Guidance on New COBRA Rules From The IRS And Doeren Mayhew

By Doeren Mayhew

Recently, the IRS addressed how employers are to administer and seek recovery of the new COBRA premium subsidy enacted under the American ecovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5). The IRS Act provides that an individual who has been involuntarily terminated on or after September 1, 2008, through the end of 2009 is required to pay only 35% of the group health insurance premium to secure COBRA continuation coverage (up to nine months).

The new guidance focuses on two broad areas: Form preparation - the mechanics of how an employer recovers the COBRA premium subsidy through a payroll credit claimed on IRS Form 941, and administration and eligibility. The guidance also addresses common inquiries surrounding the timing of when the subsidy begins and ends.

How the Subsidy Works: A former employee and his or her family are "assistance eligible employees" if they are eligible for COBRA health insurance continuation coverage as a result of any involuntary termination occurring from September 1, 2008, through December 31, 2009. These individuals are required to pay only 35% of the group health insurance premium that would otherwise apply.

Under the Act, the "person to whom the premiums are payable" - generally, the employer - pays the other 65% of the COBRA continuation premium. The employer will then be reimbursed by means of a federal payroll tax credit claimed on Form 941.

Payroll Credit Usually, an employer can claim the payroll credit for the COBRA premium subsidy on Form 941, Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return. To do so, the employer should enter the amount of any COBRA premium assistance payments paid on behalf of employees for that quarter on Line 12a. The amount entered should equal 65% of eligible workers' total COBRA premium payments - not amounts received from former employees.

In its Guidance, the IRS indicated that there has been some confusion surrounding the proper number of individuals to be reported on Line 12b as having received COBRA premium assistance reported on Line 12a. The guidance clarifies that only one individual should be counted for Line 12b purposes in a situation where a former employee has also secured coverage for other qualifying individuals such as a spouse and/or children.

Timing Issues from the IRS: The bureau has also clarified that the COBRA payment reduction applies as of the first punctuation of coverage beginning on or after February 17, 2009, for which a qualifying reflex terminated employee is suitable to clear 35% of the premium. The exact fellow of coverage is force upon the punctuation to which premiums are charged to the plan. The 35% payment subsidy generally applies until the earliest of three events: (1) when the past employee secures other health shelter coverage; (2) the fellow that is nine months after the first day of the first period for which the special COBRA payment subsidy provision applies; or (3) the fellow the individual is no individual suitable for COBRA continuation coverage. - 23196

About the Author:

Visit Doeren Mayhew online for more information. Doeren Mayhew is located in Troy, Michigan.

Student Loan Consolidation

By Layla Vanderbilt

Student loan consolidation can be considered as a sensible option to take if you are facing a financial turbulence or for any circumstance unable to meet high monthly payment of your student loan. A typical consolidation consist of a small amount of loan you can take which could be used towards paying future student loan instalments and avoiding further deferments. A further advantage is you do not have to meet any credit scoring criteria, which means for those who have a poor or low credit score you still can avail this loan. For those who are having trouble keeping a tab on multiple loans taken, particularly multiple student loans taken, consolidating your loan into one lump would be more convenient.

One of the primary benefits of consolidation is the convenience it adds. After consolidation you will be able to make fewer payments to fewer creditors overall. Student loan consolidation allows the borrower to pay one creditor, instead of the many lenders often associated with student loans. This will make it easier to pay your loan every month and avoid the risk of forgetting a payment, which will eventually damage your credit and incur penalties, which will further strain your financial situation.

You may see that after loan consolidation your credit score has improved, helping with many of your financial matters in the future. Making payments to one creditor may prove favorable in raising your credit score. Not only does your credit show fewer lenders, but also by paying only one creditor you reduce your risk of forgetting a loan payment, which would also show up on your credit report. Consolidation can also help keep your interest rates lower than you would have experienced with many different payments.

While it may sound as if the advantages outweigh any cons of student loan consolidation, you should investigate it further for your specific situation. While one borrower may find lower interest rates and greater simplification, it may not be ideal for another borrower. To ensure that your finances are improved and not further strained by student loan consolidation, you should investigate your lenders and loan specifications.

The time and energy you put into research about your loans will pay off in the long run. At first you may find that the endeavor is not worth the aggravation, particularly if you have many student loans to consolidate, but the long-term benefits will be obvious later. You will appreciate more solid finances in the future as you need to make more and more decisions regarding money.

Part of your research should include the feasibility of paying off each lender as part of a consolidation. You will want to ensure a smooth transition between all of the financial institutions involved. If you are happy with any of the institutions you are currently using, you should check to see if they would consolidate all of your loans. This may cut down on your paperwork and red tape involved with consolidation. You will definitely want to consider the interest rate available for your consolidated loan. You will want to make sure that once you consolidate you are cumulatively better off in terms of the amount of interest you are paying. You will need to shop around for the best rate. Above all, make sure you are getting all of the information necessary so that you will be an informed borrower before making any decisions. - 23196

About the Author:

Layla Vanderbilt is the webmaster for a leading website that offers for instant bad debt consolidation advice and guidance.

Wait And Think About It

By Jennifer McClelland

As said in an past article, from time to time the best movement is standing still. As true as that is, after the three month economic rally we've seen, it's time to stop and refocus. In a discussion in the remarks of a previous post regarding the new Northrop Grumman agreement, this author made the subsequent comment, to the arrangement of both parties involved in the conversation, "However, you mentioned we had the biggest rally in history. That is true, and it concerns me slightly. Our recession hit a false bottom. I'm afraid that people will get too excited and we will hit a false rally. I'd like to see a slow, steady rally as we rebuild a firm foundation under it, instead of just setting up another rollercoaster ride." That is exactly what you are currently seeing.

We are stepping to the left at the moment, and then taking a step or two back to take a look at what we are at present doing. That is healthful and, albeit odd to admit, encouraging. Investors have been courageous but intelligent and it paid off for three months in a good rally. Investors are at this time backing off with the gossip that the signs of financial growth have hindered and will need more concrete evidence of rally before building further. With the dread of rising interest rates, inflation, the slipping value of the US dollar and increasing commodity costs, it is understandable and strong.

The slipping dollar and inflation are wordlessly robust concerns. Reservations over government arrears (partially created by the complete TARP debacle) that has began to lead to a little further printing is beginning to drop the worth of the dollar. Merge that with fears of inflation or a increase in interest rates by reason of impending efforts by the Federal Reserve to trump inflation and you have a very shaky economic system on which to run a stabilizing market. Be encouraged, however, because investors are doing the right thing and the economic slowdown after a hefty rally is a great, healthy thing. This allows the economy to even out and develop under the new recovery previous to starting another one and gives the state time to begin giving the dollar financial CPR and gives the Fed to manage interest rates and inflation. Each person wins.

"A sideways move in the economy is in fact a corrective move. You dispose of the overbought state when you move sideways," said Keith Springer, leader of Sacramento-based Capital Financial Advisory Services. Analysts and experts warn that the rally was a bit too much for the economy to control and that a minor pullback is in order to recapitulate and coagulate before moving at all further. The S&P 500 index ascended 40% ever since March, something that usually takes years to accomplish. That is massive and requires a fit break to gauge the situation and look for helpful news prior to pressing on.

The major indexes stirred less than 1% last week, creating a pleasant hard halt. "I'm likely to take the economy action the last two weeks as sensibly positive," said Uri Landesman, from ING Investment Management worldwide increase strategies. - 23196

About the Author:

Learn more about keyword #1. Stop by Jennifer McClelland's site where you can find out all about investing and what it can do for you.

Home Inspection Basics As A First Time Homebuyer

By Alexandria P. Anderson

All homebuyers are prone to overlook major problems during the buying process only to be surprised by them once they have already paid for the property. You can consider hiring a professional home inspector even before signing any contract to avoid any regrets and stress after buying a property.

However, you aren't required to conduct an official home inspection until after signing the initial contract, so it's a good idea to learn as much as possible about the condition of the home by having an honest discussion with the seller, and even performing your own 'mini' inspection where you can check for basic structural defects or potential problems.

Sellers usually allow prospective buyers to check the condition of the property before any contracts are signed. This can give the buyer some bargaining advantage during negotiation since the buyer is already aware of any damages the property has acquired through time. 'The Smart Consumer's Guide to Home Buying' advocates the use of checklists and taking a note of all known issues regarding the property. The book further explains that conducting an informal inspection is very beneficial to homebuyers, especially those who are considering buying a house that needs renovation.

Create a checklist that you will use in your home inspection. This will help you in taking notes of the general condition and appearance of the house. Below are important issues to include in your notes:

The age of the house - You should know exactly when the house was built. Find out if there are any renovations or upgrades done and when these took place. Ask if blueprints, architect or engineer plans are available.

Examine the foundation of the house - Look for huge cracks or signs of water problems around the house and in the basement. Ask the seller about any flooding issues or other problems related to weather that the house experienced (or experiences) in different seasons.

Examine the interior of the house - Keep an eye for any defects and other potential sources of problems in the interior of the house. Specifically, you need to check if all walls are even with no cracks and if all doors are easily opened and closed. Take a picture of any visible crack, if possible. Check if there are any molds, foul odors and if all water drainages and faucets are working properly.

Check the exterior for defects and potential problems - do all of the windows and doors have adequate insulation? Do they open and close fluidly? Make sure all of the siding, windows and doors are free of cracks and any noticeable wear and tear.

Inspect the house's heating and air conditioning systems - You want to know the average electricity cost per month when operating these appliances. Ask about the age of these appliances as well. Old heating and air conditioning systems are usually inefficient and you may need to replace them.

Look at all your notes and create a written report about the condition of the house you just inspected. You may also consider using a digital camera or camcorder to take pictures and videos for a more detailed review in the future. This additional effort may give you an advantage over the seller come negotiation time. - 23196

About the Author:

About the Author: Alexandria P. Anderson is a Minnesota Real Estate agent that helps people to find and purchase Townhomes in Minnesota and other properties in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Deciding To Buy Penny Stock As Additional Income For You

By Malcolm Torren

It's not unusual to find people who would work two jobs for more income. You may have been working for more than eight hours a day, five days a week. For a time, your pay was good enough. Later on you feel that you need more. So you work harder. Then you realize that no matter how much effort you do, your pay stays proportional. Then you decide to buy penny stock shares because you heard somewhere that it can make your rich.

This is not always the case. Owning shares in a company also means putting your money at risk. If you gain some, that's good. That means you earned some money without practically lifting a finger. But what if you lose your investment? To buy penny stock shares also requires a little bit of work. The difference is that the work is more on research and learning, and not on pleasing your boss.

1. The penny stock broker. Your next step is to know where to start. Penny stocks are shares bought at an amount less than one dollar. Some stocks are higher and would go to a three dollar mark but not beyond five. That is the basic rule. You need a penny stock broker to assist you with your investment. But make no mistake. There are many swindler brokerage firms out there.

2. Learn and understand the stock market business. Basically it's a buy and sell concept. Your stock broker will give you advice on what stock to buy and when to get them. They will also help you in understanding the trade. But it doesn't mean you stop learning. Brokers will still rely on your trading decision. They will still consult you if you wish to buy penny stock of a small company. So it pays to do you part in research too.

3. Establish parameters and know up to how much you're willing to invest. By nature, all business investments have risks. But they behave differently from each other. The penny stocks have a unique risk level. It's not as liquid as those with large and medium cap shares. And often there is the lack of information of the shares and small companies' credibility. The real risk is when swindlers manipulate this part of the system. Beware of this type of investment propositions.

4. Never go and invest beyond what you can afford. Remember that your decision to buy penny stock investments is because your salary is not enough. The implication is that if you invest more than what you normally earn, the more you won't have enough. If you invested so much and lost, you will lose it forever. Regulate your investment. Learn to bank roll your funds. This is just common sense in business. Buy less and sell more.

This is not yet enough to get you started. To buy penny stock that gives you big smiles at the end of the year, you have to know more.

Stock market is a dynamic field where an investor can lose or gain everything within a matter of seconds. If you know your part of the deal well, you will have a better chance of earning more than you anticipated. Don't stop learning and most importantly don't overspend. - 23196

About the Author:

Be informed. Know the moves of penny stock pick before you buy penny stock.