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Clients and many taxpayers often wonder whether it might be beneficial in retirement or while still working to change their place of residency as a way to minimize their current and future state tax obligations, or as part of their long-term strategy to minimize estate taxes to a more tax-friendly state. While most states tax all or a portion of the income of their residents, certain states like Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming have no state income tax, and New Hampshire and Tennessee do not tax earned wages. These and other states may not have “state” estate and/or inheritance tax as well, making them very appealing for those looking to change their residency in the long-term. 

The purpose of financial aid is to help bridge the gap between the cost of attending college and the amount that students and their parents can afford to pay. Unfortunately, many students forgo applying for financial aid because they assume they won’t qualify. Don’t let these common myths dissuade you from applying for financial assistance or lead you astray during the application process. 

It has been one year since the COVID-19 pandemic has flipped everyone’s day-to-day life upside down. We have had to change the way we do many things, including finding new ways of completing tasks that were once done in person. A lot of what we do now is being conducted via the internet and online portals. We hear in the news about data breaches and online hackers, but how can you personally protect your information online? There are a few easy tasks that one can complete to ensure they are doing everything in their power to keep their information secure:

In 2018, Massachusetts passed a landmark bill requiring all employers in the state to provide workers with paid family and medical leave (PFML), giving Massachusetts one of the most generous paid family and medical leave programs in the country. At the time of the legislature, the state outlined a three-year approach, with deadlines for employer and employee contributions into the Family and Employment Security Trust Fund, through which the program will be funded.

The SBA began accepting new PPP applications on a limited basis last week through community financial institutions and as of today, the program is now open to all lenders.

As a CPA firm, we prepare 1099 forms for many of our clients, and as the deadlines for these filings approach, we thought it would be beneficial to provide an overview of the 1099 process and upcoming deadlines, as well as some important changes that take effect this year.

Being aware of retirement options and social security benefits can help you assess how financially secure you will be during your golden years.

The IRS and the Treasury department began issuing a second round of Economic Impact Payments last week as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act. Most individuals making up to $75,000 per year will receive a direct payment of $600; married couples making up to $150,000 per year will receive $1,200; and eligible individuals with children will receive $600 for each qualifying child dependent. Dependents who are 17 and older are not eligible for the child payment.

Taxpayers often utilize gifting as part of their estate plan. However, determining the applicability of the Massachusetts estate tax can lead to some unexpected results when there are lifetime gifts.

As businesses have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic over the course of 2020, many were forced to shift to a remote workforce temporarily. As the pandemic continues, employers and employees have adjusted to this new way of working, and many companies are now considering shifting to this model permanently. This change can provide many benefits, including reduced overhead, increased communication, improved employee satisfaction, and reduced carbon footprint. However, there are impacts to risk exposure as well.