April is arriving. Here’s what to expect
April showers bring May flowers and we could certainly use a little rain around here -- but we may not get it. As we like to say, “Climate is what you expect, and weather is what you get.” So, nothing is set in stone (recall the Tax Day floods? Rainfall averages 3.41 inches but we are at a 50% rainfall deficit both for the month of March and for 2021. With less cloud cover and rain, temperatures will naturally be warmer. The soil moisture I talked about last Monday and the exceptional and extreme drought continues across much of the U.S.
New alert warns of tax season cyberscam
Kacper Pempel | REUTERSHackers know you're stressed out about your taxes – and they're looking to take advantage of it. In a new report released Thursday, Boston-based cybersecurity firm Cybereason says it has identified a new hacking campaign designed to capitalize on users' tax anxieties with spear-phishing emails that purport to contain tax documents, but actually unleash malware. Here's how the scam allegedly works: Hackers include documents in the emails that appear to be tax documents. Source: CybereasonCybereason CEO Lior Div said hackers often try to use events in the news to trick users into clicking, and Tax Day is just their latest hook. Div said some hackers offer their criminal customers 24/7 help desks to call for support if they're having difficulty executing their cyberattacks.
cnbc.comWhat to know about spring floods
The cover picture above isn’t a throwback to Imelda or Harvey or Beta, nor is it a pic of the Memorial Day floods or Tax Day floods. TxDOT is quick to remind us: Flash floods are the leading cause of weather-related deaths in Texas, and about 60% of flood-related deaths in our state involve motor vehicles. But the National Weather Service can at least look at parameters regarding river flooding and soil moisture to determine what we are up against for major, widespread floods. Put simply, we’re at a pretty equal chance for river flooding either way. You can read the full 2021 Spring Flood Outlook report at the top of the NWS home page.
Is it time to switch to paying quarterly taxes? Here’s when to decide, and how to get it done
There’s one day each year that sticks out to American taxpayers everywhere, and this year is April 18: Tax Day. But to another group of people -- the ones who make quarterly payments -- there are three other times a year to pay up.
New timeline shows when all coronavirus stimulus payments should arrive
Instead, it marked a different big milestone: the beginning of the coronavirus stimulus payments. Who gets paid firstThis week, more than 80 million Americans are expected to receive payments via direct deposit into their bank accounts, according to the Treasury Department. That direct deposit information will come from either their 2018 or 2019 tax returns. People who receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits who filed returns that included their direct deposit information should receive their payments at this time. If you submit your direct deposit information online by next Thursday, you should receive the funds the following week.
cnbc.comTax Day is now 3 months away. Here are 3 tax savings opportunities
ljubaphotoIt's April 15, and while federal income tax returns don't have to be in today, there are still a few savings opportunities if you know where to look. "Making contributions toward IRAs and health savings accounts is always a good suggestion," said Thomas Neuhoff, CPA at Henry & Peters in Tyler, Texas. Be aware that while the federal deadline has moved, you should check with your state to see whether due dates for state tax returns have changed. Here are a few suggestions to consider as you pull together your 2019 tax return. Ramp up health savingsFor 2019, health savings accounts allow you to put away up to $3,500 if you have self-only coverage in a high-deductible health insurance plan.
cnbc.comTaxes & Trust Houston Public Media
As we approach Tax Day, its time to think about how both citizens and the government can work toward greater tax compliance. Professor Janet Meade, with the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston, has some thoughts. Trust isnt a word typically associated with tax, she said. Yet, research shows that trust both among citizens themselves and between citizens and the government can affect willingness to pay.Professor Meade continued So how do we build trust into our tax culture? In short, we start by trusting ourselves.For more stories from the Bauer Business Focus, click here.
houstonpublicmedia.orgFort Bend County advances on home buyouts, Texas Heritage Parkway
Fort Bend County is moving forward on home buyouts from the 2016 Tax Day floods and the upcoming Texas Heritage Parkway. The property donation comes from GM Equity Groups 121.1-acre tract with a 2019 assessed value of $14,530 and a 2019 market value of $3.9 million, according to public documents and the Fort Bend County Appraisal District. Construction on the $48.9 million Texas Heritage Parkway is expected to start this fall, Meyers said in an interview. The mobility project will provide another north-south thoroughfare to connect the Westpark Tollway to I-10, and the project is funded by Fort Bend County, the cities of Fulshear and Katy as well as private developers. Meanwhile, construction on the new library is expected to coincide with Texas Heritage Parkway, Meyers said in December.
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