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Should You File Your Taxes by Mail or Electronically?

If you plan to prepare your own federal tax return this year, you’ll have two options for sending it to the IRS: electronic filing or mail. To help you decide which of these tax-filing choices is right for your needs, let’s take a closer look at the key advantages to consider for each one.

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How to Prep Your Home Before a Long-Term Trip

Embarking on an extended getaway can be exciting. It can be overwhelming, too, especially when you need to be away from your home and personal property for a long time. You want to make sure your home is secure before you leave so you can concentrate on new experiences. If you are headed out on a long-term trip, use these tips to prep your home before you go.

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Healthy Habits to Lower Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney damage, and even cognitive decline. It’s often called the “silent killer” because heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. If you’ve recently been diagnosed with hypertension, medication may be necessary to bring your blood pressure back down. However, there are several healthy habits you can adopt that can lower your blood pressure, helping you delay or even entirely circumvent the need for medicine.

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4 Incredible Stage-to-Screen Adaptations

Broadway has long served as a source of inspiration for the film industry — but not all musicals have found success on the silver screen. These four films have managed to capture the magic of their theatrical predecessors, all while putting a new twist on the source material with the help of movie magic.

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Understanding the Section 179 Deduction

The Section 179 tax deduction is an important tool for small businesses. Instead of buying eligible business equipment and spreading out tax deductions for it over a period of years based on depreciation, business owners can use Section 179 to write off the full value of that purchase for the current year’s taxes. When used properly, this deduction can promote growth by lowering tax bills and helping small businesses afford needed investments.

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The Pros and Cons of Business Debt Consolidation

Managing your company’s debt can quickly become complicated. One way to simplify the process is to consolidate your business debt. However, like many other parts of entrepreneurship, this decision comes with a unique set of benefits and drawbacks. Here’s a look at some of the potential pros and cons to consider before you consolidate your business debt.

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Why You Need a Good CPA

When tax season comes around, it’s often tempting to file your own taxes to avoid paying for a professional. But if you’re self-employed, own rental property, are an active stock trader, have experienced major life events in the past year, or simply have a non-simple tax situation, hiring a good certified public accountant is likely to be your best bet. Here’s why.

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Understanding the Truth in Lending Act and How It Impacts You

If you’ve ever worked with a lender or creditor, you may not have known it at the time, but you were being protected by the Truth in Lending Act. The TILA is a federal law that’s been on the books for more than 50 years and is continually amended to ensure that today’s consumers can safely compare loans and credit cards.

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Ideas for Teaching Tax Basics to Your Children

Taxes are an essential part of finances. As you are teaching your children lessons on how to save, spend, and invest, it’s also important to include instruction on the least favorite, yet nonnegotiable part of money management — taxes. Here are a few ideas on how to teach your kids how the system works.

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Tips for Building a Business Emergency Fund

An emergency fund for your small business is a smart investment. By having some savings on hand, you can help your company weather economic downturns, a loss of patronage, and unexpected expenses. However, it can be a bit overwhelming to set savings goals, carve out money from your company budget, and plan for all the ups and downs your business could face. Here are a few tips on how to establish and manage a helpful emergency fund for your enterprise.

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