Part of my early-Monday news scan this week brought me this story: http://cbsn.ws/1Q0chAV. One of the “highlights”: almost half of all US households could not come up with $400 to cover an emergency expense. They would need to sell something or borrow cash to do so. If you find yourself belonging to that category, I’m going to help you today, … Read More
Before You Say “I Do”: Enzo Paredes’ Marriage and Money Checklist
Memorial Day weekend often feels a little … jarring, at times. Burgers, pools, picnics — set against the solemn backdrop of remembrance for the sacrifice of so many thousands who have laid down their lives so we can have those freedoms. However, when you talk to veterans (as I get the chance to do in the course of our tax … Read More
Enzo Paredes on 5 MORE Bad Money Habits And How To Overcome Them (Part 2 of 2)
With all of the chaos that we are seeing bubble up around us, both in our nation and overseas, it can feel like everything is in flux. Please, though … if you’ve established for yourself a hedge against financial turmoil, let’s not have you ruin it. Last week, I posted an article which addressed these issues. It was a bit … Read More
Enzo Paredes Reveals 5 Ways We Avoid Keeping Better Money Habits
We spend a disproportionate amount of our time around the Team Paredes offices dealing with government forms and websites. (Seriously though — can you or I get a gig as a web designer for the government? Those contracts run in the 7 figures … and the designs still look like something built using dial-up.) But the annual release of this … Read More
Paredes’ 8 Essentials For Record Keeping
I get pretty excited about the spring. All around the country, the snow is gone, the trees don’t seem so desolate … and am I right that the angle of the sun is a bit less harsh? Or maybe it’s just because tax season has finished and I’m getting more sleep? 🙂 Well, I hope you and your family will … Read More
Enzo Paredes Explores Five Markers of Financial Health at Mid-Life
If your tax returns have been filed (as most of our clients’ have), I do hope you’ve taken the ripe chance afforded to you to scrutinize your year, and your financial health. And, even if you’re on extension, it’s good to pause here before summer and consider where you’re headed — financially, and otherwise. So, I thought that this could … Read More
Enzo Paredes Answers “Where’s My Refund?”, And Other Questions For After Your Return Is Filed
This is never a very fun “holiday”, but it’s worth marking every year. Friday, April 24th is our National “Tax Freedom Day” — that’s the date by which you’ve finally worked enough days just to pay off your taxes for the year. The rest of the year is your “take home” pay, as it were. 🙁 This date includes payroll … Read More
A Heartfelt Thank You To Our Chatsworth, CA Tax Preparation Clients
The loudest thing I want you to hear from this post is this: THANK YOU for your trust, Chatsworth, CA. Our primary work for this tax season has just about wrapped up. But notice I said “primary”, there … you see, unlike some tax professionals, we make it a point to do a bit more than simply “fill out forms” … Read More
Paredes’ Tax Extension Cheat Sheet
This has been an intense tax season. For those of us in the tax professional community, there have been emails, message board postings and blog posts flying about the difficulties that many have been facing with regards to all of the additional paperwork called for in the ACA (“Obamacare”)regulations — not to mention the normal round of new tax law … Read More
Enzo Paredes Shares On Overcoming Procrastination
I’ve heard rumors that (for some unknown reason) many people don’t like to file taxes? It appears that most folks do NOT like to fill out reams of paperwork only to finally discover how much money they are really giving to the IRS! This, of course, is why we work so hard — to make this process as painless as … Read More