As it turns out, the New Jersey tax credit wasn’t a “shore” thing after all (I know, it was a terrible pun but I couldn’t help it). New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) has decided against a $420,000 tax credit for the hit MTV show, Jersey Shore, taking his veto pen to the credit after…
It’s common to think about education expenses as they relate to fresh-faced college students just starting out – but what about the rest of us? Can you deduct the cost of an education when you’re not pursuing a degree or certificate for your first career? You might. Under some circumstances, you may be able to…
Okay, you already know how savings bonds work… They’re backed by the federal government so the principal is guaranteed. When you buy them, federal savings bonds earn interest which is free from state and local income taxes. Federal income tax on the bonds is generally deferred until you cash the bonds in or until they…
I love that scene in When Harry Met Sally when Billy Crystal’s Harry Burns looks at Meg Ryan’s Sally Albright and says: I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. That’s…
On September 21, 2011, at exactly 11:08 p.m. EST, Troy Davis was put to death by the state of Georgia after the U.S. Supreme Court failed to grant him a stay. His execution by legal injection became the 1,268th recorded execution in the United States since 1976. Later that same day, Lawrence Brewer of Texas…
With all of the focus on the cost of higher education, it’s easy to forget that there are a number of scholarships and fellowships available. Scholarships are generally funds paid to or for the benefit of a student at an undergraduate or graduate school who is studying for a degree. Fellowships are funds paid for…
So who didn’t see this coming? With the ink barely dry on California’s internet sales tax deal with Amazon, other states are chatting up a similar idea. Even states that were willing to sit this one out – like Florida – are beginning to talk. An Op-Ed in The Ledger is suggesting that California’s coup may…
You may be able to deduct qualified tuition and related expenses that you pay for yourself, your spouse, or a dependent, as a tuition and fees deduction. The deduction can reduce the amount of your income subject to tax by up to $4,000 so long as your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is not more…
Education tax credits can help offset the costs of paying for your education or costs you pay for an eligible student who is your spouse or a dependent you claim on your tax return. For 2011, the American Opportunity Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit are available to qualified taxpayers who pay expenses for eligible…
It’s taken the country more than 100 years to make the Tax Code as complicated as it stands today. And yet, in clear DC fashion, Congress is making noise about reforming the code… in a mere two and a half months. Ah, the pandering optimism of Congress. The so-called “super committee” of 12 members of…