Maybe you have found this page because the tax deadline is looming and you want to believe you're doing something about it. With April 15 lurking out there, we have some stuff you should and shouldn't do at tax time.
Don't get a tax refund loan. It's a gimmick offered by tax chains such as H&R Block that may end up costing you huge fees.
Don't pay your tax bill using a credit card. It's especially tempting when filing online, but the "convenience fee" may make it an expensive venture. If you owe Uncle Sam, avoid fees by using the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System. You need to enroll and get a PIN number, so don't wait until the last minute to get started.
Do believe us when we say the IRS has an EZ site where you can find all sorts of free efile options or print enough forms to wallpaper a tree house. A nifty site called Taxsites.com has hundreds of tax-related links, including numerous software options, deduction finders and other procrastination tools.
Do play meaningless games at our Fun Tax Center.
Do yourself a favor and keep reading this topic.
· Life Insurance
· When someone tries talking to you about life insurance, you can usually shut them up by stealing the line from Sixth Sense star Haley Joel Osment: "I see dead people." Such shocking statements work well when you want to avoid an awkward topic or skip buying a product you don't understand. We're here to tell you that unlike those cold creatures haunting Haley Joel, life insurance is nothing to be feared and it's actually an effective financial planning tool. Allow us to shed some light on what seems like a ghostly topic.
· Sure, the most traditional use of life insurance is to provide a death benefit to financially assist a surviving partner and/or dependents when the insured is no longer starring in his or her own motion picture (i.e., dead). If drama is what you're looking for, however, you might want to ponder the possibilities for the aforementioned death benefit, such as providing for your family, making charitable gifts, or ensuring that your business continues without you. Certain kinds of life insurance policies may also provide cash values you can access through loans and withdrawals to help with college costs or retirement needs.
· As an individual earning an income, the value of your life is your most important asset (aside from your ability to quote lines from spooky movies). Therefore, it's important that your decisions about purchasing life insurance be financial decisions, not emotional ones. You need to consider the cost, evaluate the benefits and make your own decision about whether life insurance is appropriate for your particular situation.