California Comes Out on Top of Estimated Tax Revenue

Who says California isn’t doing well financially? When it comes to taxes, it appears that the Golden State is doing just fine. California is definitely one of the worst locations to live if you want to keep your tax bill low. With the latest report from the state’s Controller, Betty Yee, it’s no wonder that taxpayers wonder why they lose so much money to the government.
According to recent reports, the month of February was a very good month for the state treasury. That’s because Ms. Yee reported that California beat it’s tax revenue for the month of February by about $1 billion. In fact, the state received about $6.6 billion in total tax revenue in February, which beat Governor Jerry Brown’s estimates by close to 18 percent.
Of that amount, $2.6 billion came from tax receipts from personal income taxes. That was 26 percent more than expected. Meantime, taxes for retail and use were up about 16 percent. As for the fiscal year, revenue for the general fund is already 1.4 percent higher than forecasted.
While the news is good for the state, the extra money could be gone fast. That’s because with all the extra cash, many expect that democratic lawmakers will encourage the governor to increase spending.
Top 10 Critical Mistakes Homebuyers Make and How to Avoid Them
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]1. Using an out-of-town lender. Getting a mortgage in a timely and hassle-free manner is the “key that opens the door” to your new home. Lenders who don’t live in the area you are buying in will not have the contacts needed to process your loan in an efficient and timely manner. Are you aware that…
Depreciation and Section 179 Expense Updates
Depreciation and Section 179 Expense Updates 2007 Changes Increased section 179 limits. The maximum section 179 deduction you can elect for qualified section 179 property placed in service in 2007 has increased to $125,000 ($160,000 for qualified enterprise zone and qualified renewal community property). This limit is reduced by the amount by which the cost of…
Options to Avoid Foreclosure
Options to Avoid Foreclosure By Alan Olsen, CPA, MBA (tax) Managing Partner Greenstein Rogoff Olsen & Co. LLP The divide between Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill appears to be spreading even wider after President Obama used his State of the Union Address to take dead aim at high net worth individuals. The president wants…
Sale of Residence – Real Estate Tax Tips
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Sale of Residence – Real Estate Tax Tips You may qualify to exclude from your income all or part of any gain from the sale of your main home. Your main home is the one in which you live most of the time. Ownership and Use Tests To claim the exclusion, you must meet…