“The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax” – Albert Einstein

While many would say this quotation is accurate in any tax year, 2010 is going to be especially tricky. You have already read about many of the tax issues you face related to income items. Now let’s take a few minutes to go over Year-End Planning related to capital gains and losses. Given the strong performance of the market since its low in 2009, many investors may have significant gains in their stock, bond, and mutual fund positions. read more »

After a nearly continuous upward climb from March 2009 through April 2010, stocks experienced a significant downturn in May and June and finished the quarter well into the red. read more »