Tired of Getting VA Debt Notices?

by John Cooney on Oct 21, 2021

disability, Army Reserve, Taxes, military finance

Are you receiving a notice from the VA that you owe back a portion of your disability pay?  Going into VA Debt Collection can not only be an annoying process but it can also disrupt your monthly cash flow and create some financial uncertainty into your life.  Fortunately, there is a process to try and mitigate the disruption and this article will help explain what that process is.
 

Read More

Why Your Retirement Points Are Important!

by John Cooney on Jan 27, 2021

military retirement, reserve, retirement

If you are a Reservist or a member of the National Guard, you are familiar with retirement points, or at least you should be.  Retirement points determine your eligibility for a retirement pension and the amount you receive for a pension.  In this article we will discuss how you earn retirement points, why you should be checking them for accuracy, and how to correct any discrepancies.

Read More

529s and Free Money

by John Cooney on Nov 27, 2020

529 Plans, personal finance, fee-only financial planner

One of the most often asked questions I receive as a Financial Planner is from parents asking about saving for their Children’s educations.  My advice is often to start early and use a 529 plan.  Now, for Massachusetts residents, I have even another reason to preach starting early and using a 529 plan; free money!

Read More

What Are the New Employer Tax Credits?

by John Cooney on Jun 15, 2020

Taxes

There is no question about the devastating impact the coronavirus has had on individuals and businesses.  On the business side, there is some relief out there for employers who qualify.  In this article, we will discuss two new credits, the Employee Retention Credit and the Leave Credits.  We will discuss what they are, who qualifies, how to claim the credits, and what amounts are available to take a

Read More

Claiming Your Reserve Expenses On Your Tax Return

by John Cooney on May 29, 2020

military, military finance, Taxes

While for many of our National Guard and Reserve servicemembers, traveling to monthly Battle Assemblies right now is not an option, we do hope that in the near future we will be back to meeting together, in-person, as a unit.  When the stop order movement is lifted, it is important that all servicemembers are aware of the tax rules around being able to deduct your out of pocket expenses for travellin

Read More