Richard Chapo

Effectively Using Promotional Products

As a business, you are always looking for that edge to push sales figures up. A time-tested and effective method of getting the edge is to use promotional products. To understand the value of promotional products, we have to look at late night televis... Read >

IRS Warns Taxpayers of Fake Sites

Scam artists are really pushing the envelope these days on the web. The IRS is warning taxpayers that fake IRS websites have been set up in an effort to trick people into providing information that can be used for identity theft. The variety and numbe... Read >

2.2 Billion Dollars in Unclaimed Tax Refunds About To Expire

For all the complaining about taxes, it is rather amazing that taxpayers leave so much money on the table each year. The IRS recently announced that 2.2 billion dollars in refunds are about to expire unclaimed. April 17, 2007 represents Christmas for ... Read >

Reporting Foreign Financial Accounts

If you are a US citizen, it is important to know that you must report the presence of any foreign financial accounts you have per IRS rules and regulations. In the past, the idea of a foreign financial account carried a certain wink factor. The wink, ... Read >

Tax Deductions You Might Have Missed

As April 15th draws ever closer, many taxpayers are starting to actively hunt for tax deductions to lower their bill to Uncle Sam. Here are a few that many people miss out on. The real estate market has obviously been on steroids for much of this deca... Read >

Common Tax Credits You Might Be Eligible to Claim

The trick to minimizing your tax pain is to reduce your gross income as much as possible. Tax credits are one of the more powerful tools for doing this. When compared head to head, a tax credit is often far more valuable than a tax deduction. Why? Wel... Read >

Meeting Russian Women While in Russia

It always amazes me when I surf the web and see all the sites providing information on Russian brides. If you are going to Russia, you are probably wondering what Russian women are like. As a matter of credibility, I should probably provide some refer... Read >

Will The Russians You Meet in Russia Be Unfriendly?

Russia is a complex country that has developed a unique culture all its own. Part and parcel to this culture is the fact many people have the impression Russians are unfriendly. Is it true? When discussing people of any country, it is dangerous to gene... Read >

The Peculiar Task of Packing for a Backpack Trip to Russia

For many, the idea of backpacking through Europe is the perfect vacation. For the more adventurous, backpacking through Russia sounds a bit more compelling. Russia is a huge country. I should know. I lived there for a year. In truth, the country is so... Read >

Travel Clothing – What to Take on Your Trip

Traveling out of town is definitely a must whenever you can do it. Ah, but what clothing should you take on your trip? Once you decide to go on a trip, what is the first thing you tend to do? For many people, it is heading to the local mall to buy new ... Read >

Kick Start Your Life By Traveling

Sooner or later, being an adult can really be a bummer. All the responsibility can get to you. Throw in the monotony of a 9 to 5 job, and you can find yourself in a big rut. Time to travel! Depending on your philosophical and religious beliefs, life mi... Read >

Critical, Common Sense Travel Tips

Traveling is a great way to experience new places and meet people with a different view of things. That being said, there are some common sense steps you should take to make sure your trip goes okay. Traveling is one of those areas where euphoria can b... Read >

Top Tax Scams for 2007 According to IRS

Every year, the IRS issues a list of the top tax scams the agency is seeing. Known as the "dirty dozen", here are some highlights of the 2007 list. 1. Telephone Tax Refund - This one has the IRS hot and bothered. For the first time in recent memory, t... Read >

Early Retirement Distributions and Tax Consequences

If you participate in a retirement plan, you can start distributing money at 59 and half years of age. Ah, but what are the tax consequences if you do so at an earlier age? Americans are infamous for their overall unwillingness or inability to save mon... Read >

Google’s Great Tax Escape

Less than 10 years old, Google has burst onto the scene like few companies in modern times. Now it is learning to throw around its weight when it comes to tax issues. Google likes to utter the motto of "do no evil." Of course, most people don't believ... Read >