Lower Your 2009 Tax Debt

As a local Realtor, I help many clients on a wide range of financial concerns, not just their real estate investments. A recent client was preparing to close on a new home and together we realized now was the time to do a few things to make next year's tax season a little easier. As 2009 comes to a close, I wanted to alert you to some important information that could save you money come tax time.

In addition to the $8,000 tax break for first-time home buyers and the newly expanded tax credit that includes move-up buyers, new tax-relief bills passed in 2008 provide for a number of other tax breaks that may lower your 2009 tax debt. Plan now and review these breaks with your accountant to see if they could help reduce your tax liability in 2009 and beyond:

• Payroll Tax Credit. For 2009 and 2010, Congress gave workers a 6.2% credit on earned income, applied as lower income tax withholding (there are caps based on income). Recipients of Social Security, Railroad Retirement benefits or Supplemental Security Income, some federal workers, and veterans with disability pensions will get a one-time $250 check. Self-employed workers may be able to reduce quarterly estimated payments to get advance benefits.
• Larger Personal Exemptions. For 2009, each personal exemption you can claim is worth $3,650—up by $150 over 2008.
• Higher Standard Deductions. The standard deduction for married couples filing jointly rises to $11,400 up by $500 from 2008. For singles, the amount increases to $5,700—up by $250 over last year, and heads of households can claim $8,350, a jump of $350.
• Tax Credit for College Tuition. For 2009 and 2010, the Hope credit is replaced by a new credit of up to $2,500 per student a year for four years of college, not just the first two years. It now also covers the cost of books, but begins to phase out based on higher incomes.
• Child Tax Credit. If the credit exceeds the filer’s tax liability, all or part of the credit will be refunded if the filer earns more than $3,000 – down from $12,550 in 2008. (Also, for families with three or more children, the maximum earned income tax credit for 2009 and 2010 rises by $628.50)

Other changes that could affect you include higher income limits for deductible IRAs and Roth IRAs, higher estate tax and gift tax exemptions, credit for energy-saving home improvements, and partial exclusion of unemployment benefits.

To understand how the new tax breaks could save you money, consult with your financial advisor or e-mail me for more information. Be sure to this with your family and friends—in these tough economic times, we could all use a tax break!

Start ’Em Early — Teaching Your Kids About Credit

Being a father of 3 kids ranging in age from 2 to 14 in this day and economy I've been thinking about their future. The news is full nightly with problems our banking system is having and how our country is saving and spending. I am working with my kids to teach them about credit and spending and hope you will think about it too. Consider this.

Many parents have learned how to build and manage their credit and money through trial and error. As a result, in many cases, their credit has either been damaged or not optimized in the process. Parents can find a number of easy ways to get educated on more effective ways to manage their money and credit. Here are some important, age-specific tips that parents can use to help their children learn the value of money and, consequently, credit from ApprovalGuard.com:

1. Start Young—Young children are sponges for new information and can learn valuable money management lessons through their interaction and activities with parents. Use daily errand activities like going to the supermarket or bank to teach kids lessons about budgeting and money. Consider having them “pay” for rent, food, and other things with toy money for a week. Let them learn on their own at first and then go back and help them make a budget. Once your children are ready, consider a weekly allowance that is tied to household responsibilities and some form of budgeting and saving. Additionally, explain the difference between “wants” and “needs” to your children.

2. The Teen Years—Teen spending makes up a great deal of the economy and, if you are not careful, it can inadvertently cost you a good portion of your salary as well. Work with your teenagers to teach them the importance balance between spending and saving as well as budgeting. Help prepare them to appropriately begin building their own credit.

3. College Bound—Many young adults will begin receiving offers for credit cards (although this will soon change with the new Credit Card Act of 2009) and quickly find themselves with debt they cannot pay. College can be treacherous for students with credit cards. If you haven’t built the foundation of educating your children on effective credit management by the time they’ve entered college, it is not too late. It is critically important to start educating them on the best practices noted above and lead them by example through effectively managing your own credit. The key is to not procrastinate any longer. Various educational resources exist as referenced in this column to help minimize any anxiety you may have regarding your own subject matter expertise.

The road to good credit doesn’t have to be a rocky one. Educating our children about money and credit from an early age will help them build a positive future. For more tips on credit, please e-mail me, I can point you in the right direction. I look forward to hearing from you... and your kids in the future.

Overcoming Common Foreclosure Fears

As foreclosure numbers continue to rise, you might be one of the many homeowners worried about losing your home. The truth is, foreclosure can be prevented, however, most homeowners are too confused or afraid to confront their mortgage problems and, therefore, neglect taking the necessary steps to potentially save their homes. I have helped put many financially-challenged clients on the path toward avoiding foreclosure. The first and biggest step is always overcoming their fears.

Here are six of the most common foreclosure fears the Consumer Credit Counseling Service (www.cccsinc.org) encounters, along with the steps homeowners can take to overcome them and start taking action to save their homes.

Fear: Homeowners are afraid to let the mortgage company know they are having a problem because they think it will speed up the foreclosure process.

Contacting your lender must be the first step as it gives you a chance to explain why you have fallen behind on your payments and what steps you are taking to get back on track. Most lenders have a financial interest in keeping you in your home and may be willing to alter the terms of your loan or devise a repayment plan.

Fear: Homeowners believe that if their mortgage company has already turned them down for a loan modification, there is no point in contacting a counseling agency.

Many homeowners are turned down for a loan modification because the information they provide to their lender indicates that their expenses exceed their income or that they have not provided accurate documentation and information about their loan. A housing counselor may be able to suggest alternatives that better suit your current financial situation or help you make adjustments that make you a better candidate for a loan modification with your lender.

Fear: Homeowners fear being judged by others for seeking help.

These are challenging financial times. While it may feel like you are the only one struggling, the reality is that many of your friends and neighbors are also finding it difficult to stay afloat.

Fear: Homeowners think it is better to use all of their financial resources before seeking help.

Many homeowners try to ride out the financial storm, using their savings and depleting their retirement accounts before seeking help. By the time they do seek help, they are in an even more desperate financial situation and they have spent the resources that may have given them more options in dealing with their mortgage crisis.

Fear: Homeowners facing foreclosure fear that their situation is hopeless.

While for some, seeking help may mean saving their home, it is inevitable that some homeowners will end up in foreclosure. A certified housing counselor or real estate professional can help homeowners work through the foreclosure and build a new path for long-term financial success.

Fear: Companies claiming they can save your home charge large, up-front fees.

You can receive counseling from a reputable, nonprofit housing counseling agency at no charge. While there are unscrupulous businesses looking to take advantage of homeowners, there are also many HUD-approved housing counseling agencies that offer help for struggling consumers.

Please don’t let fear stand in the way of saving your home. Feel free to e-mail me for guidance on your specific situation and please pass this along to any friends and family members who may also need to confront these fears and get proactive.

I am here to help and I look forward to hearing from you.