If you participate in a 401(k), employee stock ownership plan, or other qualified retirement plan that lets you invest in your employer’s stock, you need to know about net unrealized appreciation — a simple tax-deferral opportunity with an unfortunately complicated… Read More
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Tax Services: Will tax Law Changes Impact Your Giving Strategy
You may donate money to charitable organizations throughout the year, simply because you wish to support causes that you care about. However, beginning in 2026, a new set of tax rules will determine the deductibility of your donations and might… Read More
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EDUCATION TAX CREDITS
It’s tax time, and your kitchen table is littered with papers and forms. As if this isn’t bad enough, you recently paid your child’s college semester bill, and you don’t know where you’ll find the money to pay the taxes… Read More
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UNDERSTANDING HOME ENERGY TAX CREDITS
A couple of federal personal tax credits are available for the installation of certain energy efficient or clean energy property in your home. Expenditures must be for items that meet various energy efficiency standards (e.g., Energy Star). The energy efficient… Read More
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PENALTIES AND INTEREST FOR PAYING AND FILING FEDERAL INCOME TAXES LATE
If you fail to file your federal income tax return and pay your tax by the due date, you may have to pay one or more penalties, plus interest.Although you are allowed an automatic extension for filing your return if… Read More
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TAX PREPARATION CHECKLIST 2024
As tax season approaches, staying organized is key to maximizing deductions and minimizing stress. This comprehensive checklist will ensure you’re fully prepared and on track for filing. PERSONAL INFORMATION Personal Data Social Security Numbers and birthdates for you, your spouse… Read More
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Understanding Probate
When you die, you leave behind your estate. Your estate consists of your assets — all of your money, real estate, and worldly belongings. Your estate also includes your debts, expenses, and unpaid taxes. After you die, somebody must take… Read More
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How to Avoid Financial Woes During This Tax Season
Tax season is like that uninvited guest who shows up yearly, adding more stress to our already busy lives. Whether you’re a small business owner or just managing your finances, the complexities of tax laws and the fear of making… Read More
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Transferring Your Family Business
As a business owner, you’re going to have to decide when will be the right time to step out of the family business and how you’ll do it. There are many estate planning tools you can use to transfer your… Read More
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Strategies for Maximizing Retirement Contributions Before Year Ends
Rounding out another year comes with a long list of things to get done. Between the holiday rush and the end of the year, you might not have thought about your year-end tax planning, specifically maximizing your retirement account contributions. If you… Read More
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Tips for Charitable Giving and Year-End Tax Planning
As the year draws to a close, you should consider your year-end tax planning. One strategy to help you with this is charitable donations. Not only is December a critical time for many nonprofits to meet their financial goals, but smart… Read More
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The Best Year-End Tax Planning Strategies for Individuals
Smart tax planning is as important as ever for taxpayers looking to manage their cash flow while also paying the least amount of taxes possible over time. As the year-end approaches, now is the time for individuals, business owners, or family offices… Read More
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Tax Planning Actions to Take Before the Year Ends
With the end of the year in sight, now is the time to begin assessing your 2023 tax obligations to see what you could do to reduce your bill. As a first step, ask the professional advisors from Baltimore-Washington Financial… Read More
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Year-End Tax Planning If You Have a Lower Income
If you have earned less than anticipated this past year, there are a handful of tax strategies to help you. You may have an opportunity for portfolio rebalancing, Roth IRA conversions, and much more. Read on to learn how the… Read More
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Year-End Tax Planning If You Have a High Income
If you find yourself in a higher tax bracket for 2023, you might face a larger tax bill than you initially expected. That said, there are plenty of year-end tax planning strategies higher-income earners can leverage to help reduce their overall tax… Read More
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Helpful Tips for Year-End Tax Planning
It’s been a unique year. We have seen the market rebound and inflation slow down while also experiencing interest rates reaching highs, we have not seen in over two decades. It is important to remember that the end goal shouldn’t… Read More
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ABCs of Financial Aid
It’s hard to talk about college without mentioning financial aid. Yet this pairing isn’t a marriage of love, but one of necessity. In many cases, financial aid may be the deciding factor in whether your child attends the college of… Read More
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Tax Tips: Long-Term Care Insurance
Your chances of requiring some sort of long-term care increase as you age, and long-term care insurance (LTCI) can help you cover your long-term care expenses. Although tax issues are probably not foremost in your mind when you buy LTCI,… Read More
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Understanding the Net Investment Income Tax
If your income hits a certain level, you may face an additional wrinkle in calculating your taxes: the net investment income tax (also referred to as the unearned income Medicare contribution tax). This 3.8% Medicare tax applies to some or… Read More
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Minimizing Estate Taxes
The act of giving away your property, either during life or at death, will probably be subject to one or more of several types of taxes (collectively referred to here as estate taxes), either on the federal level, state level,… Read More
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How Medicare-Related Taxes Affect High-Income Individuals
The health-care reform legislation enacted in 2010 included Medicare-related taxes that first took effect in 2013. These taxes target high-income individuals and families. Here are the basics: ADDITIONAL MEDICARE PAYROLL TAX If you receive a paycheck, you probably have some… Read More
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Choosing an Income Tax Filing Status
Selecting a filing status is one of the first decisions you’ll make when you fill out your federal income tax return, so it’s important to know the rules. And because you may have more than one option, you need to… Read More
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Tax Planning Tips: Disability Insurance
The income you receive from disability income insurance may or may not be taxable. The taxability of disability income insurance benefits depends on what type of benefits you receive, whether the premiums were paid with pretax or after-tax dollars, and who… Read More
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Capital Gains Tax
What is capital gains tax? Capital gains tax is imposed on gains realized from the sale of capital assets such as a home, an investment, or a business interest. Special maximum tax rates generally apply to long-term capital gains; these… Read More
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Tax Benefits of Home Ownership
In tax lingo, your principal residence is the place where you legally reside. It’s typically the place where you spend most of your time, but several other factors are also relevant in determining your principal residence. Many of the tax… Read More
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Taking Advantage of Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans
Employer-sponsored qualified retirement plans such as 401(k)s are some of the most powerful retirement savings tools available. If your employer offers such a plan and you’re not participating in it, you should be. Once you’re participating in a plan, try… Read More
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Income Tax Planning and 529 Plans
The income tax benefits offered by 529 plans make these plans attractive to parents (and others) who are saving for college or K-12 tuition. Qualified withdrawals from a 529 plan are tax free at the federal level, and some states… Read More
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Special Considerations for Second/Vacation Homes
A rustic cabin. A seaside cottage. Buying a second/vacation home can be an alluring prospect. Before you decide to purchase one, though, you should consider a number of issues. These include the costs associated with owning a second/vacation home, the… Read More
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Am I Having Enough Withheld?
If you fail to estimate your federal income tax withholding properly, it may cost you in a variety of ways. If you receive an income tax refund, it essentially means that you provided the IRS with an interest-free loan during… Read More
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Tax Tips: Health Insurance
Your health insurance coverage probably came in handy several times over the past year. It all seemed so simple at the time—you paid a deductible, and your insurance usually kicked in the rest. But what do you do at tax… Read More
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Taxation of Investments
It’s nice to own stocks, bonds, and other investments. Nice, that is, until it’s time to fill out your federal income tax return. At that point, you may be left scratching your head. Just how do you report your investments… Read More
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Education Tax Credits
It’s tax time, and your kitchen table is littered with papers and forms. As if this isn’t bad enough, you recently paid your child’s college semester bill, and you don’t know where you’ll find the money to pay the taxes… Read More
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Qualifying for the Home Office Deduction
Working from home can certainly provide you with personal benefits, such as a flexible schedule and more family time. But increasing numbers of people are discovering the tax advantages as well. It’s no secret that you generally can’t deduct certain… Read More
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Charitable Gifting
WHAT CONSTITUTES A GIFT TO CHARITY? A gift to charity is simply a gratuitous transfer of property to a charitable organization. The key is that your gift must be some kind of property — your time or personal services do… Read More
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Personal Deduction Planning
Taxes, like death, are inevitable. But why pay more than you have to? The trick to minimizing your federal income tax liability is to understand the rules and make the most of your tax planning opportunities. Personal deduction planning is one… Read More
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Tax Withholding
A common question we encounter is: How much in taxes should I have withheld from my paycheck? This is a frequent thought once the prior year’s tax returns have been filed and individuals are looking ahead to the current year. Reviewing… Read More
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More on Taxes… What Happens to My Charities?
Many of you are BWFA tax clients, and our team of tax professionals assist you with filing your annual tax returns, doing quarterly analysis of the proper amount of estimated taxes where necessary, and a host of other tax analyses. The… Read More
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How Does Everyone Feel About Taxes?
I’m assuming you all have answers I don’t want to hear. Last quarter, Amy Cudia (Tax Advisor) took the time to tell you about Federal tax credits and how they work. Let’s discuss even more ways to save you money…. Read More
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Understanding Personal Tax Credits
Have you ever thought that you’re paying too much income tax? You may be, if you’re not claiming all of the tax credits for which you are eligible when you file your federal tax return. These credits may significantly reduce… Read More
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How Can Losses Help Reduce Taxes and Benefit Your Long Term Results?
You are taxed on your earnings. Generally speaking, your earnings equal your income and gain, less your allowable expenses and losses. Because losses reduce your earnings, losses can help to reduce your tax liability. It is important, therefore, to know… Read More
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Gift and Estate Taxes
If you give away money or property during your lifetime, those transfers may be subject to federal gift and estate taxes, as well as state gift tax. The money and property you own when you die (i.e., your estate) may… Read More
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Taxes Are Changing! What Do We Do?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We are going to work our way through a 1040 (individual income tax return) and give the highlights of the tax changes. The first item on the return that changed is alimony. Starting in… Read More
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Tax Planning for the Self-Employed
Self-employment is the opportunity to be your own boss, to come and go as you please, and oh yes, to establish a lifelong bond with your accountant. If you’re self-employed, you’ll need to pay your own FICA taxes and take… Read More
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BWFA Focus: Tax Services
Art Buchwald, the famous American humorist and syndicated newspaper columnist, once said—“Tax reform is taking taxes off things that have been taxed in the past and putting taxes on things that haven’t been taxed before.” Since Benjamin Franklin long ago… Read More
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Gift & Estate Taxes
If you give away money or property during your life, those transfers may be subject to federal gift and estate tax and perhaps state gift tax. The money and property you own when you die (i.e., your estate) may also be… Read More