Just weeks after former Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY) was sentenced to prison on tax related charges, Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA) and a number of his associates found themselves targeted by the feds. On Wednesday, a 29 count indictment was handed down to Fattah, as well as lobbyist Herbert Vederman, 69, of Palm Beach, Florida; Fattah’s…
A bill being explored in Pennsylvania would make the state the first in the country to tax the use of plastic bags at retail sites. But questions abound: Is it fair? Is it appropriate? And is it enough?
I once spent about 15 minutes wandering up and down the aisles of the Superfresh grocery in Society Hill looking for a bottle of wine. No, I’m not picky. I just didn’t realize that you couldn’t buy wine in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania outside of the state-operated liquor store system (there is an exception for…
You’ve prepped, organized and you’re finally ready to file your federal income taxes. That is, except for one tiny little problem: you may be staring down a tax obligation that’s a bit bigger than what’s in your bank account. What now? You have options but not all of them are equally good. Here are seven…
Tax season can be intimidating for seasoned pros, not to mention the fear it strikes into the hearts of newbies. This series is intended to give you the basics. We’ll start with the very basic of basics: do I have to file?
I’m a mom. I have three kids which happen to be one more than originally planned. But sometimes life throws you surprises. And mine turned out to be a terrific surprise with a contagious smile and an obsession with the BBC’s Top Gear. Going from two kids to three was a huge change for us,…
I love technology. I love that I can order a car from Uber at the touch of a button on my Droid. I love that my kids can talk to my husband when he’s in Germany practically “face to face” for free using Skype. I love that I no longer drive in circles around greater…
When I was a teenager, as soon as I was able, I rushed down to our local library to register to vote. In North Carolina, you can register to vote before you turn 18, so long as you’ll turn 18 by the next general election. And I wanted to be ready. I have always understood…
I hate standardized tests. My daughter, a straight-A student at her elementary school, was freaking out over taking the PSSAs, the state-issued assessment tests in Pennsylvania, this week. She was a bundle of nervous energy, talking through a litany of “what if?” questions, all of which appeared to revolve around some kind of worst-case scenario….
There are very few people that I like dealing with less than the folks who administer my student loans for law school. Undergrad, I managed just fine. But when I moved to Pennsylvania, I was forced to deal with the Pennsylvania Higher Assistance Agency (PHEAA). If you’ve ever dealt with PHEAA, you know they’re a…