The year is rapidly coming to a close and many individuals and companies are looking for that perfect organization to contribute to this holiday season. Charitable giving is a fulfilling and meaningful experience, and even though individual donations are down 13.7 percent nationally this year (Source: Businessweek), many are continuing to make a conscious effort to give back and better their community or cause they support.

With any year-end giving, there are many things to take into consideration.

For individuals, charitable giving can be a daunting task if you are unaware how to file the information on your federal tax return and may end up losing you money come tax time. The following is a list of basic charitable giving tips to ensure your...

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Meet with your financial advisor or tax professional. They have a much better feel for your personal situation and can provide strategies for your circumstances. The following ideas, while they can provide significant tax benefits, may or may not make sense in your personal situation. There are so many variables to address that not all of the details can be covered in this article so remember to please consult a professional to maximize these ideas. Lastly, many tax laws are being considered for changes as we write, and your financial advisor or tax...

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An interesting market topic that surfaces around the Holidays every year is a phenomenon known as the "Santa Claus rally." This refers to the observation that the stock market has often shown positive returns during the period from Christmas to the New Year. Over the years, the topic seems to have progressed from a mere curiosity to an anticipated event. Is the Santa Claus Rally actually a recurring result of market forces or is it simply patternicity – people seeing patterns in...

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