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7 Tips to Reduce Your Chances of Falling Victim to Tax Identity Theft

7 Tips to Reduce Your Chances of Falling Victim to Tax Identity Theft Tax identity theft occurs when identity thieves obtain your Social Security number and file a fraudulent tax return on your behalf. According to the Federal Trade Commission, tax identity theft is the most common form of identity theft. The FTC estimates that […]

Caring For Two Generations

Time was, families were used to dealing with elderly parents, young children … and everything in between, all in one house! This is less common now, and as a result, many families are actually unprepared for how to handle it — simply because models are much less plentiful.From what I’ve observed of adults thrust into the […]

What To Do After Your Return Is Filed

The monkey is now off your back and your return is filed (hopefully!). At least, of course, if you didn’t file for an extension. But that doesn’t mean you may not still have questions. Here are some common ones we get. “Do I need to keep a copy of my return?” Yes, for a *minimum* […]

The Reverse Mortgage Landscape Has Changed

Many homeowners understandably want to remain in their homes as they age because they want to remain independent and because they have spent many years making their home everything they wanted it to be. Reverse mortgages have assisted many senior homeowners over the years to stay in their homes when their financial position changed. A […]

Rethinking Retirement with Values

Retirement used to mean not only a complete withdrawal from the workforce but often a retreat from life. Even the word “retire” has the connotations of shuffling quietly off to bed.  We call that traditional concept a “cliff retirement” because it is so abrupt. One day you are working full-time, and the next you are […]

Bank Card Security: Run It Debit or Credit?

One of the hidden benefits of using a credit card versus a debit card is SECURITY. And, as the Target mess showed us, the more we rely on electronic payments, the more we put our information in harm’s way. But if you ARE going to use a debit card, there’s really only one way to […]

Turbo-Charged Filing Mistakes

Did you know that we tax people sometimes joke to one another about how good these online software programs (TaxSlayer, TurboTax, TaxACT, FreeFile, etc.) are for our business? First, they are not as “easy to use” as claimed, and second … they cost you an arm and a leg. You might think they’re cheap. And on the […]

My tax time checklist

Many of you are putting together your paperwork now for your tax return. At Popular Tax, our mission is to ensure that EVERYONE saves the most possible when the IRS comes calling. Some of these may seem small, but trust me when I say that they add up. Personal Data Social Security Numbers (including spouse […]