CummingHome.com Local news, events, and business from Cumming, GA and Forsyth County

Top Scams of 2011
Better Business Bureau investigates thousands of scams every year, from the latest gimmicks to schemes as old as the hills. We’ve divided scams up into nine major categories and picked the top scam in each, plus our Scam of the Year...
0 comment(s)

AAA: Motorists Should Update Auto Insurance Policy Before Summer Travel Season
During the summer travel season, between Memorial Day and Labor Day, millions of motorists will take to the roadways for weekend getaways and vacations. With so many drivers on city roads and highways, it’s important motorists check their auto policy to make any necessary adjustments and ensure they have proper coverage should a crash occur...
0 comment(s)

PT Barnum, the US Economy and Your Money
Obama released his long-form birth certificate, and Mr. Trump is making noise about a presidential run; P.T. Barnum at his finest couldn’t orchestrate what is shaping up to be a most interesting election year...
0 comment(s)

Makers vs. Takers
Politicians came to an agreement late Friday evening that avoided shutting down the government. If these decisions didn't weigh so heavily on the future of our country, at least the posturing and grandstanding of Congress would provide a bit of comic relief...
0 comment(s)

Weekly Financial Commentary April 4th, 2011
IN SPITE OF UNCERTAINTY AROUND the world, the domestic equity indices have turned in a solid performance the last two weeks. By the numbers, for the two weeks ended Friday, April 1, 2011, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 12,376, up 518 points, or 4.2%. The Standard & Poor’s 500 closed at 1332, up 53 points, or 4%...
0 comment(s)

Only Two Weeks Until Tax Deadline –Taxpayers Encouraged to Utilize IRS Free File for No-Cost Federal Tax Preparation & E-Filing
The Free File Alliance, a coalition of industry-leading tax software companies partnered with the Internal Revenue Service, today urged taxpayers to take advantage of the IRS Free File program before the April 18 tax deadline. IRS Free File provides free online tax software for all Americans with a 2010 Adjusted Gross Income of $58,000 or less...
0 comment(s)

Weekly Financial Commentary, March 23, 2011
According to the Federal Reserve, 19 banks have added $25 billion in earnings since 2008. This from a recent stress test, or Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review, report, several banks, including Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, BBT, and US Bancorp, have announced share buybacks, repayment of TARP funds, increased dividends, or some combination of the three...
0 comment(s)

BBB Tips For Buying A Used Car
Do you or your children need a good used car? Is it stressing you to look for a used car? Buy with confidence by considering the following tips:
0 comment(s)

Randy Brunson's Financial Market Review
VOLATILITY CONTINUES, WITH THE MAJOR indices off over the last three weeks. By the numbers, for the three weeks ended Friday, March 11, 2011, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 12,044, down 86 points, or 0.7%. The Standard & Poor’s 500 closed at 1304, down 15 points, or 1.2%, and the NASDAQ Composite closed at 2715, down 66 points, or 2.4%...
0 comment(s)

H&R Block Offers Free Second Look® Review to Help Taxpayers Recover Missed Money
Sixty percent of American taxpayers trust tax preparers to prepare their taxes and find every tax credit and deduction allowed by law. Other taxpayers choose to prepare their taxes themselves. Unfortunately, many of them make serious mistakes on their returns.
1 comment(s)

BBB Recommends Following the Top Ten Tips from the Internal Revenue Service this Tax Season
With April 18th fast approaching, it’s time to start the tax filing process that we all know and love. This tax season, if you are planning to get assistance from a tax preparer or even if you’re planning to do the leg work yourself, Better Business Bureau, along with the Internal Revenue Service recommend following these top ten tax filing tips...
0 comment(s)

Seller Beware – Don’t Lose Money on Your Gold and Silver
As the dollar plummets in value, the price of gold and silver continues to remain at all-time highs...
1 comment(s)

Monthly Investment Commentary
The new year started on a mixed note as January saw low single-digit gains across domestic large-cap and mid-cap stocks, and slightly negative returns for small-cap stocks (see benchmark returns table for full details). Looking abroad, large-cap international stocks were up 1% in January, while emerging-markets stocks dropped nearly 3% as concerns about unrest in the Middle East and high inflation in some emerging-market countries spooked investors...
1 comment(s)

Tax Refund Anticipation Loans Are Costly, Whether You Get A Check Or A Debit Card
Refund anticipation loans are similar to payday loans...
0 comment(s)

Randy Brunson's Weekly Comentary - January 24, 2011
By the numbers, for the three weeks ended Friday, January 21, 2011, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 11,871, up 294 points, or 2.5%...
0 comment(s)

AAA: Consumers Not Stuck With High Interest Rates; Now Is The Time To Refinance Auto Loan
Interest rates provided through dealership are typically marked up 2 to 3 points and provide additional profit to the dealer
0 comment(s)

Know Before You File: 11 Tips to Save Taxpayers Time, Money
2011 tips include free 1040EZ filing, 2-percent pay raise, unemployment...
0 comment(s)

Your Personal CFO- Randy Brunson's Weekly Commentary
Some commentators are suggesting the collapse of the U.S. dollar, and of the federal debt, as the “full faith and credit of the U.S. government” fractures...
1 comment(s)

New Rules For Gift Cards
New Federal Reserve rules provide important protections when you purchase or use gift cards...
0 comment(s)

Newlyweds Say ‘I do’ to New Tax Filing Status
To have, to hold, to file 
Newlyweds say ‘I do’ to new tax filing status, H&R Block advises on new tax issues...
0 comment(s)

Smart Shopping Tips When Using A Debit or Credit Card
Consumers like to use debit and credit cards when shopping. However, scammers often see this as a great opportunity for fraud, which hurts the trust we have...
0 comment(s)

Brainwashed: You & Your Taxes
Do you remember your first job?  You had figured out how much you were making an hour and how many hours you had worked.  But when that check came and it was for less than you had calculated, you were immediately alarmed and wondered who had stolen your money and besides, what’s this FICA thing?  Do you remember your shock?...
1 comment(s)

Last Minute, No-Cost Donations for Georgia State Taxpayers
There is still time for Georgia taxpayers to make a donation and redirect income tax by pre-qualifying for education expense credit...
0 comment(s)

LLCs and S Corps: The Different Forms of Entities
After discussing unemployment, retirement and tax planning, Edwin Natic, CPA compares Limited Liability Corporations (LLCs) with the S Corp...
0 comment(s)

Individual Health Benefit Policies: A Win-Win for Everyone
An individual health benefit plan may be the answer to skyrocketing health benefit costs, as Kelli Cantlin explains...
2 comment(s)

But I Thought I Could Bring it Back
It’s that time of year - the season for frenzied shopping, hurried decisions and desperate searches for just the right gift. Now, before any purchases are made, give your self a small gift of knowledge that may save you time, frustration and most importantly, money...
0 comment(s)

Tax Planning: The Challenges This Time Around
Regular contributor, Edwin Natic, CPA, discusses end-of-year tax planning tools for small businesses and individuals...
1 comment(s)

Don’t Let a Financial Crisis Ruin Your Retirement
Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor Mike Sloan helps people secure retirement income through repositioning of their retirement savings...
0 comment(s)

Coping With and Taking Advantage of Unemployment: COBRA Benefits and ROTH Conversions
Contributing columnist Edwin Natic, CPA, gives and explains the latest information on COBRA and ROTH benefits...
0 comment(s)

BBB Warns Consumers To Beware of Buying Flood Damaged Cars
Following every major flood or hurricane, scam artists try to pawn off flooded vehicles as standard secondhand cars. Flood-damaged vehicles will be popping up at auto auctions, used car dealerships and in classified ads. Unsuspecting consumers, particularly those living in regions of the country unaffected by hurricanes or flooding, are led astray by fresh upholstery, new carpeting and bargain prices...
0 comment(s)