Blog

With the increased standard deduction this past year ($12,400 single, $24,800 married filing jointly, $18,650 head of household), some smaller charities began to see a decrease in donations.This year might be worse.Yes, I hate to be the one to say these things, but...

A week past the election, and still plenty of disagreement about the results.That means this is another week where you have the opportunity for the other chumps out there to get massively distracted by the political war games ... while you go about quietly building...

Believe it or not, we're very busy around here.While the nation's eyes are fixated on political things, we're spending our days working hard on behalf of our clients right here in Birmingham (and beyond, of course), talking through tax-advantaged financial moves,...

A few timely things to get to, before I offer you my thoughts on a good task for you to do this week...First of all, the IRS has apparently caught up on processing their backlogged mail that stacked up during COVID closures. Or, well enough, they say.That means that...

Tax Pro World is abuzz about the increase of the Social Security wage base standard.Well, I should clarify -- most of Tax Pro World is taking naps this week and not really thinking much about taxes whatsoever, ha! After all, that was one of the most epically intensive...

First some important reminders for all Birmingham taxpayers, then I have a bunch of questions to which I'd like you to respond...The October 15th tax return extension deadline (for families and individuals) has finally passed.Therefore ... a word on filing -- if you...

Say it with me: four more weeks. Four more weeks until this crazy election cycle is behind us and we can all return to normal here in Birmingham.Except, well, if it isn't. With the way that 2020 has been going, we might as well emotionally prepare for that eventuality...

Like many things political, one of the best ways to look at the tempest of the day is analytical bemusement. This is (always) especially true when it comes to tax issues.And I might have a take today that could surprise you. I am not interested in getting into...

Finally, the IRS issued guidance on Friday evening about payroll tax deferrals.And, as we've been communicating ... this may not be a very helpful program for most Birmingham taxpayers. In fact, it's actually up to employers (not employees) whether or not to withhold...

Still no guidance from the IRS about the payroll tax "holiday" (deferral), so it's extremely unlikely that your Birmingham employer will be ready -- simply because the major payroll companies (Paychex, ADP, Gusto, and many others) don't have the answers to many...

Summer is nearing an end, but this has been no ordinary summer.Everywhere, parents are scrambling in the most unusual "back to school" season in memory. College football is in limbo, and professional sports are operating in a weird Twilight Zone mode. Urban centers...

Right now we're living through an age in which media trust has been thoroughly decimated. "Expert" authority itself is being questioned (in many cases, rightly), and misinformation is rampant.That's perhaps one of the reasons I've received so many visits to this...