Tag: IRS

  • Hiring a Caregiver is Tricky

    You may be tempted to treat a caregiver as a “private contractor” in order to avoid the humbug of tax withholding and buying the right insurance policies. You would do so at your peril. The IRS and the state will take the position that the caregiver is an  employee, that you are an employer and…

  • Hiring a Private Caregiver Can Be Tricky

    When hiring a caregiver, you may be tempted to try to make the process as simple as possible by treating the caregiver as a “private contractor.” You tell the person “I will pay you so much an hour, and you deal with the IRS and the State when it comes time to pay taxes.” After…

  • Profiting From a Giving Heart

    With Thanksgiving approaching, we are reminded to be appreciative of what we have; oftentimes, this leads to opening up our hearts (and wallets) to those in need. Unfortunately, there are those who would use dishonesty to profit from a giving heart. Earlier this year the Federal Trade Commission and Attorneys General of 50 states prosecuted and…

  • Your Favorite Charity in Your Estate Plan

    Charitable giving can be complicated, especially when it moves beyond cash or writing a check. A recent Forbes article provides some advice you may not have considered. The article is titled “Five Ways To Be Charitable Even If You Aren’t Bill Gates.” Take heart in knowing that even if you’re not Bill Gates, the “five…

  • Social Security: Report Your Name Change

    If you need to change your name due to marriage, divorce, or any other reason, you will want to report the change to Social Security. There are several reasons to report the change. One, is that the IRS and Social Security match computer records. If your name on your Social Security number and tax return…

  • Legal: Transfer Tax Ideas for 2012

    This year, many of us will be focusing on two things - the shrinking federal estate and gift tax “coupon” and the radical jump in transfer tax rates. The “coupon” is the amount that the Internal Revenue Code allows you to give away without having to pay gift taxes during your lifetime or estate taxes after you…

  • The Future of Estate Tax

    You have spent a lifetime of earning, saving and investing — and paying income and capital gains taxes all the way along. So you may wonder why our government feels entitled to tax the value of everything that’s left when you die. The sad fact is, however, that the IRS and the State of Hawai‘i…

  • How to Hire a Caregiver

    If you are hiring a caregiver for yourself or another loved one, you may be tempted to try to make the process as simple as possible by treating the caregiver as a “private contractor.” You tell the person, “I will pay you so much an hour, and you deal with the IRS and the State…