One reason money is such a conflict in marriage is because “money” and all the behaviors attached to it, has different meaning to different people. And when this difference on money matters arise, many of us revert to bad habits – don’t talk about it and hope it will go away.
 
Well, we are already a few weeks into January and it’s time to get your financial house in order – a News Year’s resolution to add to your list. But this time, I want you to sit down with your significant other and talk money no matter how much you hate it. Continue reading →

Can I trust my Tax preparer?

It is that special time of year already! As our W2’s and 1099’s come trickling in, we are reminded to start organizing our 2010 paperwork because March and April are right around the corner. Over the years, I have had my share of tax horror stories and all of them were predicated on bad tax advice. I won’t go into the gory details, but suffice to say, I learned that taxes are not meant to be taken lightly.

The IRS estimates that the average taxpayer needs over 20 hours to do his or tax return, or longer if they are filing a Schedule C for business or a Schedule E for real estate. I am busy enough with work, rowing, more work, and watching American Idol that I choose to have a professional take care of my taxes. Continue reading →