First Half of Current Fiscal Year a Record-Breaker for U.S. Treasury
It’s been another record year for the federal government so far, which is in the midst of its current fiscal year. At the end of March, when the government reached its halfway point of the 2016 fiscal year, it had already collected $1.48 trillion. One might think that this massive haul would help ease the nation’s federal deficit. However, despite the record intake, the federal government still finds itself in the hole to the tune of $461 billion.
According to the U.S. treasury Department, the amount of taxes it has collected from October 2015 through March of this year has been greater than any other previous fiscal year on record. That even takes adjustment for inflation into consideration.
The Treasury Department counts revenues from several sources, including individual income taxes, unemployment insurance taxes, social insurance and retirement taxes, estate and gift taxes, corporate income taxes, excise taxes and a few other items. Of the $1.48 trillion collected so far this fiscal year, the majority comes from individual income taxes, which accounts for nearly half of the total, at $675 billion.
By way of comparison, last year, the federal government collected a total of $3.24 trillion in taxes for the entire 2015 fiscal year.
The 1031 Exchange: A Powerful Tool for Deferring Taxes
The 1031 Exchange: A Powerful Tool for Deferring Taxes Sec. 1031 exchange activity has picked up considerably in recent years, as real estate sellers facing significant capital gains look for opportunities to soften the tax blow. By exchanging real property for other real property of “like kind,” owners can defer capital gains taxes until the…
Self-Directed IRAs: Handle With Care
Self-Directed IRAs: Handle With Care IRAs – both traditional and Roth – are powerful tools for financial, retirement, and estate planning. But what if you’re not satisfied with your IRA’s performance? One way to “turbocharge” its benefits is to use a “self-directed” IRA, which is permitted to hold alternative investments that offer higher potential returns.…
Obtaining Financing
Obtaining Financing Whether you are a small or medium size business, the process of obtaining a loan is similar. Commercial lenders are interested in: The purpose of the loan. With a seasonal loan, for example, the borrower is able to pay the loan back when inventories and receivables decline after a seasonal surge in business,…
The Keys to Helping New Leaders Find Their Niche
The Keys to Helping New Leaders Find Their Niche The process to become a good leader is exactly that. A process. It doesn’t usually happen overnight. Good leaders have to learn and develop their skills and abilities and then hone them as they practice them. That takes time and experience. Sometimes there are bumps in…