Sarah Mahaffa

FAQs of a Financial Planner

As a financial planner, I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard, “I think we’re making good decisions, but I don’t really know.” In that situation, it’s hard to feel confident you are doing th... Read More

Child Tax Credit: Opt Out or Take the Money?

If you are a parent receiving your Child Tax Credit as monthly payments in advance of filing your 2021 tax return, be cautious. You may be required to pay some or all of the money back to the federal... Read More

Travel Insurance – Don’t Leave Home Without It!

Travel is picking up again as those postponed trips from 2020 are finally happening.  One thing in the back of many people’s mind is – what if something happens and we can’t go? When packing the sunsc... Read More

The Nanny Tax: How Does it Work?

Parents working from home. Kids learning at home. Help needed!  So, you hired a nanny to reduce the pandemic chaos.  What a relief!  But did you think about the tax issues involved?  With tax deadline... Read More

Fraud in Unemployment Claims

Job loss due to the pandemic resulted in an unprecedented number of unemployment claims across the country. Unfortunately, some of those claims have been determined to be fraudulent. Cybercriminals do... Read More

What’s Restrictive about Restricted Stock?

Here’s the deal:  You pay nothing; shares of your employer stock are reserved for you; a specific period of time passes; you pay personal income tax on the value of the shares; and now the shares are... Read More

Married Filing Separately: Who Does That?

2020 has been the year of the unexpected, and as a result, you may have decided to wait until the extended deadline of July 15 to file your 2019 tax return. Whether you have already filed or are still... Read More

CARES Act: Benefits for Families

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law. The almost 900 pages of legislation are jam-packed with programs designed to help taxpayers navig... Read More

FAFSA: The First Step in Financial Aid

It’s that time of year!  If you have a student entering or returning to college in the fall of 2020, now’s the time to start the financial aid process.  An hour of your time could mean thousands of...... Read More

Can You Recoup College Expenses with Tax Credits?

August is here and before long students will be off to college. If you have a college-bound student, you’ve already marked a lot of financial steps off your list, things like completing the financi...... Read More