There is usually an agreement between the person and the trustee that this will happen. But you certainly don't want it written down.

253

I don't pay a health and safety fee to restaurants. If they want to raise the price of the meal, that's fine. But customers shouldn't order something and not know what is going into the bill.

229

If Progressive Nursing is a nurse-staffing service, she might be able to do this. If it is a bona fide employer-employee relationship that cannot be structured as a self-employment relationship and it has no employer-sponsored retirement plan, then she is stuck using IRAs and savings vehicles.

217

With a twenty-year horizon until retirement, she could invest in a rental property with a 15-year mortgage, which provides deductions. She would own the rental property outright around the time of her retirement. Then she would have two properties at retirement, giving her rental income without mortgage payment obligations.

196

Believe it or not, failure to include W-2s is another big one.

166

If you got a fat severance check at the end of the year, take a look and make sure you are in the same tax bracket.

113

She should make the highest allowable contribution. This year, the federal limit is $11,000, and it increases annually until it reaches $15,000 in 2005.

105

Most people don't think about it [tax planning] until they start thinking, 'Oh, I have to set an appointment with my tax preparer,' in February or March. And it's too late.

104