Martha S. Echols, CPA, PC » deduction

Could There Be a Mistake? We Can Fix It.

Birmingham Tax Professional, Martha Echols, CPA — Mon, 02 May 2011 14:20:17 +0000

"If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one."
- Dolly Parton

As I write this on Monday morning, we’re all pretty distracted by the news of the capture and death of Osama bin Laden. It’s a bipartisan moment of gratification — even if it does mean celebrating the death of another human being. In this case, the world may actually be a better place right now.

All that aside, I wanted you to know that we’re starting to pick the pace up around here, after the intensity of the end of our busy season. This is the time of year when we reach out to non-clients and business owners, who are looking for real assistance in managing their tax burdens and finances.

It is, after all, what we do best.

Yes, shutting those doors at the end of the day two weeks ago (the 18th) was sweet. My staff and I could look back on months of hard work, and take real satisfaction in hard work and a bunch of new client relationships which we’re excited to see last for years.

"But…what now?"

That’s a good question–and it takes me back to our offseason preparation. Sure, we’ve taken some well-deserved rest around here … but we NEVER "shut the door" on our relationship with YOU!

That’s why we’ll continue to be here for you for all of your tax and financial needs. If you’re new to us this year…you’ll soon find out that we make big deal around here of keeping in touch, and offering you hope and wisdom about the current state of the economy–and YOUR wallet!

So this week’s Strategy Note, in fact, deals with a topic which most taxpayers have no idea about.

Martha Echols’
"Real World" Personal Strategy
Yes, You Can Still Find Deductions
As a client of mine, you’ve already got the peace-of-mind that you were able to claim every possible deduction legally allowed in the tax code for 2010. We put each return through an extensive review process to ensure to ensure you keep as much of your hard-earned income as the IRS allows.

But what about your friends?

Well, since it’s now AFTER April 18th, they might think that the proverbial "fat lady" has sung on their 2010 returns. Not so.

Did you know that according to a report issued by the General Accounting Office, taxpayers overpay the IRS almost $950 million every year, which equates to an average overpayment of $400 per taxpayer. That’s a somewhat dated report…and the current numbers are certain to be higher.

What’s worse is that folks who prepared their own taxes (with a software, or on their own) are the most vulnerable. But did you also know that taxpayers who used one of the "big chain" preparers are almost as bad off?

An excerpt from a more RECENT report from the GAO: In a Limited Study, Chain Preparers Made Serious Errors

In GAO (United States Government Accountability Office) visits to chain preparers, paid preparers often prepared returns that were incorrect, with tax consequences that were sometimes significant. Some of the most serious problems involved these preparers…

   1. Not reporting business income in 10 of 19 cases;
   2. Failing to take the most advantageous postsecondary education tax benefit in 3 out of the 9 applicable cases; and
   3. Failing to itemize deductions at all or failing to claim all available deductions in 7 out of the 9 applicable cases.

More clippings from the report:
* The 19 paid preparers we visited arrived at the correct refund amount only twice. On 5 returns, all for the plumber, they understated our refund amount by a total of $3,465.
* All 19 of our visits to tax return preparers affiliated with chains showed problems. Nearly all of the returns prepared for us were incorrect to some degree, and several of the preparers gave us very bad tax advice, particularly when it came to reporting non-W-2 business income. Only 2 of 19 tax returns showed the correct refund amount, and in both of those visits the paid preparer made mistakes that did not affect the final refund amount.

So what can your friends do about this? Simple: file an "Amended" Return.

Many tax businesses don’t provide this service, but even though we’ve completed our clients’ returns, we WILL review any of your friends’ returns.

To You and Your Family’s Peace of Mind!

A Simple Tweak, Which Can Really Help

Birmingham Tax Professional, Martha Echols, CPA — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:15:42 +0000

You have to see opportunity before you can seize it.
- Greg Hickman

I think this week’s Note can really help every one of my clients and contacts. I’m excited for you to read it.

But as I write, it’s tax day (Monday, April 18th), and we are pushing hard during this final stretch! Procrastinators are streaming through our doors (after all, we welcome them here), the phone is ringing off the hook, and my email inbox is overflowing.

Another year, another tax day.

So, here’s my confession: I didn’t write the below article this morning. I hope you’ll forgive my lack of timeliness. But I *did* prepare it earlier, because I KNEW that today wouldn’t allow me to. However, I’m a pretty decent planner, so I had this one all set up and ready.

That said… I’m quite proud of this one, and I think you’re going to really enjoy it. It’s admittedly a little on the technical side–but I really believe it’s worth your time to read and consider. Would love your thoughts on it!

Roger Menden’s
"Real World" Personal Strategy
Automatic Investing As The Basis For Real Wealth
Yes, it may be a cliche, but the greatest engine to generate real wealth is saving and investing. And the best way to ensure that your default is saving & investing is to automate the process. Pay yourself first, and your savings will grow exponentially.

Effective money management is based on the idea that very small changes can yield enormous gains in your family’s finances. This process, both easy and simple, is worth millions. Unfortunately, only a tiny percentage of American families take advantage of the tools available to implement this automated technique.

So here’s how you pull this off: Have all income flow into a joint taxable investment account. Make saving and investing your default. Putting all of your money in this account helps ensure that you move only the money intended for some other purpose into a different account.

For working families, this means an automatic deposit of paychecks into their joint account. Banks will try to entice you into setting up automatic payroll deposit into their checking account. They will offer you additional interest if you do so. Resist. The additional interest is not worth the failure to not only save but to save and invest. Your taxable investment account should be the default.

For retired families, this means an automatic deposit of Social Security checks. It also means their required minimum distributions (RMDs) from their individual retirement accounts (IRAs) should be deposited first into this account.

From this account you can then withdraw what you need for daily expenses. Do this by setting up a regular transfer of funds from your joint investment account to your checking account. Make sure the transfer matches the amount you have allocated in your budget, ideally 65% or less of what you need to support your lifestyle. The other 35% should remain in your joint taxable account, much of it to be invested.

Part of what remains is the 10% you have designated for "unknown unknowns". In the ideal world, this money will not be needed, but few families can anticipate every possible expense. Each stage of life presents new challenges. Having the financial margin to absorb some of life’s shocks is simple wisdom and offers financial peace of mind.

Because the time horizon for this emergency money is unknown, invest it in a balanced portfolio. If unused, your emergency money will double in 7 to 10 years and provide a greater safety net for your family. If you have to dip into this fund, keep track of the amount. If it approaches the full 10% every year, you are using your emergency money to extend your budget, not simply for unanticipated expenses.

The less you use this account, the more quickly you will reach financial independence. These funds are mixed with your other taxable investment savings and continue to grow your net worth. If you are meeting all of your expenses without any major surprises, these funds can be used to purchase a home, start a business or for additional charitable giving.

Another portion of what remains in your taxable investment account will be the 5% you are specifically designating as taxable savings. Because this 5% gets mixed in with charitable giving that is being invested and your unknown expenses, the entire portfolio should be balanced. If an emergency arises, any portion of the portfolio could be sold to furnish the needed funds. Similarly, when you want to gift appreciated stock, any portion of the portfolio could be gifted.

The last portion might be the 10% for funding your retirement accounts each year. Many people put this money directly into a retirement account as part of the payroll process through a pretax deduction. If that is the situation, you don’t need to flow anything through your taxable investment account. But you may want or need to fund your retirement outside of a payroll deduction. One example is funding your Roth IRA each year. In this case you may want to collect the money in your taxable investment account and then transfer it to a Roth account.

If you want to fund a Roth IRA account for the maximum $5,000 (in TY2011), you could transfer the entire amount once during the year or set up a monthly transfer of $416.66. The money from your paycheck would provide the cash, either letting it build up throughout the year or supply the funds for each month’s transfer.

Busy people forget to make the necessary transfers each year. That’s why a monthly transfer is preferable. Saving and investing should be automated so it occurs regularly without any additional effort. Whatever is in your checking account you are likely to spend. Whatever is in your investments you are less likely to spend.

Automating the process of saving and investing is like damming a river to form a reservoir. The alternative is the manual process of hauling buckets of water from your stream to a water tower. You will never grow rich by hauling buckets, and it’s much harder work.

No matter what income you have, you probably already have enough to grow rich! Saving and investing just $10 a day builds a million dollars over your working career at average market returns. You build wealth by what you save and invest, not by what you spend. Automating the process of saving and investing grows your wealth while you sleep.

Sending you our affection, through a haze of tax forms!

I’ll Get To It Sometime

Birmingham Tax Professional, Martha Echols, CPA — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 14:17:15 +0000

The future depends on what we do in the present.
- Mahatma Gandhi

No, I’m not talking about your tax return! (Certain clients who’ve met with us in the past few weeks may have had a stab of panic over that subject line.)

But come on — haven’t we all uttered that magical phrase, capable of assuaging all our fears, and brilliantly putting off tomorrow what could have been put off today?

I’m talking to you, Mr. [or Mrs.] Procrastinator.

Yet do not fear! I’m not here to browbeat, I’m not here to scold … instead, I’m here to offer hope.

And, for those of you who have NOT procrastinated, I’m here to offer you the chance to help your friends by having them come see us ASAP! Even at this late hour, we gladly receive friends of our existing clients — we make a special point to accommodate clients’ friends, because we’ve discovered that our great clients have very good taste in friends!

And, a few words for the possibly-panicked procrastinators in our midst this week…

Martha Echols’
"Real World" Personal Strategy
Good Procrastination
Right now, there are an infinite number of things you could be doing. No matter what you work on, you’re not working on everything else. So the question is not how to avoid procrastination, but how to procrastinate well.

In my view, there are three kinds of procrastination. Depending on what you do instead of working on something, you could work on:
(a) nothing,
(b) something less important, or
(c) something more important.

That last type, I’d say, is good procrastination.

This is the "absent-minded professor" who forgets to shave, or eat, or even perhaps look where he’s going while he’s thinking about some interesting question. His mind is absent from the everyday world because it’s hard at work in another.

That’s the sense in which the most impressive people I know are all procrastinators. They’re type-C procrastinators: they put off working on small stuff to work on big stuff.

What’s "small stuff?" Roughly, work that has zero chance of being mentioned in your obituary. It’s hard to say at the time what will turn out to be your best work (will it be your thesis for your PhD, or that detective thriller you worked on at night?), but there’s a whole class of tasks you can safely rule out: shaving, doing your laundry, cleaning the house, writing thank-you notes-anything that might be called an errand.

Good procrastination is avoiding errands to do real work.

Good in a sense, at least. The people who want you to do the errands won’t think it’s good. But you probably have to annoy them if you want to get any real work done. The mildest seeming people, if they want to do real work, all have a certain degree of ruthlessness when it comes to avoiding errands.

Some errands, like replying to emails, go away if you ignore them (perhaps taking friends with them). Others, like mowing the lawn, or filing your tax returns, only get worse if you put them off. In principle, it shouldn’t work to put off the second kind of errand. You’re going to have to do whatever it is eventually. Why not (as past-due notices are always saying) do it now?

The reason it pays to put off even those errands is that real work needs two things errands don’t: big chunks of time, and the right mood. If you get inspired by some project, it can be a net win to blow off everything you were supposed to do for the next few days to work on it. Yes, those errands may cost you more time when you finally get around to them. But if you get a lot done during those few days, you will be net more productive.

So here’s where we come in.

Consider us "The Ultimate Procrastination Solution".

Allow us to take the pain away from these second-level tasks (like getting your return filed) — and you go back to writing that killer novel.

And, of course, here’s something which will make it even easier…

To You and Your Family in this Tax Season!

Posting This Again

Birmingham Tax Professional, Martha Echols, CPA — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 14:34:40 +0000

“I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.”

- Lucille Ball

Well, last week I departed from my normal area of expertise, and wrote out a real-world guide on preparing your family and home for a true disaster. Got lots of feedback — thank you!

But, I thought I should re-enter the fray of my primary task: ensuring you and your family don’t face an IRS disaster! And, since we’re nearing the home stretch in tax season, with the deadline for individuals (April 18th) just under a month out, we’ve been “packing them in” around here!

But this is something we still get asked about every day!

However, before I get there, I did want to say that one of the main reasons we love tax season around here is that we get to sit down with such incredible people. I’ve truly been reminded of how grateful I am for our clients–and for your trust in us during these “unusual” times.

We’re getting notes around here more and more often as people pass around my Strategy Notes to their friends. People seem to hunger for real world hope. I’m glad to be able to say that there *is* reason for anticipating a recovery in our future, but that whatever comes, my staff and I will be here to walk you through the storms.

So, onward with the answer to our most commonly-asked question around now!

Martha Echols’

“Real World” Personal Strategy

Your Tax-Time Checklist!

In early January, I wrote a “checklist”, and it was one of our most popular messages. I guess it was handy!

Putting together this list may run slightly counter to my business goals–after all, we do get paid to do this on behalf of clients! That said, our mission is to ensure that EVERYONE in the area saves the most possible when the IRS comes calling! Some of these may seem small, but trust me when I say that they add up.

So…even if for some strange reason you won’t be using our cost-effective services this year, and because we’re getting so close to April 18th, here it is again for you: what you’ll need to prepare your taxes…

Personal Data

Social Security Numbers (including spouse and children)

Child care provider tax I.D. or Social Security Number

Employment & Income Data

W-2 forms for this year

Tax refunds and unemployment compensation: Form 1099-G

Miscellaneous income including rent: Form 1099-MISC

Partnership and trust income

Pensions and annuities

Alimony received

Jury duty pay

Gambling and lottery winnings

Prizes and awards

Scholarships and fellowships

State and local income tax refunds

Unemployment compensation

Homeowner/Renter Data

Residential address(es) for this year

Mortgage interest: Form 1098

Sale of your home or other real estate: Form 1099-S

Second mortgage interest paid

Real estate taxes paid

Rent paid during tax year

Moving expenses

Financial Assets

Interest income statements: Form 1099-INT & 1099-OID

Dividend income statements: Form 1099-DIV

Proceeds from broker transactions: Form 1099-B

Retirement plan distribution: Form 1099-R

Capital gains or losses

Financial Liabilities

Auto loans and leases (account numbers and car value) if vehicle used for business

Student loan interest paid

Early withdrawal penalties on CDs and other fixed time deposits

Automobiles

Personal property tax information

Department of Motor Vehicles fees

Expenses

Gifts to charity (receipts for any single donations of $250 or more)

Unreimbursed expenses related to volunteer work

Unreimbursed expenses related to your job (travel expenses, entertainment, uniforms, union dues, subscriptions)

Investment expenses

Job-hunting expenses

Education expenses (tuition and fees)

Child care expenses

Medical Savings Accounts

Adoption expenses

Alimony paid

Tax return preparation expenses and fees

Self-Employment Data

Estimated tax vouchers for the current year

Self-employment tax

Self-employment SEP plans

Self-employed health insurance

K-1s on all partnerships

Receipts or documentation for business-related expenses

Farm income

Deduction Documents

State and local income taxes

IRA, Keogh and other retirement plan contributions

Medical expenses

Casualty or theft losses

Other miscellaneous deductions

While some of these statements, and their ensuing deductions may seem like “pocket change”…just a few minutes of effort can pay a nice hourly rate! And, better in YOUR pockets than in Uncle Sam’s, right?

So, I hope this helps!

The Japan Disaster And You

Birmingham Tax Professional, Martha Echols, CPA — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:28:05 +0000

He who loses wealth loses much; he who loses a friend loses more; but he that loses his courage loses all.
- Miguel De Cervantes

It’s deja vu all over again, with another massive earthquake coming during tax time this year. Last year, it was Haiti … this year, of course, it’s Japan.

The fallout (if you’ll forgive that term, not intended as an insensitive pun) has been radically different for each event — but, as was the case with the Haitian earthquake, the real problems and ramifications for everyone are yet to be seen … but what *is* clear is that many lives have been lost, and many more have been radically altered.

So, how have you been processing this one?

Last year, I was struck by how different my daily existence was, from the devastation wrought in Haiti. The same is true here … but I must confess to feeling (at least at first) some "disaster fatigue" setting in.

It seems that the world has spawned disaster after disaster over the last year.

But that doesn’t mean we turn away. No, this is the time where we actually need to "press in" a little, and care.

(So, as an aside, I’d also be interested to find out if you have located an effective place to send donations–the big organizations spend so much money on "overhead", that (as I mentioned about this time last year, for Haiti) I find it difficult to believe I’d get the most "bang for my buck" in donating to them (as we unfortunately saw with Hurricane Katrina). Any thoughts?)

So, rather than my normal tax or financial fare this week, I have something different. I’ve stopped apologizing for being such an obsessive planner … it sort of pays to be that way, in my profession, after all! This week, I wanted to remind you of what we almost never think about during "good" times: How to prepare your family for "grid-failure" emergencies.

This isn’t an area of extensive expertise for me, but it’s so important, I did some research, and have a good framework for you to consider… (after the jump)

Martha Echols’
"Real World" Personal Strategy
How To Prepare Now For a "Japan-Type" Disaster
With the images of devastation we’ve been seeing, in addition to being moved for those who are currently experiencing all this, I’ve been reminded how important having a plan really is.

This is true for finances (a tax plan, an estate plan, etc. – let us know if you need to set one of those up! (205) 715-0088), and it’s equally true for a big disaster.

We can be so complacent about the security of our daily existence, that an event like this seems unrealistic. But, we’re getting continued reminders, every year, at how fragile our modern world truly can be.

But that doesn’t mean you have to panic.

No, with a few basic points of preparation, you and your family could be vastly more prepared than your neighbors, even giving you the opportunity to be ones who can support and assist your neighbors, rather than have to *ask* for support.

There are three primary areas where you need to be prepared:
1)    Energy/Power/Heat
2)    Water & Food
3)    Family

1) Energy: However unlikely a massive grid failure might seem now, it’s important that you at least think through what you and your family would do about heating your home during the winter (wood stove? indoor propane heater? burning your furniture?), and/or cooling your home during the summer (which may not be quite as critical).

Additionally, consider what parts of your existence are dependent on power, and what it would be like to live without it. Write down your plan.

2) Food & Water: For water and food, it’s a very good idea to have food and water for at least 3 days on hand, and in permanent storage. Typically, you need about a gallon of water, per person, per day … and non-perishable food is now so readily-available, that you have your pick for how to stock up. You can save water in a leech-proof plastic jug and just switch it out every 5 years.

3) Family Plan:
* Identify meeting places where you and your family would come together, in the event of some sort of catastrophic grid failure or event, in which you aren’t able to stay at home.
* Put together a "Go Bag" for your family, which carries critical supplies and information for whatever circumstance you may run across. Here is what your bag should include …
•    A disaster plan including location of emergency centers, rallying points, possible evacuation routes, etc.
•    Positive Identification, such as drivers license, state I.D. card, or social security card
•    Enough medicine to last an extended evacuation period
•    Cash and change, as electronic banking transactions may not be available during the initial period following an emergency or evacuation
•    A first aid kit
•    Fire starting tool (e.g., matches, ferrocerium rod, lighter, etc.)
•    Professional emergency literature explaining what to do in various types of disaster, studied and understood before the actual disaster but kept for reference
•    Maps and travel information
•    Standard camping equipment, including sanitation supplies
•    Weather-appropriate clothing (e.g., poncho, headwear, gloves, etc.)
•    Bedding items such as sleeping bags and blankets
•    Medical records
•    Pet, child, and elderly care needs
•    Battery- or crank-operated Radio
•    Lighting (battery- or crank-operated flashlight, glow sticks)
•    Firearms and appropriate ammunition
•    Fixed-blade and folding knife
•    Duct Tape and rope/para-cord
•    Plastic tarps for shelter and water collection
•    Slingshot, pellet gun, blowgun or other small game hunting equipment
•    Wire for binding and animal traps

This all might seem a bit excessive now … but so does every disaster plan — until disaster actually strikes.

So, perhaps make it a fun family activity to work through setting up these plans, and you’ll sleep much better knowing you’re prepared!

To you and your family’s safety!

Well-Publicized Mistakes, And Going Alone

Birmingham Tax Professional, Martha Echols, CPA — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:15:35 +0000

The important work of moving the world forward does not wait to be done by perfect men.

- George Eliot

This week after the Super Bowl is leaving football fans at a bit of a loss. But an interesting fact about the winning Green Bay Packers: They’re the only professional sports team operating as a non-profit organization. There are exactly 112,015 owners of the club. That’s why it was the team “President” receiving the trophy the other night, rather than the usual team owner.

Now for the awkward segue into what I want to tell you about — and warn you about: The Green Bay Packers ownership isn’t a “lonely” enterprise, but you know what is? Trying to prepare your taxes correctly on your own.

[Sorry for that. Sometimes I have to stretch events to fit the narrative . But stay with me, as this is important -- especially for you or your friends & family who may choose to go this route.]

You see, I don’t like to crow about other people’s mistakes.

In fact, in our line of work, much of what we get to do is to *fix* or alleviate those mistakes, at least when it comes to their tax implications.

And many of the mistakes we see, every year, are when taxpayers decide to tame the tax code on their own, or with the “help” of off-the-shelf software. Do you remember last year when even the Treasury Secretary, Tim Geithner, testified about tax irregularities in his personal returns? Do you remember where he placed the blame?

Turbo Tax.

And he’s not alone. But there’s a good way to fix that problem…

Martha Echols’

“Real World” Personal Strategy

Don’t File Your Taxes By Yourself

The “Free” Online Options

Did you know that we accountants like to joke to one another about how good these online software programs (TaxCut, TurboTax, etc.) are for our business? Firstly, they are not as “easy to use” as claimed, and secondly…they cost you an arm and a leg.

You might think they’re cheap. And on the surface, you might be right (though, last year, a $1 Billion class action lawsuit was filed in the federal court in Philadelphia alleging gross misstatement of fees and deceptive standards of the federal “FreeFile” program … so even on the surface, it wasn’t always cheap). But I’m not even talking about the money for the service itself.

Using those programs can end up leaving hundreds, or even thousands of your dollars in the coffers of Uncle Sam … even if you follow all of their instructions to a tee. I see it all the time–frustrated clients bringing in their prior year’s tax return, astonished at all the “hidden money” my staff and I are able to find for them!

Even worse…

Choosing the wrong method, or forms, in filing your taxes can place you directly in the crosshairs for an audit.

Even if I don’t owe a ton of back taxes, I still don’t want my record to show some IRS agent that there has been some discrepancy in the past so that red flags start to fly, and more bureaucratic people begin looking through all my past tax filings and current income holdings … basically taking my social security number and poking around in my private life.

(If you think they won’t do this, read a little online about the increased “enforcement” measures the IRS is taking this year.)

They can do a lot of things you won’t want them to do. However, if you keep a clean slate (no IRS correspondence with you related to filing your taxes correctly), the opportunities for them to mess with your personal stuff will be limited.

Here’s another reason why this is so important … now more than ever. New government regulations in 2010, delays in Congressional action, and issues with refund “loans” from the big chains are creating a mess in the tax industry… and the “Big Brand Names” (you know who I’m talking about) do NOT want you to know about it. In fact, they’re doing all they can this year to hold on to their business, and trust me — it is not good for you.

Yes, it can be seductive to “go it alone”…to trust a piece of software to point out possible deductions. To trust your work to poorly-trained preparers in a big box office.

But it can be a big trap.

Just ask Tim Geithner.

To your family’s financial and emotional peace!

Teaching Your Children Well

Birmingham Tax Professional, Martha Echols, CPA — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 14:08:35 +0000

“The self is not something ready-made, but something in continuous formation through choice of action.”
- John Dewey

We do love children around here. So much of what we do, in the tax preparation process, influences families, children, and their futures — well, it’s simply a huge part of our clients’ lives, and we take it very seriously.

However … I’ve been around the block, once or twice, with families whose children have gotten themselves in financial hot water, and it’s not always an easy task to get them out.

So, this week, I’m taking some time to offer you some lessons “from the trenches” on helping your children launch into the real financial world with a firm foundation.

But before I get to that, I wanted to remind you:

1) You should have received your W-2’s by now, but in case you haven’t, here is a good resource for you:

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/money-guides/what-to-do-if-you-don-t-get-your-w-28-116632.aspx

So now, to raising your children’s financial future …

Martha Echols’

“Real World” Personal Strategy

How To Raise Financially-Savvy Children

I’ll spare you the stories, but needless to say: I’ve seen so many otherwise-loving and wise parents somehow forget to ready their children for the financial realities of adult life. Instead, they simply hand them credit cards, pack up their cars and head to school.

I’ll go out on a limb here, but I believe that it is this deficiency in financial education which has led, in part, to an adult population that spends beyond its means, engages in unsafe borrowing practices, and accumulates record amounts of debt.

Still, if we decide to instruct our kids how to responsibly manage their money — much as we teach them how to read, tie their shoes, and ride bikes — then perhaps they might avoid a Great Recession-like event in their own adult lives.

Sure, that all sounds good in theory, but how do you go about instilling proper financial values into your children?

1) Tackle the task as if you are once again teaching your kids to ride bikes. You first need to let them get comfortable on training wheels, and prepaid cards are the training wheels of personal finance. So co-sign for prepaid cards, load a certain amount of money biweekly and allow your children to spend freely. This will force them to learn how to budget and, since most prepaid cards allow online account management, you will be able to review their purchases with them.

By the way, I did some online searching, and these are some good choices for pre-paid cards for teenagers, etc.

Visa UPside: http://www.upsidevisa.com

MasterCard Facecard: http://www.facecard.com

American Express Pass: http://bit.ly/heWJRS (shortened link)

Visa Buxx: http://usa.visa.com/personal/cards/prepaid/visa_buxx.html

2) Once you are confident that your kids have exhibited responsible prepaid card use for at least a year, you can graduate to monthly cash allowances. This progression, which is tantamount to taking one training wheel off their bikes, will provide them with greater financial independence (given that you cannot monitor their spending with cash). It will also more thoroughly test their responsibility because the odds of losing money or exhausting too quickly are heightened with a monthly cash allowance.

3) If your kids demonstrate the requisite discipline after a year of cash allowances, you can take the other training wheel off. Do so by co-signing for and opening checking accounts in their names and depositing slightly higher monthly amounts while requiring them to pay for more of their own expenses.

With checking accounts, children will garner much needed experience writing checks and purchasing with debit cards. They’ll learn how to avoid overdrawing their accounts and bouncing checks – and if they can’t learn these lessons quickly enough, you can screw that training wheel back on and regress to cash spending. After all, when you took that last training wheel off, you didn’t let go of the bike completely! You still had a grip on the handlebars and were providing assistance as needed.

4) If your kids’ financial balance seems solid after 6-9 months, you can release the handlebars and either co-sign for student credit cards or give them small lines of credit as authorized users on your credit card accounts. Doing so will help teach them the principles of responsible credit use, such as spending within one’s means and paying bills in full each month. Remember though that you are simply taking your hands off to see if your kids can ride. If they wobble, catch them.

This financial education progression will instill within your children various skill sets that will surely serve them well when they leave the nest. It’s important to employ such a practical approach because it lets kids learn and inevitably falter while the stakes are low. Additionally, you can ensure that your children know how to handle their money before becoming independent, providing yourself with the kind of peace of mind that is valuable to any parent.

So before sending your kids out into the world, make sure they are ready for the financial implications of that independence!

To your family’s financial and emotional peace!

Clearing The Fog Of Common Mistakes

Birmingham Tax Professional, Martha Echols, CPA — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 14:01:31 +0000

Derive happiness in oneself from a good day’s work, from illuminating the fog that surrounds us.

- Henri Matisse

This is the time of year, during which we get to do exactly what Monsieur Matisse, up there, advises.

We clear the fog of the (unnecessarily, in my opinion) burdensome pile of forms and regulations which form our tax process. Yes, some people get paid to create tasty food, others to patrol our streets … and we, well we put out financial and regulatory fires.

And it can be a lot of fun — really! There are stories every year, which circulate around our office, about the grateful client who was utterly hopeless about their financial and tax situation … until they met with us, we crunched their forms and numbers, and not only gave them the nice news of a lower tax bill (or higher refund) than they expected — but that we were able to speak into the overall situation of their finances.

But for some strange reason, many taxpayers STILL choose to “go it alone” when it comes to preparing their returns.

Well, far be it from me to have such hardy souls be left in the dark. While what I’m writing this week may seem “professionally risky”, we are sincere about wanting everyone in the area to pay the least amount in taxes possible.

So, even though it might encourage some people towards the risks of software-powered self-preparation, instead of our cost-effective, quick-but-meticulous services … here is a list of the most common errors I see when I review self-prepared returns.

(Warning: There’s no “app” for experience.)

Martha Echols’

“Real World” Personal Strategy

Most Common Self-Preparation Tax Errors

As all of your information is coming into your mailbox this month to prepare for your taxes (Doctor’s bills, old W-2’s, interest statements for student loans, etc.), it can be tempting (to some folks, at least) to forego the perceived “expense” of using a professional to help you save on your taxes for the year.

So, if you decide to go down that lonely road, please do at least watch out for these common errors which we routinely correct for those who have us review their previous-year returns:

* Filing the wrong status (dependent or independent, 0 instead of 1, etc.)

* Missing forms

* Forgetting to sign it (this is incredibly common! Make SURE you sign!)

* Not adhering to new laws (a biggie)

* Math errors or mixing up numbers

* Standardized deduction (one lump sum) when itemizing may return more

* Forgetting earned interest

* Not claiming your charitable donations (more common than you’d think!)

* Incorrect social security numbers

* Missing the deadlines

* Not checking last year’s taxes to see if anything carries over (again, very common — and a good reason to have a pro check it out)

* Not taking deductions where they’re pertinent (IRA’s, too much Social Security being taken out)

* Failing to include dependents who don’t live with you

* Claiming someone as a dependent who claimed themselves as independent

* Not filing domestic or self-employment taxes

* Not claiming credits where they’re due (Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Credit)

So what can you do to correct all of these errors?

1) Double check. And triple check. Then check again. The idea here is that when another pair of eyes look at it, they can see stuff you don’t. Your mind will tell you that things that you write or calculate are correct, even if they aren’t.

2) Go to a professional. Self-serving? Why, yes. But as I mentioned in my introduction, we get paid to know what we do, and following the tax code permutations is our J-O-B. We’ve seen so many tax returns, even already this year, that what would take you 12 hours — can be accomplished by me and my practiced team in one.

I’m not suggesting we never make mistakes … but can you really afford to skimp when thousands are on the line?

To your family’s financial and emotional peace!

Don’t forget the love

Birmingham Tax Professional, Martha Echols, CPA — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:15:49 +0000

“Character is doing the right thing when nobody’s looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that’s right is to get by, and the only thing that’s wrong is to get caught.”

- J.C. Watts

Well, I wanted to start off by giving you a little “nudge” to make sure you at least *remembered* that the big V-Day is coming. Look–you may call it a “Hallmark” holiday, but your spouse may think otherwise. So, just…don’t forget!

And further, before I get into this week’s Strategy Note, I did also want to say one last thing re: the Haiti earthquake:

Congress has just passed legislation letting you take a 2009 deduction for contributions of cash (but not property) on behalf of earthquake relief before March 1, 2010. That new law also eases recordkeeping requirements for “accelerated” deductions, especially for those you make by phone. If you give by text message, for example, your phone bill satisfies the new requirements if it shows the name of the organization, the date of the contribution, and the amount of the contribution.

So–if you need to get your tax bill down, that’s a nice way to accomplish two things.

Moving on to this week’s Note, many in our profession are leery about guaranteeing their work. We accountant-types can be a fussy bunch (which is probably appropriate, given our work). But I wanted to go out on a limb here, and give you some thoughts on what to make sure you’ve got from someone who’s handling something as sensitive as your tax info…

“Real World” Personal Strategy

Mistakes Made During Tax Season (Part 3)

Working Without A Net

Do you have an accountant that guarantees their work…in writing?

Sure, some guys might say: “We’ll make it right if we screw up”, but then the stuff hits the fan and they fight you every step of the way.

I’ve heard too many horror stories about taxpayers getting a letter from the IRS, then they take it to their accountant, and then the letter sits on a desk gathering dust.

Or stories about the CPA who makes some calls on your behalf, but then you get charged an arm and a leg in the process. Or sadly, a taxpayer doesn’t get any help from the person who prepared their taxes for them so they “go it alone”, call the IRS themselves and figure out what to do and not to do during this normally ugly IRS correspondence … THIS can be a nightmare!

Don’t let that happen to you. You need to have a written understanding with your tax professional that you won’t be left in the lurch. Oh, and also-does this guarantee actually do something you want it to?

I’ve seen some accountants guarantee they will file your taxes for you by April 15th or they will file an extension for you. Well…great! That sure makes you feel good in the morning, doesn’t it? Other weak guarantees I’ve seen in the tax industry are, “We guarantee we will begin preparing your tax return the same day we meet with you.”

That means nothing to me. I don’t care when you start preparing my taxes. I want to know how long it is going to take you to finish it and do so without leaving out silly errors you know you should have caught.

So remember: the guarantees should be in areas you care about, like:

Tax Return Accuracy … Speed of Service … Most Money Legally Yours … Ongoing IRS Protection For Years After Filing …

These are the things YOU care about! Make sure the tax professional you choose stands behind these critical areas of tax filing so you get the most out of your tax filing experience.

++++++++

I hope all this helps! To your family’s financial and emotional peace…

Some Light Notes for Hot Times…

Birmingham Tax Professional, Martha Echols, CPA — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:45:21 +0000

“Look, I’m not the one with the problem, okay? It’s the world that seems to have a problem with *me*! People take one look at me and go ‘Aargh! Help! Run! A big stupid ugly ogre!’ They judge me before they even know me.” – Shrek

The old email inbox has been “heating up” of late–we’ve been talking taxes, health care, current events–and how to put MORE into your family’s bottom line.

As you know, I love talking about this stuff…and there’s plenty to discuss these days.

But I thought that THIS week, I’d take a break from your regularly-scheduled money-saving advice, and offer up a few tidbits to keep things a little light around here. After all, it’s getting *hot* out there!

So…here we go:

*You thought the IRS was after YOU? Check out THESE famous tax cheats :
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-08-03/a-list-tax-cheats/?cid=hp:beastoriginalsR3#

* You thought this only happened in fables? Think again…
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article6753086.ece

* Everyone makes a difference: (this is NOT a misprint)
“Xvxryonx makxs a diffxrxncx”
Somxtimxs I gxt to thinking that what I do doxsn’t mattxr.
But whxn I start thinking that way, I rxmxm¬bxr my old
typxwritxr. Most of thx kxys workxd finx most of thx timx.
But onx day, onx of thx kxys stop¬pxd working altogxthxr.
And that rxally mxssxd xvxrything up. So whxn I’m txmptxd
to say, I’m only onx pxrson, it won’t makx much diffxrncx if
I don’t do this quitx right, I rxmxmbxr my old typxwritxr. And
I say to mysxlf: “I am a kxy pxrson and nxxdxd vxry much.”

Adapted from the book Inside the Magic Kingdom, used with the permission of the publisher.

Finally, for my “Real World” Personal Strategy Note, I’d like to pass along something an old friend sent to me…feel free to send this along yourself, and remember to be thankful!

“Real World” Personal Strategy
Thanks For Your Time

It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him, “Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday.” Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

“Jack, did you hear me?”

“Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It’s been so long since I thought of him. I’m sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago,” Jack said

“Well, he didn’t forget you. Every time I saw him he’d ask how you were doing. He’d reminisce about the many days you spent over ‘his side of the fence’ as he put it,” Mom told him.

“I loved that old house he lived in,” Jack said.

“You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man’s influence in your life,” she said

“He’s the one who taught me carpentry,” he said. “I wouldn’t be in this business if it weren’t for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important…Mom, I’ll be there for the funeral,” Jack said.

As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser’s funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.

Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture….Jack stopped suddenly.

“What’s wrong, Jack?” his Mom asked.

“The box is gone,” he said

“What box?” Mom asked.

“There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he’d ever tell me was ‘the thing I value most,’” Jack said.

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

“Now I’ll never know what was so valuable to him,” Jack said. “I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom..”

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. “Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days,” the note read.

Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention. “Mr. Harold Belser” it read. Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack’s hands shook as he read the note inside.

“Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It’s the thing I valued most in my life.” A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.

Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved:

“Jack, Thanks for your time! -Harold Belser.”

“The thing he valued most was…my time”

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. “Why?” Janet, his assistant asked.

“I need some time to spend with my son,” he said.

“Oh, by the way, Janet, thanks for your time!”

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away,”

If you have a great friend, take the time to let them know that they are great.

Send this letter to all the people you care about, if you do so, you will certainly brighten someone’s day and might change their perspective on life…for the better.

To everyone I write this: “Thanks for your time.”

To a LOW tax bill for you!