IRS nightmare illustrates need to be meticulous with receipts

Lost receipts, lost life? These nightmare audit stories illustrate the need to keep track of those receipts!

IRS nightmare illustrates need to be meticulous with recordkeeping

Lost receipts, lost life? These nightmare audit stories illustrate the need to keep track of those receipts! If you’re having a hard time keeping your financial accounts organized, a CPA can help.

Baby Boomers: Here’s a winning strategy for retirement

We’re on the threshold of a new era as the first Baby Boomers move into their sixth decade. The generation that ushered in “the single greatest demographic event in U.S. history” has often been compared to the proverbial bulge in the python.

What once were legions of children squirming in child-sized desks and learning the fine art of handwriting are now active seniors who sport more than a few gray hairs. With such a large cohort simultaneously planning for retirement (and looking forward to it, no doubt!), some Boomers may worry about a shortfall in income after retirement.

Relax, soon-to-be seniors: It’s not too late to incubate that nest egg and still reap a tidy sum in the process.

Keep in mind there are two typical approaches in retirement planning. In the first approach, the investor takes a conservative tack and invests in stocks and bonds, with an eye towards a slow and steady accumulation of capital that occurs over an extended period of time. In the second approach, those who failed to save a sufficient amount of money may look to vigorous – and perhaps risky – trading, with the hope of making up for lost time.

As it turns out, there’s a third approach to the retirement planning. Forging a relationship with a financial advisor who has the experience and track record to give you the advice you need. Don’t go it alone.

Autumn is a great time to sell a house

Although you may be tempted to take your home off the market now that school is back in session, don’t. While it’s true that some home buyers may time their purchases so they can be settled in their new homes once school starts, that’s not the case for everyone.

There are plenty of other people who buy homes in late summer, fall and throughout the winter. If you’re getting ready to sell your home in the off season, here are some tips from the National Association of Realtors.

Watch your curb appeal. Make sure your yard is clean and tidy. When your trees start to lose leaves, keep up with raking and ensure all walkways are free of leaves and debris.
Early autumn is the time to rent a leaf-blower, particularly if you have multiple deciduous trees on your lot.
A snow blower is a must in northern climes. Use it to keep walkways clear for potential buyers. If you don’t already own one, rent this vital piece of safety equipment when you advertise an open house in wintry weather.
Clean out your gutters, ensuring they are free from debris and draining properly. Otherwise, when the first hard freeze arrives, followed by a temporary thaw, you’ll have to dodge dirty water spilling over the sides of rain gutters.
Store your patio furnishings. Before you store them away, clean your patio furniture and arrange it nicely, keeping the view from indoors in mind. (Yes, you can dream about those balmy days next year or encourage a buyer to do the same!)
Keep it bright. Open blinds and curtains so plenty of natural light illuminates the home’s interior. Nothing sells a home like abundant natural light flooding into a room from spic and span windows. If you’ve got a break in the weather, rent a power washer to give your home’s exterior a quick refresh.