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Cost of Health Care Reform Start to Emerge

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Finance expert Mike Periu on the cost of health care reform under the Affordable Care Act. Several independent organizations, including the Kaiser Family Foundation, have released new data on the expected cost of heath insurance under the Affordable Care Act regulations soon to go into effect. In their view, most families have an unrealistic expectation of how much assistance they will receive in government subsidies and are not aware of how much health insurance will continue to cost. A … [Read more...]

The Best and Worst States to Make a Fortune

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Finance expert Mike Periu on how the state you live in can have a profound impact on the taxes you pay. These are the Best and Worst States to Make a Fortune We now know that two PowerBall tickets had the winning number combination for the nearly $580 million jackpot last night. The winners will have to make some very important decisions related to financial planning, tax strategies and estate planning. How much of the jackpot they get to keep will depend in large part on which state they … [Read more...]

New Small Business Tax Break Being Proposed

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Finance expert Mike Periu on President Obama's New Small Business Tax Break proposal for a $25 billion dollar tax break for small businesses. The President announced a proposal for a new $25 billion tax break to small businesses. Calling it a stimulus package, the proposal would offer small businesses a tax credit equivalent to 10 percent of the cost of salaries for new hires and increased pay to existing workers. The purpose of the credit is to stimulate new hiring and increase compensation to … [Read more...]

A way to save on your investment income before rising taxes

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Finance expert Mike Periu on a way to save on your investment income before rising taxes take effect next year. 3.8 Percent Tax on Investment Income is a Certainty for 2013 Even though reports of a framework for a fiscal cliff deal are starting to emerge, we know one tax that will go into effect next year regardless of what happens with that negotiation: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) provision will tax "unearned net investment income". This will … [Read more...]

Financial Apps for Small-Business Owners’ Mobile Phones

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Finance expert Mike Periu on helpful financial apps specifically designed for small-business owners. Small-business owners interested in keeping better control of their company's finances now have access to a series of mobile apps designed just for that purpose. Square allows you to process payments directly from your iPhone, iPad or Android phone using a small adapter that reads credit cards. InDinero is the Mint.com of small businesses, offering a user-friendly, consolidated view of your … [Read more...]

How Consumer Spending Patterns Change With Age

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Finance expert Mike Periu on how shifting consumer spending patterns can help inform your marketing strategy. As consumers get older, how they spend their money changes significantly. Economic forecasting firm HS Dent performed an extensive analysis of consumer expenditures across 35 categories of products and services and then graphed the changes by age. Small-business owners should consider the age of their existing customers to determine if there is a good fit between what you sell and to … [Read more...]

Special Dividends Being Issued in Anticipation of 2013 Tax Increases

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In anticipation of 2013 tax increases, Special dividends being issued by companies in 2012. 2013 Tax Increases: In addition to their regular quarterly dividend payments, many large corporations are also issuing special dividends this year. During the past several months, the number of companies issuing special dividends has increased 400 percent. Small investors are largely welcoming these special dividends because issuing them in 2012 means that they can avoid paying higher income taxes that … [Read more...]

Government Accountability Office Says Eliminate the Dollar Bill

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Finance expert Mike Periu writes about the Government Accountability Office Says replacing the dollar bill with a dollar coin could save the government millions. The Government Accountability Office (GAO), the audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of the United States Congress, has recently issued a recommendation to eliminate the dollar bill and replace it with a dollar coin. This would save the U.S. government about $147 million per year over 30 years. More importantly, many industries … [Read more...]

Mobile Payments Will Soon Reach $1 Trillion Annually

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Finance expert Mike Periu on the evolution and growing use of mobile Technology as Mobile Payments Will Soon Reach $1 Trillion Annually. According to a new study, payments made from mobile devices will reach $1 trillion annually by 2017. For many companies, this will mean overhauling the way they sell and accept mobile payments. The traditional point of sale transaction may soon become obsolete as consumers switch to new payment technologies which will be embedded into their mobile devices. The … [Read more...]

Military Aircraft MRO Market to Surpass $41 Billion Next Year

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Finance expert Mike Periu on the one area of military spending that will increase in the next decade, The Military Aircraft MRO Market. Many small businesses that serve as Department of Defense subcontractors would be adversely impacted if sequestration—the mandatory spending cuts that are part of the fiscal cliff—takes place. There is one segment of military spending, however, that is set to grow globally over the next decade—MRO for military aircraft. MRO stands for maintenance, repair and … [Read more...]