September brings about the annual back-to-school and off-to-college rituals for many families. Of course that translates directly to the wallet — think, lunch money, SAT test fees and other costs. . . . read more

NEW YORK (AP) — The Internal Revenue Service said Thursday, August 5, it will end its policy of releasing information about back taxes and other debts taxpayers owe in the coming tax season.

The information, called debt indicators, has been included on acknowledgments . . . read more

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress Thursday, July 22, that the fragile economy needs government stimulus spending to strengthen the recovery and help reduce unemployment.

Testifying before the House Financial Services Committee, Bernanke urged lawmakers to come up with a credible plan . . . read more

While Independence Day comes just once a year, millions of consumers are mired in financial dependence day after day. Too many count on credit cards and their next paycheck just to get by.

The Fourth of July holiday is a good time to resolve to clean up your finances and start freeing yourself from debt, especially because it often kicks off two months of overspendingstrong> . . . read more

A tepid gain in consumer spending last month could fuel a debate over whether the United States and other governments should further stimulate their economies to sustain the recovery.

A report that Americans spent cautiously in May came after world leaders meeting in Toronto over the weekend pledged to reduce government deficits by . . . read more

Estimated taxes. Self-employment taxes. Tax accounts.

These are words that quickly enter the vocabulary of people who have been laid off and are making the transition to working for themselves. These small business owners find they have to worry about tax matters that weren’t their problem when they worked for someone else.

Owners learn that they’re responsible for twice . . . read more

Zions Bank has recently announced a new service called Zions Bank Retirement Resources, which provides customers with information on a variety of retirement considerations, such as wills, trusts, 401(k)s, IRAs and a host of other important topics.

Over the coming months, Zions Bank Retirement Resources along with Zions Direct and Zions Investment Services Group will be hosting a series of seminars on a variety of retirement subjects.

The next seminar will be held June 11 . . . read more

What happens when the government considers tinkering with retirement accounts and asks for citizen input?

It gets plenty.

Government officials began seeking comments in February on a proposal to add an annuity option to retirement plans. Such an option would potentially turn a portion of a retiree’s savings over to an insurance company in exchange for a monthly check.

Annuities reduce the chance retirees will outlive their savings. In addition, the risk of losing money if the stock market drops is minimized . . . read more

When you’re done with your tax return, your first instinct may be to stash it in a drawer and put it out of your mind until next year.

That would be a mistake.

A smarter move would be to think of your return as a financial snapshot. By taking a close look at it now, you can use your return to help map out goals for the rest of the year. Ultimately you may be able to improve your financial standing and possibly reduce what you owe come April 15, 2011.

From the address label to the size of your refund, your tax return can provide a surprising number of prompts for shaping up your finances.

Here are six questions to consider . . . read more

The IRS will make you an offer, and it’s one you shouldn’t refuse.

If you owe taxes, but don’t have the money to pay the bill by tomorrow’s deadline, you’ll find some sympathy at the Internal Revenue Service.

“There’s a big issue this year with people who can’t pay,” said Martin Press, a tax lawyer with Gunster Attorneys in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

One reason is that the unemployment spike and still struggling economy have resulted in more people pulling money out of . . . read more

Tax Day is a dreaded deadline for millions, but for nearly half of U.S. households it’s simply somebody else’s problem.

About 47 percent will pay no federal income taxes at all for 2009. Either their incomes were too low, or they qualified for enough credits, deductions and exemptions to eliminate their liability. That’s according to projections by the Tax Policy Center, a Washington research organization. . . . read more

To itemize or not to itemize?

Debating the answer to that question can stall the best intentions to get a tax return filed before the April 15.

Taxpayers have two choices: take the standard deduction or itemize deductions such as mortgage interest, charitable donations and job-related spending.

Internal Revenue Service statistics show that only about 35 percent of tax returns include itemized deductions. That means it’s likely many are missing out on tax savings they’d get if they claimed all . . . read more

Small business owners who compile their own income tax returns can find themselves falling into some common quicksand pits. The mistakes can be costly if they raise a company’s tax bill unnecessarily or subject it to penalties and interest in the future.

Some of the problems are mechanical in nature, such as not filling out the right forms. Others are more strategic, including not considering how the deductions you take on your 2009 return might affect your taxes in future years.

Other mistakes are the result of owners not being well informed about the tax laws and the requirements they can impose, for example, on an owner’s salary or the way employees are classified. . . . read more

If you decide to hire a professional to help prepare your taxes, it’s important to remember that you are still ultimately responsible for what’s on your return.

Here are some tips to remember before you hire someone to assist with your taxes . . . read more

College students or their parents have a new opportunity to get a tax credit for college expenses.

Barbara Weltman, author of two J.K. Lasser tax guides, calls the American opportunity tax credit a “new and improved” version of the Hope credit.

The maximum annual credit — $2,500 — is bigger than what was available under the Hope credit and the income eligibility has been eased somewhat. Also, it’s available to students for the first four years of post-secondary education; the Hope credit could be used only for the first two years. Students also must be enrolled at least half-time.

On top of that, 40 percent of the credit is refundable . . . read more