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Amid all the chatter about Mitt Romney's high income and low taxes, many have wondered why more Americans don't take advantage of those attractive capital gains rates. The answer is that most people can't -- at least not on a level large enough to make a difference in their finances.
While the pundits debated the vices and virtues of Mitt Romney's and Newt Gingrich's tax returns, the folks at Kiplinger were scouring them for ideas that could help you. Even if you'll never have a Swiss bank account or own complex foreign assets, these dozen moves could help you lower your IRS bill.
When it comes to Social Security's woes, the potential cures discussed the most are unpleasant: Raise the retirement age, reduce payments, or raise the tax rate. Fortunately, those aren't the only options.
On Tuesday, GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney released his tax returns, which showed he only paid about 14% of his $21.6 million income in taxes. You'll probably never have that kind of money, but you can use some of his methods to save on your own taxes.
With all the talk about taxes and whether we should lower them, you'd think that the citizens and corporations of the United States face steep tax rates. You'd be wrong, though. When it comes to taxes, things are not as they appear.
In 2036, Social Security's Trust Fund is set to run out of money, after which it's anticipated that the program's benefits will be cut by about a quarter. And if you're likely to be around when that happens, you need a plan to make up the difference.
Lawmakers have gotten in the habit of waiting until the last minute to extend many tax breaks, but last year, they ran out of time. Now, unless Congress acts soon, millions of Americans are face changes that could leave them sending thousands of dollars a year more to the IRS.
$1 million is a lot of money, but assuming that should be your retirement funding goal can be dangerously simplistic. So before you spend the next few decades over- or under-saving, assess whether $1 million is enough -- or too much -- to fund your plans.
TopRetirements.com has named the 10 worst states in which to retire, based in factors such as taxes and climate. Every retirement is unique, but before you end up living out your golden years chilly and underfunded, check out this list.
There's a persistent assumption going around about what happens after one retires -- your spending shrinks. Sure, your house may be paid off by then, and you may be able to ditch some work-related expenses. But that's not the full picture.

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