, and investments are just as important to evaluate.

Ups and Downs of Online-Only Banking

by Steven Sundberg on

The digital world has transformed professional industries in unique ways that prior to internet access would have been impossible. Doctors can monitor patients remotely, lawyers can offer counsel online, software can complete your taxes for you, and even financial investments and advertisements can...

Donations to charities are a win-win when it comes to filing taxes. You can feel good about helping a cause you care about as well as write off the donations to “qualified organizations” on your taxes at totals up to “50 percent of your adjusted gross income,” according to the Internal Revenue Service.

The tax code, with all of its hundreds of pages of regulations, stipulations, and loopholes always leave something be learned. Not only is the U.S. Internal Revenue Code massive, different write-offs and deductions occur at different stages in life, so it’s unsurprising if you don’t know the details of the IRA (Individual Retirement Account) charitable rollover.

6 Tips for a Cheap Valentine’s Date

by Steven Sundberg on

Roses are red, violets are blue, Valentine’s Day can be cheap, hooray for you!

Right after New Year’s the red, pink, and white move in to the shopping aisles to serve as a perpetual reminder that Valentine’s Day is coming.