Conservation easements help protect natural areas and historic buildings while offering a tax break for the property owners involved. But the IRS views many of these arrangements as "abusive" from a tax perspective. This article discusses two recent updates to this long-standing issue: a revised IRS webpage and a new settlement initiative.

It's a balancing act that virtually every business owner must master. You extend credit to customers to encourage sales, but then you must collect on that credit in a timely fashion or face a cash flow crunch. The key to reaching the highest levels of accounts receivable mastery: knowledge. This article provides three useful metrics to measure the efficacy of your collections process.

During the course of a marriage, a spouse may decide to leave the workforce either temporarily or permanently. For instance, you might need to stay home to care for a family member or tend to your own health issues. Fortunately, nonworking spouses may still be eligible to contribute to tax-advantaged traditional and Roth IRAs. Here's an overview of how working and nonworking spouses can contribute to IRAs for the current tax year.

The time to look for options in long-term care is long before you need it. You can protect yourself against the catastrophe of having your savings wiped out by a long-term illness. But while insurance coverage can provide peace of mind and a possible tax deduction, be sure you shop smartly for the policy that fits your needs. Here's the lowdown on what can be an expensive proposition.