Recent years have witnessed the mainstreaming of alternative investments for certain accredited investors. In fact, one study found that alternative investments have grown to make up about 25% of state and locally run public pension fund investments.

The COVID pandemic prompted numerous temporary changes to the tax laws for 2020 and 2021. From Economic Impact Payments, penalty-free IRA distributions and the expanded child tax credit to Employee Retention Credits and credits for paid leave, taxpayers had ample areas to make mistakes when completing their tax returns — on top of the usual annual tripwires.

The market value of your home will be an important consideration in several decisions you might make, including refinancing, borrowing against the home's accumulated equity, putting the home up for sale, estimating homeowner's insurance, estimating annual property taxes, estimating the return from remodeling jobs, estate planning, and so forth. Remember, how much was paid for the home when it was first purchased is irrelevant to its current market value.

Let's say you have an unincorporated sideline activity that you think of as a business, including an activity involving horses. If you have a net loss (deductible expenses exceed revenue) on that activity and you think you can deduct that loss on your personal federal income tax return, think again!