So, you think your 2018 tax refunds will be bigger and better with the new tax law? Hold up ... The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) ushered in immediate tax relief for W-2 workers in the form of reduced withholding from paychecks. For the self-employed, we were excited about the prospect of a tax deduction of up to 20 percent of our earnings. On top of all of that, the standard deduction was nearly doubled. Surely we will pay less in taxes for 2018, we thought. But, not so fast - as with most things, there's a catch. It may be time for a last-minute tune-up. Here's why: When the TCJA went into effect, the IRS scrambled to create a new tax-withholding table to be used by payroll departments. All
The holiday sales have already started. The Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals have started streaming in, bombarding your inbox with lots of tempting offers. How do you survive the holidays without going into debt? According to the National Retail Federation survey results, "Consumers say they will spend an average of $1,007.24 during the holiday season this year." And that's just on other people. How can you resist buying a little something for yourself? The only way to survive is to budget. I know it's an ugly word, but as Santa says, "Make a list and check it twice." Have a plan for the holidays. Put together a budget for each person on your list and don't deviate from it. Add the prices
