Say No to Yes Man Financial Advisers

Mr. ToughMoneyLove is a big believer in self-management of personal finance, if you are willing to study, learn, and then fearlessly apply what you have learned. Too many people turn their financial planning over to so-called professionals who are more interested in selling than in objectivity. Read more

My Life as a Volunteer Tax Preparer – Ch. 2.6

Wow – tax season is flying by. My weekly visits to the volunteer tax office seem to fall closer together. Today was unremarkable compared to other tax days except that one of the taxpayers I helped was male, the first I’ve had in a while. Read more

My Life as a Volunteer Tax Preparer – Ch. 2.5

Another week in the volunteer office, another five taxpayers helped, and once again all women. Lucky me – they were all in relatively good moods too! Read more

My Life as a Volunteer Tax Preparer – Ch.2.4

Today I prepared five tax returns. A big question at the end my tax volunteer day: What happened to all of the men? Read more

My Life as a Volunteer Tax Preparer – Ch 2.3

Yesterday’s session at the Tax Aide volunteer office was more quiet than most. I worked on three returns. One was a return that I started last week. The other two clients were unique and interesting, with one being upbeat and the other a real head-shaker. Read more

My Life as a Volunteer Tax Preparer – Ch. 2.2

This week’s volunteer visit to the Tax-Aide office was different from last, in that each of the three taxpayers I worked with was new to our office. That made a little more work fro me but also allowed more time to hear their stories. Read more

My Life as a Volunteer Tax Preparer – Ch. 2.1

Season 2 of My Life as a Volunteer Tax Preparer has officially commenced. For those of you new to Tough Money Love, a brief history: Last year a I signed up to work with the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE).  (More about those programs here.)  In my case, the services were offered through the AARP Tax Aide program. After receiving training and passing three competency exams on tax laws and regulations, I worked one afternoon per week during tax season at a local senior citizens center. Read more

My Tax Season Begins

I haven’t written much and haven’t posted anything in the past few days. Time-hogging projects in my day job have intervened. But that’s what pays the bills so as a personal finance blogger, it would be illogical for me to complain. I’m sure you did just fine without me. Read more

An Early Visit with the Tax Man and Weekend Reading

Yesterday was the deadline to pay estimated federal income taxes. Although I have taxes withheld from my paychecks, we always end up owing money at tax time. Sometimes the amount we owe puts us close to or in the underpayment penalty range. My normal method of solving that problem is to run our basic data through some tax software in early December and then have our accountant withhold extra amounts from my final paychecks. (In some years, that’s been the entire paycheck.) Read more

Annual Financial Performance Review

It’s the beginning of a new year and new decade and therefore time to update the Mr. and Mrs. ToughMoneyLove financial performance metrics. Read more

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