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AUTHORS: Jennifer Climo Jean Fullerton Jonathan Harrington Nick Prigitano Jenna-Rose Finnie Kyle Labelle

Student Loan Payments: Know your Options!

At more than $1.7 trillion, student loans have become the second largest source of debt in the United States, behind only mortgage debt. The average student debt borrower, as of 2019, owed more than $29,000 and had a monthly payment more than $300/month1. The figures are even worse for students in New England, with New Hampshire averaging the highest amount of student loan debt out of any state with $39,400/student. Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts are also in the top 102. With debt levels on the rise, and the cost of college increasing, student loans are one of the top financial issues facing many young professionals.

9 Ways to Protect Your Money and Accounts from Hackers

May 24, 2021 Families Jennifer Climo Retirement Small Business Working Professionals

From fraudulent transactions to identity theft, securing online accounts is a hot topic in financial planning discussions in today’s cyber-connected world. There are some things you can do to protect yourself. Just like locking your doors and installing a security alarm and security cameras can protect your physical assets, there are similar approaches that can protect your online accounts.

The Step-Up Loophole and the STEP Act

May 14, 2021 Estate Planning Taxes

On April 28th President Biden pitched his American Families Plan to select group of members of Congress. Near the end of the proposal was a section entitled “End capital income tax breaks and other loopholes for the very top.” The first part of this section covered changes to capital gains tax rates that we covered in a previous blog article. The second part covered closing the “step-up” loophole (see text below) which is what we’re going to cover in this week’s blog.

Making Kids a Little Less Expensive - Big Changes to the Child Tax Credit in 2021

April 29, 2021 Families Taxes

Kids aren't cheap. Between providing for their food, clothes, childcare, activities, toys, possibly college, and countless other things, the financial cost of raising children can be quite high. However, most parents will admit that the joys and wonders of having children far outweigh the financial costs (at least until their adolescent years). Luckily for those who have qualifying children, many will receive an expanded tax benefit in the form of a tax credit from the recently passed American Rescue Plan. This credit is in addition to the enhancements of the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit that was discussed in a previous blog. Here's what you should know about the Child Tax Credit, and what expanded benefits may apply to you.

The American Families Plan and the potential increase in Capital Gains Tax rates

April 26, 2021 Investments Taxes

President Biden is planning on previewing his American Families Plan (AFP) at his first address to a joint session of Congress on April 28th. Some of the expected parts of the plan include extending the enhanced child tax credit, 12 weeks of family leave paid for by the federal government, free community college, access to free childcare, and universal pre-K. To pay for all of these new programs, the President is expected to propose tax increases in various forms. One of the most talked-about changes is with long-term capital gains rates, reportedly increasing dramatically for those Americans with more than $1 million in taxable income.

Bitcoin: Digital Currency or Speculative Bubble?

April 16, 2021 Investments

It is not surprising that Bitcoin has captivated people’s attention over the last year given its dramatic increase in price and abundant press coverage. You can’t go a day without hearing someone start a sentence with “The price of Bitcoin...” or “An investment in Bitcoin in 2010 would be worth…”. It is puzzling to hear Bitcoin framed as an investment. Wasn’t Bitcoin started as an easier way to exchange payments between two parties? Shouldn’t you want a currency to be fairly stable in value so you can be certain that when you accept a payment the value will not fluctuate wildly while you hold it until you need to use it for spending?

Big Changes to the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credits & FSAs in 2021

March 22, 2021 Families Taxes

The American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) has temporarily expanded two key provisions of the tax code that affect families with children 18 or under along with other types of dependents. Not that anything in the tax code is simple, but the new Child Tax Credit and Child & Dependent Care Tax Credit have now become super complicated to understand for 2021. For now, these rules only apply to 2021 and then revert to the old rules in 2022 (pending permanent changes in future tax legislation). In this week’s blog we are going to look at the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. We will analyze the Child tax Credit in a future blog.

Don't File Your 2020 Tax Return Yet! - More Tax Law Changes Coming From The American Rescue Plan Act (ARP)

March 12, 2021 Families Taxes Working Professionals

Just this week, both the House and Senate passed new legislation called the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, or ARP for short, and was signed by the President. Within this bill, there are significant changes to the tax code that will apply to 2021 and beyond. In this post we will review the changes that apply to 2020 returns. In this instance, maybe the early bird does not get the worm, and if you have not filed your return yet it may make sense to hold off until some of these changes are implemented or you may need to amend your taxes later. Here's what you should know about the new tax law and how it may impact your 2020 taxes.

Don't Forget to Report This on Your 2020 Tax Return - You May Be Leaving Money on the Table!

March 5, 2021 Taxes

As we close out February and enter March, individuals and CPAs around the US are getting into the thick of tax season. By this time most tax forms should be available, and CPAs are anxiously awaiting to frantically prepare this information before the ominous April 15th deadline. No one expected last year to upend our daily lives as much as it did. Along with life changes also came government assistance, much of which came in the form of tax changes. While there are numerous differences with how 2020 taxes will be prepared, one of the most noteworthy is how to report any direct payments received (or not received) from the government. Here's what you should know about how to report these payments.

Financial Planning for your 50s - What to Consider

February 19, 2021 Estate Planning Families Fiduciary Insurance Retirement Working Professionals

The financial planning considerations when entering your 50s can be quite extensive. Between retirement rapidly approaching, life changes, and estate planning issues, there's a lot on the to-do list! For many, this is their last full decade before retirement. It is one of the last chances to save, plan, and make sure you are on track to meeting your long-term financial planning goals. While there are many topics to review, some of the big ones are: - Overall retirement planning considerations - Big life changes - Reviewing your insurance - Updating and reviewing your estate plan

Medicare Costs for the LGBTQ+ Community

February 17, 2021 Insurance LGBTQ+ Retirement

Health care expenses can be a significant cost in retirement. This is no different for the LGBTQ+ community. What is different for members of the LGBTQ+ community is that they may be more likely to be unmarried, and therefore subject to higher Medicare premiums.

LGBTQ+ Supercharge Your HSA

February 12, 2021 LGBTQ+ Taxes Working Professionals

What is a Health Savings Account (HSA)? An HSA is a savings account for health care expenses; is one of the few deductions allowed regardless of your income; and has triple tax benefits (tax deduction for contributions, tax-deferred growth and tax-free distributions if used for qualified medical expenses).