August 2011

Middle Class Doomed as Millionaires Boom – How You Can Join the Ranks of the Rich

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According to a recent report from the Deloitte Center for Financial Services, the total number of US families with a net worth of over $1 million will double by 2020. All this while the unemployment rate hovers around 10% amidst a tight job market undergoing significant structural reform. Overall, the U.S. and Europe have the [...]

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Obama’s 2012 Job Creation Stimulus and Tax Cuts – Can the New Economic Plan Really Boost The Economy and Lower Unemployment?

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[Update - American Jobs Act a.k.a 2012 Economic Stimulus] In what is essentially the 2012 stimulus package, President Obama has released details on the American Jobs Act which involves spending over $400 billion dollars to boost economic growth. The key provisions are: – Extension of employee payroll tax cuts into 2012, which were due to [...]

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Saving $95,000 by Refinancing into a Lower Rate and Shorter Duration Mortgage

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Many homeowners with good credit are ditching their old 30-year fixed rate mortgages for the 15-year or 20-year versions. This is primarily to leverage historically low rates for these shorter duration loans and benefit from the significant interest savings over the life of the loan. In fact, a friend of mine did exactly this when [...]

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Health Insurance Tax Credits to Help Millions of Middle-Class Families in Affordable Insurance Exchanges

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As part of new regulations under Obama’s health care legislation the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today took the next steps to establish Affordable Insurance Exchanges – one-stop marketplaces where consumers can choose a private health insurance plan that fits their health needs and have the [...]

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Small Business Retirement Plans – 401k, SEP IRA, Simple IRA and ESOP plans

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Although many large organizations offer retirement savings plans, it is not necessary to be a part of corporate America in order to take advantage of tax-deductible retirement plans for investing in your future. In fact, as a self-employed small business owner or an employee of a small business, you have several options with regard to tax-advantaged saving for [...]

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2012 Payroll Tax Credit and Unemployment Insurance Benefits Extension

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[Updated- 2012 Payroll Tax Credit Holiday, Unemployment Benefits and Medicare Doctor Payments Extended to Dec 31st] With House Republican support Congress has passed legislation extending the federal payroll tax holiday through the end of the year without demanding spending cuts to pay for it. This was a concession aimed at averting another repeat of their [...]

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New Tax Credits and Programs to Help Unemployed Veterans – Wounded Warrior Work Opportunity & Returning Heroes Tax Credit

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The Obama administration has proposed a host of new tax credits and programs to encourage employers to hire our growing army of veterans, particularly those that have been unemployed for a considerable time. This latest commitment to service members and veterans aims to provide a comprehensive plan to lower unemployment and ensure that service members [...]

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What to Do In Times of Stock Market Mayhem – Your 5 Step Sanity Checklist

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It seems like 2008 all over again as stock markets around the globe continue to free fall against the backdrop of slowing economic growth and sovereign debt fears. I wrote a couple of posts back in ’08 on reacting to market volatility and it is eerily applicable to what we are going through today. The [...]

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3 Types of Free Auto Insurance Quotes You Should Be Getting

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Auto insurance is probably one of the most competitive industries out there. This is generally good news for consumers, who have access to hundreds of insurers and a myriad of options. However, because it is easier and the more hassle-free option many people tend to stick with their existing insurer for a long time, despite [...]

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