15 Financial Must Dos for Anyone Having a Baby (@NerdWallet @MONEY)

If your family is soon to grow in size, check out some great financial advice from NerdWallet on how to stay ahead of the game -- at least financially speaking.

Full article at MONEY Magazine

"Some parenting preparations are best learned on the fly — how to effortlessly and painlessly change the messiest diapers, for instance. But the list of things to do before baby arrives and within his or her first several weeks is lengthy, so tackling certain tasks now is a smart idea."

To have us call you about finance, estate planning or tax issues, fill out the form at http://www.lgbt.tax/Start

The Same-­Sex Marriage Decision: What’s at Stake for Couples (@tarasbernard @nytimes)

Tara Siegel Bernard at The New York Times explains what's at stake financially for same-sex couples as we await the decision from the Supreme Court:

Full article at The New York Times

"The highest court’s landmark decision in 2013, United States v. Windsor,
already established that married same­-sex couples were entitled to federal
benefits. But two major federal agencies, Social Security and Veterans Affairs,
must still look to the states to determine marital status, so couples living in
nonrecognition states are generally cut off from receiving those benefits.
Same­-sex couples are not entitled to many state­-conferred benefits either."



If you filed taxes in CA, NV, OR or Washington states and are (or were after 2010) Registered Domestic Partners, try our calculator to see if you may be eligible for an IRS refund http://www.lgbt.tax/Calculator

Buy or Lease? Your Decision Is a Few Simple Questions Away (@DougOlenick @MainStr)

If you're in the market for a new car this summer, and are trying to decide between buying or leasing, ask yourself these questions in Doug Olenick's article:

Full article at Main St.

"James Bell, head of consumer affairs at General Motors, says it boils down to what the prospective driver requires of a vehicle. 
"Leasing vs. buying ultimately comes down to to the expected usage by the driver as well as their personal tastes and habits. Love that new car smell? Lease. The kind of person that enjoys maintaining a car for many miles? Buy," Bell says."

To learn more about us, go to our website http://www.lgbt.tax/about

House Value Jumping? Save Your Home Improvement Receipts (@ronlieber @Your_Money @nytimes)

Over the past twenty years, homeowners in cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, New York, and Boston have seen the value of their homes increase dramatically. So, if it ever comes time to sell the property, the gains on the sale can often be quite large, and exceed the tax-free limits.
But there are ways to offset these gains, mainly through things such as proof of the cost of home improvements, which can mean tens, and sometimes even hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional tax-free gains.

Full article at The New York Times

"If you've owned nearly any home here in Santa Barbara long enough, you could have a taxable gain on your home."

To have us call you about finance, estate planning or tax issues, fill out the form at http://www.lgbt.tax/Start

IRS Agrees to Give Identity-Theft Victims Copies of Fake Returns (@GeigerWire @mkmcollins @business)

If an identity thief filed a federal tax return in your name, you can now request a copy of the fake return, and see exactly what they did:

Full article at Bloomberg Business

"The IRS announced the change in a letter to Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, who had called for increased transparency for victims of identity theft.
“We have decided to change our policy regarding disclosure of fraudulent identity-theft returns to victims whose name and SSN the fraudulent return was filed under,” IRS Commissioner John Koskinen wrote in a May 28 letter to Ayotte. He said the agency is putting together the new procedure now. The IRS confirmed the letter and declined to comment further."

To have us call you about finance, estate planning or tax issues, fill out the form at http://www.lgbt.tax/Start