Blog
Ann Hartz’s To-Do List If You Can’t Pay All Your Taxes
Some of our Des Moines clients are STILL pulling their paperwork -- which is understandable during this donkey of a year, and with all of the new complications.But sadly, ye olde IRS isn't extending any payment grace in a couple weeks. (I say "sadly", but here at Team...
Why Procrastination Makes Sense in 2020 For Des Moines Taxpayers
We've had impeachment votes, worldwide pandemics, quarantine-like lockdowns (for the healthy), public police brutality, widespread protests, intense riots, MURDER HORNETS, statues falling, social media anger and now we have a drunken and murderous monkey to top off...
Is Your State Broke? Ann Hartz Analyzes State Tax Revenue Sources
With national events continuing as they are, here at Ann M. Hartz, CPA and Associates, we're finding ourselves locking into "go mode" ... again.It's unusual for us to be in this mode smack in the middle of June, but this year has not been ... usual.This is because the...
Financial Mindset Management for Our Des Moines Tax Clients
Based on the history of events over the course of the last few decades (both here in Des Moines and beyond), you might have thought that world events would have slowed down in the last week -- that there could begin to be some sense of normality.But no. This isn't a...
Which Stimulus Payments Are Taxable (and Which Aren’t) For Des Moines Taxpayers
All over our nation, we're seeing pain.It's overwhelming, as someone who has to communicate to a broad base of Des Moines clients, to even articulate meaningful words about everything that is happening.So ... I'm just doing what I can to sit in the pain of it all with...
The Important Details of Mortgage Forbearance For Des Moines Taxpayers
Here we are, just out of perhaps the oddest Memorial Day weekend in memory.The summer is here! But it feels like much of our country is still mired in winter. And that feels like it is still the case, no matter the hints of progress against this virus, and no matter...
The Breakdown Of Trust In Des Moines And How To Rise Above
I've written a fair amount over the past few weeks about all of the specific provisions in the CARES Act, related to economic stimulus checks, various tax savings strategies, financial implications, and then some.And I will continue to be covering these topics in the...
Des Moines Folks With Student Loans, Or Who Take An RMD, You’ve Got To Read This
It feels to me that we're all in need of some good news.I have some great news for the young (ish) and the old (ish), but before I get there, I'd like to encourage EVERY person who is reading this:Keep your head in the game.Yes -- we can so easily get caught up in...
Separating Truth From Fiction Around The Stimulus Payments For Des Moines Taxpayers
Now, more than ever, it's important to keep your mind clear.With so many of us spending more time than ever online and on our devices, there are even more opportunities for falling -- no, DIVING -- into rabbit holes of distraction and unproductive emotion.Yes, I'm a...
What Des Moines Area Taxpayers Should Know About COVID-Related Scams
Anytime (like now) that there is a rollout of government assistance, we, here in Des Moines, can count on two things:1) Bumps in the road (it's hard to manage many millions of people needing help)2) SCAMSI haven't yet heard of any...
What Des Moines Taxpayers Should (and Should NOT) Do With Their Economic Stimulus Checks
So, you got that stimulus check (or, as the government wants to call it, your "Economic Stimulus Payment")...What next for Des Moines families and individuals?Please use these funds wisely.If I could sum up my advice for next steps, it would be this: act like you did...
Stimulus Checks and Unemployment Assistance For Des Moines Taxpayers
These are the days when the internet is not necessarily your friend.Let's leave aside the very true fact that so many of the new, online substitutes for the "real thing" are a pale imitation of what we used to have, and that with more and more time spent online, there...