As Congress concludes 2022 with a sprint to pass laws and a spending deal, tax accountants are joining a chorus of e-commerce companies and pay platforms who say a revamped tax form is about to cause ...
Tag: consulting
My mom spent $90K on bitcoin and gifts in a romance scam. Can the tax code help her?
My mom went into debt to buy bitcoin for a scammer because she thought she was in a romantic relationship with him. She also racked up credit-card debt to mail computers and gift cards to the scammer....
UK is Reforming Financial Services, Consulting Proposal for CBDC
According to the Bloomberg report, the Bank of England will bring forward a consultation on the case for a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) “in the coming weeks,” Chancellor of the Exchequer Jerem...
Dear Tax Guy: Our accountant charged us $486 for a simple gift-tax return. Why on earth would it cost so much?
We gave our daughter money towards a down payment on a home and learned we had to file a gift tax return. Our accountant charged us $486 for this. Why can’t you just add a form to your regular tax ret...
Cryptocurrency investor losses are being turned into IRS gains — here’s how they’re doing it
The Internal Revenue Service has been turning up its scrutiny on cryptocurrency investors in recent years, and as that happens, more investors have been turning to the tax code’s rules on investment l...
Audit Standards Overseer Also Backs Startups
Listen to article (2 minutes) An accounting trade body has invested in audit-related tech startups, while setting auditing standards and overseeing millions of audits—prompting concerns within the ind...
‘Most economists are predicting a recession in 2023’: I own a rental property. Is it a good time to take out a bank loan and renovate — or should I wait?
Dear MarketWatch, Along with a sibling, I own a rental property of more than 40 rooms in the Caribbean, where we do weekly rentals. It’s near downtown but in need of repairs and renovation. Is this ...
I got laid off by a big tech company. What’s my next career move?
Being let go from a job is hard, especially at a moment when the cost of living is rising and a recession is looming. This Thanksgiving, tens of thousands of recently laid-off tech workers will be ask...
‘My elderly relative determined she could no longer care for herself’: Are her assisted-living facility costs tax deductible?
I have an elderly relative in an assisted-living arrangement in Indiana. She was basically directed to go there from a rehabilitation post-surgery, because they determined that she could no longer car...
Trump Organization CFO Weisselberg chokes up on witness stand, claims his ‘personal greed’ drove $1.7 million tax-avoidance scheme
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s longtime finance chief choked up on the witness stand Thursday, saying he betrayed the Trump family’s trust by scheming to dodge taxes on $1.7 million in company-paid pe...
FTX victims are setting up GoFundMe fundraisers to try to get their money back
People who say they have lost money in the collapse of crypto exchange FTX are turning to strangers to cover their losses by setting up GoFundMe fundraising pages. They include a man who says that he ...
The secret to a happier retirement might be in your ‘retirement quotient’
You know all about IQ (intelligence quotient) and probably EQ (emotional quotient or emotional intelligence). But if you’re getting close to retirement or in retirement, you might also want to know ab...
Opinion: The floodgates are open for grandparents to super-size college savings for grandkids
If you’re a grandparent looking to save the day by helping your grandchildren pay for college, take a second look at a tax-advantaged 529 college savings plan before the end of the year. Rule changes ...
Elon Musk Made Unusual Request in Falling Out With Top Tesla Lieutenant
Last year, Elon Musk parted ways with one of his top deputies at Tesla Inc., a French auto-industry executive named Jerome Guillen. Mr. Guillen worked at Tesla for roughly a decade, rising to oversee ...
‘Voters are looking for help’: With control of Congress too early to call, here are 3 burning tax questions
A day after midterm elections, it remains uncertain whether either party will end up with Congressional control or whether it will be a divided Congress — and that has consequences for these tax quest...
‘It’s a touchy subject’: My in-laws live in our basement. They gave us our 20% down payment. Should we charge them for renovations?
Last year, my husband and I approached my in-laws to see if they wanted to live with us. We had learned that my father-in-law had terminal cancer but could still live five to seven years in remission,...
If I sell my rental I can pay off my primary mortgage and be debt-free. Is that a good idea in this housing market?
Dear MarketWatch, I have a rental property that’s worth $175,000, and I owe $53,000. My primary home is worth $265,000 and has $108,000 left on the mortgage. My question is this: Should I sell my ren...
India-Focused Payments Company Ebix Races to Raise Cash Against Debt Deadline
Payments and software company Ebix Inc. is seeking to raise cash to pay back some $600 million in debt due early next year, but time is running short as it awaits regulatory approval for a public offe...
‘This has gone on too long’: The bank paid itself $18,000 in fees. My late father’s trust has not been distributed. What recourse do I have?
My father’s father set up a trust at a major bank with my father and the bank’s trust department as co-trustees. My father died at the end of last year; upon his death, the trust was supposed to be di...
‘Am I being ripped off?’ I moved into my husband’s home. I pay for groceries. The rental income from my apartment goes into our joint savings.
I read one of your previous columns regarding the boyfriend who wants the letter writer to move in. My case is similar, but we have already made a decision on how to structure our finances as they rel...
40% of households will pay no federal income tax this year. Why that’s good news.
Millions of workers are bouncing back — and making enough money to pay Uncle Sam. Some 72.5 million households or 40% of households will pay no federal income tax this year, down from the pre-pandemic...
Rethinking China: Xi’s Power Play Could Bring Down Stocks Even More
Chinese stocks have lost roughly half their market value, or almost $1.5 trillion, over the past two years. But the damage may not be over as investors reassess their China allocations after President...
‘When we dated for 5 years, he implied he was financially secure’: My husband was always hesitant about his finances. Now I know why.
Dear Quentin, My husband and I make about the same salary, and live modestly. Six months after we married, I found out my husband’s net worth is virtually zero. He owes more money than he has assets (...
Millions of working Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck — and running out of cash as another recession looms
Inflation is taking its toll on people’s emergency funds. The share of workers who say they are living paycheck-to-paycheck has surged among middle- to high-income earners — 63% and 49%, respectively ...
My boyfriend has a nicer house, and says I should live with him. My mortgage is paid off. He believes I should pay half of his monthly costs. Is that fair?
Dear Quentin, My boyfriend owns a house with a 30-year mortgage balance of $150,000 on a 4% interest rate. He has $275,000 in cash and retirement accounts. He is retired. My house is paid off. I have ...
I sold my late mother’s home for $250,000. I make $80,000 and have $220,000 in student debt. I want to buy a house. Should I use all my inheritance for a down payment?
My mom passed away, and left me her house, which I just sold and will net $250,000. I’m 41 years old with no real retirement savings. I make $80,000 a year, and I am maxing out contributions to my emp...