Personal Finance

Take The Stress Out Of Tax Time By Turning To Certified Public Accountant Micah Fraim Whether you are in need of basic tax preparation, complex tax preparation, or tax planning to ensure you are prepared for all of your tax obligations—I am here to assist you! While taxes may be a source of stress for […]

Every single year there are updates in the tax law. In 2013 the IRS Tax Code was 73,954 pages long and had almost 1,000 forms! Tax code complexity and changes are nothing new and both are big reasons that I think having a qualified CPA is always important. And this is particularly the case with […]

This weekend – August 1-3, 2014 – is a Virginia sales tax “holiday” for a long list of “back to school” type items. This applies whether a person is in school or not. The official bulletin states that“items need not be intended for use in school or in connection with a school activity to be eligible for […]

Just a quick reminder that tomorrow (May 31st) is the last day of the Virginia Sales Tax Holiday for “Hurricane and Emergency Preparedness Equipment.” These can include: Ice packs Batteries Flashlights Two-way radios Waterproof sheeting Rope Duct tape Bottled water First aid kits Cell phone chargers Portable generators Chain saws Gas containers Several other items […]

As I have noted several times lately (and in case you have been living in a cave and have missed this fact) the deadline for filing your federal income tax returns is Tuesday, April 15. But as has also been discussed, there can be a variety of reasons why someone – perhaps you – is […]

Important Deadline Approaching – Personal Tax Returns “It’s almost the deadline Don’t miss the deadline, darling When all your bad dreams will come true Don’t miss the deadline It’s almost the deadline, darling I wouldn’t want it to happen to you.”           —  Blue Oyster Cult – “Deadline” So once again a very short blog […]

What Are Flexible Spending Accounts? “Gumby and flexibility are synonymous, and top athletes are praised for their Gumby-like or Gumbyesque prowess. The U.S. Marines use the phrase ‘Semper Gumby.’”  – Gumbyworld.com In my last article I explained what Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are, how they function, and the tax benefits associated with them. I used […]

With the end of the year and tax time quickly approaching, I’m going to start focusing on various tax tips up until April 15th. Today’s topic: Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are one of the most painless yet most underutilized tax instruments available. Here’s how they work: HSAs are savings accounts where […]

Originally published September 23, 2013: Okay, maybe it’s not a tax deadline in the strictest sense of the word, although there are some important cut-off dates coming up as early as October 1 (more on that in a minute). However, let’s step back for a moment here and look and the important “bigger picture.” Once the year is […]

Originally published August 20, 2013 “Debt is the slavery of the free.” – Publilius Syrus I’m a firm believer that every business can benefit from a certain amount of debt. Borrowing fuels growth, can get you through lean months, and actually increases some measures of profitability Too much of a good thing, of course, leads to […]

Originally published July 22, 2013 “Oh, a storm is threatening My very life today If I don’t get some shelter Oh yeah, I’m gonna fade away” – The Rolling Stones, “Gimme Shelter” While The Rolling Stones certainly didn’t write “Gimme Shelter” to address housing questions, the need for a roof over our heads is one of the basic […]

Originally published May 28, 2013 Most of my clients know that I am not a big fan of the home office deduction especially if they are homeowners. While it is certainly tempting to be able to deduct a portion of your otherwise non-deductible personal expenses, in most cases it is simply not worth the cost. I’ll break this into […]