Our society tells us that anger is a taboo emotion. One to be kept under wraps, controlled, or, if possible, “extinguished” at the first sign of an elevated temper. But what has happened to the notion of feeling our feelings constructively, of course, to move on...
Month: October 2022
How to Avoid Taxes on Your Massachusetts Social Security Retirement Income
Where you live, how much money you earn and how carefully you plan could all affect this essential retirement income. As you prepare for retirement, it’s essential to understand what your taxes will be. You may think your Social Security benefits are tax-free. After...
How to Pay for a Massachusetts Adoption
Adopting a child in Massachusetts can be expensive. Fortunately, there are many resources that can help. Here is a look at the costs of adoption and the various forms of financial assistance that may be available to you. What Does Adoption Cost? Adoption costs in the...
Medical Debt Will No Longer Appear on Credit Reports for Massachusetts Residents
Massachusetts residents have run up big medical bills, incurring debts they struggle to pay. Now, they no longer have to worry as much about how such unpaid obligations will impact their credit score. The big three credit-reporting companies — Equifax, Experian and...
IRS Tax Tip: Claiming a Child as a Dependent When Parents Are Divorced Or Living Apart
Parents who are divorced, separated, never married or live apart and who share custody of a child with an ex-spouse or ex-partner need to understand the specific rules about who may be eligible to claim the child for tax purposes. This can make filing taxes easier for...
IRS Tax Tip: Considerations for Massachusetts Residents Who Are Divorcing or Separating
When people go through a Massachusetts legal separation or divorce, the change in their relationship status also affects their tax situation. The IRS considers a couple married for filing purposes until they get a final decree of divorce or separate maintenance....
Veterans Can Upgrade Their Discharge Characterization
Veterans who left the military after Dec. 20, 2019 with a discharge that's less than honorable will now have the opportunity to appeal that discharge characterization via the Discharge Appeal Review Board and have their military record changed. When a service member...
8 Tax Credits For Massachusetts Parents
Raising a Massachusetts child is expensive, to say the least. Uncle Sam recognizes that — to an extent — at tax time. There’s a tax break for just about everyone — close to 90% of federal income tax returns claim the standard deduction, after all — but Uncle Sam does...
Veteran Writes Books For Children Dealing With Divorce
In today’s culture, divorce is not uncommon. Divorce rates among Soldiers and their Families remain steady at 3% according to a recent Pentagon study. For one Fort Jackson Army veteran, writing a book to help children experiencing the breakup of a Family strengthened...
Biggest Pay Raise for Massachusetts Servicemembers Expected
Servicemembers are in line for their biggest pay raise since 2003 next January 2023, but lawmakers and advocates are questioning whether that will be adequate to keep military families in good financial health. That’s because the formula used to calculate annual pay...