June 2018

Do I have to divide any money or estate left to me if not instructed to?

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: I have just lost my grandmother.  She left me her 401k, life insurance, and I’m pretty sure her estate ANSWER BY MARGARET CROSS-BELIVEAU: As a beneficiary of the 401(k) and life insurance, you will inherit these assets outside of probate.  Her estate will be governed by her will.  If she named you as the sole beneficiary, then only you will inherit.  Legally, you are not required to share a bequest that a testator made

Read More »

Can children stop parent from placing headstone on deceased parent grave?

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: My mother passed away 3 months ago. I have two siblings….our dad had a new(old) girlfriend less than 2 weeks after we buried our mother. He is taking this new girlfriend to look at headstones and we do not agree with the choice. Can we stop him from placing headstone? Or at least make it where we all have to decide what goes on headstone? ANSWER BY MARGARET CROSS-BELIVEAU: Assuming the burial plots are

Read More »

6 tax benefits of owning a home

If you own or are considering owning a home, you can take advantage of many tax benefits. Here are six of the most commonly used homeowner’s tax breaks: Mortgage interest deduction. You can deduct the interest you pay on your monthly mortgage bill when you itemize deductions on your tax return. This can be a huge benefit, especially in the early years of a mortgage. That’s because typically about 80 percent of your mortgage bill in

Read More »

The new small business family medical leave credit

There’s a new business tax credit that partially reimburses employers for providing paid family and medical leave for select employees. But small businesses should be informed before they try to use this new Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) tax break. Basics of the new credit Employers who provide at least two weeks of paid family and medical leave to employees who earn $72,000 a year or less can claim the FMLA credit to offset some

Read More »

It’s tax-planning time

Now is the ideal time to schedule a tax-planning session. Your tax return outcome is still fresh, and it’s early enough in the year to make corrective action to take advantage of the numerous new tax law changes taking place in 2018. Here’s a brief overview of some of the new tax issues that you need to plan for now. #1 Income Tax rates for both individuals and small businesses have changed substantially. Income tax deductions

Read More »
Email us now
close slider