Vincent Dudziak: Pasadena Lending Expert

Five Often Overlooked Tax Deductions

*By Barbara Pronin According to tax experts at Kiplinger Personal Finance, there are five legitimate tax deductions taxpayers frequently overlook. Consider these, which can save you a bundle if they apply: State sales tax – The state sales tax deduction, which expired at the end of 2011, was re-instated on January 1 as part of the fiscal cliff negotiations – and is retroactive for 2012. Congress offers a choice between deducting state income taxes paid or state sales taxes paid. Choose whichever gives you the largest deduction. (The IRS has tables that show how much residents of various states can deduct based on income and state and local sales tax rates.) State taxes paid last year – If you paid tax when you filed your 2011 state income tax return...

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Five Attention-Grabbing Ways to Get Hired

*By Barbara Pronin, RISMedia Columnist In today’s economy, according to business consultant Jim Kukral, you need to be more than experienced, qualified, and personable to get the job you want. You need to stand out from the crowd, approaching your job search in ways that grab –and hold – attention. “No employer today is going to remember someone who falls in the middle of the pack,” says Kukral, whose book, “Attention! This Book Will Make You Money,” instructs individuals and businesses in the art of using creativity and the Web to find success. Kukral offers five ways job-seekers can stand out from the crowd: Ramp up your resume – To most hiring managers, resumes look pretty much the same. Make yours stand out by delivering it in a catchy, unusual...

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Three Questions to Ask Yourself Every Morning

*By Jared James I recently held our first training call with our new virtual coaching platform, and noticed that the one topic that drew the most interest was when I covered “the three questions to ask yourself every single morning.” By simply asking these three questions, you will find that you can be more productive and have better direction for your day. Here are the three questions: 1. What – The first question to ask yourself every day is, “What do I want to accomplish today?” It is such a direct question that forces you to focus on a specific direction for the day. Most of us wake up most mornings and do whatever shows up on our desk or in our inbox. Please remember this though – not all movement is progress and it is important not to confuse...

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