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1500 questions
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3 answers

Tax benefits of recycling

Today I spent 15 minutes of my time to drop off burnt-out incandescent light bulbs at the only place in town that accepts them. I was charged $1/bulb for helping the planet. The cashier told me to keep my receipt for "tax purposes", but was unable…
Boris Bukh
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Which year to use to pay US taxes on business income that was invoiced in December but paid in January?

I was paid a few hundred dollars to review a few textbooks. I submitted an invoice in Dec 2016, and received payment in Jan 2017. When I pay taxes on this income, does that count towards 2016 or 2017? The context of my question is US federal taxes.
I Like to Code
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Why does Warren Buffett say his fund performance, relatively, is likely to be better in a bear market than in a bull market?

Currently, I am reading his annual letter. In his letter, he always says that his fund performance is likely to be better in a bear market than in a bull market, but I don't know why. Could someone explain this to…
CSnerd
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Are banks really making less profit when interest rates are low?

I've read this claim many times in the news: banks are making less profit from the lending business when interest rates are historically low. Isn't this a bogus claim? Let me clarify: To loan money out, the bank either needs to accept deposits from…
lopta88
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What is the tax liability on the sale of a classic car?

We have a rare classic car, bought new in 1969, for around 5K. We've recently (partially) restored the car, spending around 5K. Because of the rarity of the car, we expect it to sell for over 200K. Our adjusted gross income is less than $60,000.…
Diane
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What Was "A Lot of Money" In 1971?

In 1971 before the United States left the gold standard, the median home price was approximately $24,000. Now, the median home price is approximately $180,000. For people who were alive then and remember the zeitgeist, what was considered "a lot of…
wpquestionz
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How can I prevent future card fraud?

I got a text from my bank yesterday informing me that my wife's debit card had been used for a fraudulent charge - we've confirmed that this text message was valid, and informed the credit union about the fraud, but now my wife's card is on hold,…
Zibbobz
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Should I buy a home or rent in my situation?

Let me start off by saying this question has been asked a million times before in a million different ways. I’m asking it now for my own clarity of what is the best thing to do in my situation and some guidance. And I swear I may sound like a total…
user42101
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What's the average credit limit?

For a number of reasons, I recently asked my credit card company for a credit limit increase. I was hoping they'd propose a new limit to me, but they instead the reverse happened: they asked how much I wanted. I decided to play it conservative; the…
jldugger
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I received a share of Apple stock. Now what?

For my 13th birthday, I received a single share of AAPL, Apple Inc. I framed my certificate, and placed it up on my wall, but what else can I do? I am aware of the basic mechanics of buying and selling, but because it is a share of a company, do I…
AAM111
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How will going from 75% Credit Utilization to 0% Credit Utilization affect my credit score?

I currently have a 75% credit utilization, which I know is not favorable on about 35,000 revolving credit. I am getting my year end bonus and plan on using that to completely pay off all of my credit cards leaving me with a 0% credit utilization. …
Jeremy
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Buy a smaller home now, and buy a bigger home later OR just wait to buy the bigger home later

Option 1: Buy a smaller house/condo now and later down the road (5-10 years) sell it to buy a bigger place. Option 2: Wait, rent (for 5-10 years), and save to buy a bigger place. Background Details: Location: San Diego, CA (or nearby) "Smaller…
anon
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Is it better to use a 401k loan to make a down payment or to put less than 20% down?

I'm about to buy a house and am considering two options: Make a 12% down payment and pay for mortgage insurance Take out a 401k loan and make a 20% down payment I'm having a hard time finding resources that really discuss the pros and cons of each…
James McNellis
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Do I actually have to pay my daughter minimum wage for helping around the house?

I blogged about my discussion to this question. When I mentioned that I paid my almost-six-year-old daughter $2 for a job that took an hour I had a commenter say that I paid her "below minimum." (The commenter smells like a troll but it still has…
mbhunter
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Are warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam's Club worth it?

Are warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam's Club worth it? What's the best way to approach buying at these stores - buying everything there instead of the grocery store, or buying specific things? Which items tend to be cheaper at the warehouse club…
bms2
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