How to get your taxes done in two hours

My mother-in-law was very happy today.  Four popped collars happy.  So happy, in fact, she gave me not one, but two high-fives. Her taxes were finished.  Practically signed, sealed, and delivered.  Just waiting on one form from an investment firm that was overdue, but otherwise, done and done! She didn’t have a simple return, either.  … Read more

Retirement savings wake-up call

My tax-advantaged retirement account from my employer offers a valuable piece of information on our annual statements. It’s the amount of monthly retirement income I can expect, given the amount I have in there now. This amount really was nothing to write home about.  (It amounts to about 6% of my gross income.)  But I’m … Read more

Five ways to save money for big expenses

Nothing derails well-laid-out financial plans like a giant expense.  The kind of expense that consumes one or more full paychecks. Big expenses happen to everybody.  Some are unplanned, like an emergency room visit, or a trip to the vet after a pet gets bitten by a copperhead.  It’s for this reason that building up a … Read more

Are you spending a fortune on Valentine’s Day?

Wow.  Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day.  Kinda sneaks up on you.  Right, guys?  You have exactly one day to avoid succumbing to the capitalists. I received an e-mail today with the post’s title as the subject line.  It’s a thoughtful question. My wife and I have it pretty easy as far as Valentine’s Day expenses go.  … Read more

Best. Furlough. Ever.

Sequestration talks have federal government employees worried about the possibility of being furloughed. A furlough is a (usually) temporary layoff.  Since there is an upcoming deadline that could mean $85 billion in automatic spending cuts in two weeks, there’s the possibility that many federal employees will be missing some pay this year.  This is called … Read more