See this article written by Suzie Wilson of Happierhome.net about tips for moving to California:  If you want to avoid problems and headaches when moving out-of-state, you need the right information. For a long-distance move to California, these tips and resources can provide what you need so you can savor—instead of stress over—your big move. Plan Ahead of Time  The process of relocating to a new state can be filled with small, easy-to-miss details. Therefore, planning ahead is critical. Using a checklist keeps you on track. Now is also a good time to search for long-dista ..read more

Does your business ask your customers for their credit card numbers at any time during the sales process? If so, it’s essential that you honor the privacy of your customers’ private data as well as stay in compliance with the Payment Card Industry rules.   Every business that has an account with a merchant services vendor is required to follow PCI (Payment Card Industry) compliance when collecting and storing credit card data. There are many different levels of compliance depending on the technology you use to capture and store credit card data. These levels depend on whether you use a point o ..read more

This is a reprint of a blog I wrote over three years ago, but it still makes sense today.  So, you have filed your income tax return with the IRS and your state, and are now waiting for the refund the government(s) owe you. You are thinking of all the things you can do with that money when you get it. Here are some things to think about as you wait:  1. These refunds are in effect interest-free loans you have made the government(s) over the year through excess withholding. They are just paying you back the money you earned over the previous year that won’t even earn interest unless you file an ..read more

Here is my Top 50 SciFi Movies of all time: Feel free to comment – these are the ones I truly enjoy watching (again and again). My Top 50 SciFi Movies of All Time 1   The Terminator (1984) 26 The Adjustment Bureau (2011) 2   Star Wars Ep 4: A New Hope (1977) 27 Source Code (2011) 3   Oblivion (2013) 28 Star Wars Ep 7: The Force Awakens (2015) 4   Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982) 29 Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) 5   Jurassic Park (1993) 30 Frequency (2000) 6   The Martian (2015) 31 Wall-E (2008) 7   Super 8 (2011) 32 Planet of the Apes (1968) 8   ET The Extra-Terrestial (1982) 33 Avatar (2009) 9 ..read more

Here is my Top 25 Sports Movies: Feel free to comment – these are the ones I truly enjoy watching (again and again). My Top 25 Best Sports Movies of All Time 1   The Natural (1984) 2   Rocky (1976) 3   Cinderella Man (2005) 4   Remember the Titans (2000) 5   Bull Durham (1988) 6   A League of their Own (1992) 7   Miracle (2004) 8   Caddyshack (1980) 9   Hoosiers (1986) 10   Brian’s Song (1971) 11 Field of Dreams (1989) 12 Invincible (2008) 13 Trouble With the Curve (2012) 14 Heaven Can Wait (1978) 15 Seabiscuit (2003) 16 White Men Can’t Jump (1992) 17 The Longest Yard (1974) 18 The Replacement ..read more

Here is my list of the top 50 superhero movies of all time.  My Top Ten in bold type.  Interesting that 22 of the 23 Marvel movies in the MCU Phases 1 to 3 are included on the list and 8 MCU movies are in the top ten (the other two are 2 of the 3 movies of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy with the 3rd being number 11).   My Top 50 Superhero Movies of All Time 1   Marvel’s The Avengers (2012) 26 Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse (2018) 2   Avengers: Endgame (2019) 27 The Incredibles (2004) 3   Black Panther (2018) 28 Spiderman (2002) 4   Avengers: Infinity War (2018) 29 Guardians of the Ga ..read more

In 2018, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 will create tax changes to home and securities ownership by changes to itemized deductions on Schedule A. If  you own or are buying a residence and/or second home, you may have the following limitations on your itemized deductions: 1. The combination of real estate and state income or sales taxes paid each year will be limited to a maximum deduction of $10,000.  This will be a killer in high state and local tax states. State and local taxes (SALT) normally include state income taxes or state sales taxes (usually the higher of the two) and state and lo ..read more

In 2018, a new tax write-off has been created for qualifying businesses – the Section 199A Business Deduction. This deduction equates to 20% of Qualified Business Income assuming you meet income and salary limitations.  Also, shareholder reasonable compensation, interest, dividends and capital gains and losses don’t qualify. But if you meet these requirements, exactly what entities and businesses have Qualified Business Income?  Based on my research, here are the qualifying businesses:  1. Sole Proprietorships – Schedule Cs. 2. Individual Owners of Rental Properties – Schedule Es. 3. S-Corpora ..read more

(Copyright 2018, Bradford Tax Institute – thanks for the article on S Corp vs C Corp Debate in 2018.) When you first see that 21 percent tax rate for the C corporation, you have to think that this could be the choice of entity for your business operation. Further, when you find yourself in the out-of-favor group for the 20 percent deduction authorized by new tax code Section 199A, you naturally gravitate to thinking about the C corporation, perhaps as a means of getting even. The table below gives you a good look at how you would pay taxes on your profits, depending on your Form 1040 tax brack ..read more

In 2018, various retirement plan contribution limits have changed.  Here are the new limits for amounts and income levels for the following: Traditional IRAs: The maximum contribution for 2018 stays at $5,500.00 if you are under age 50. The catch-up contribution for those who are 50 or older also stays at $1,000.00. If you are in a qualified plan, the maximum income you can make if single and still make a full traditional IRA contribution starts at $63,000.00 Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) and phases out the contribution if you make over $73,000.00.  If you are married filing jointly, the phaseou ..read more