The straight line

Economic shifts can produce a constriction in the flow of venture capital and that is generally bad news for the technology and start-up arena. While innovation may continue, consumers may not benefit. Venture capitalists who invest in start-up companies on behalf of themselves, wealthy individuals and institutions, can become skittish about placing faith in start-ups. Instead,...

Some lucrative federal income tax credits for certain energy-efficient home improvements were extended recently. The extensions were part of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (the PATH Act), which became law on December 18, 2015. Here’s what you need to know to cash in on these tax breaks. Credit for Energy-Efficient Home Improvements...

If your company has branch operations, or you’re thinking about setting up satellite businesses, you need to take steps to avoid excessive departmentalism. The more business you do outside of corporate headquarters, the more likely you are to run into competition among the satellite operations. Moreover, branches can differ in terms of morale, business culture and customer...

Chances are, your business can benefit from a well-written sales email. But hiring someone to put together an effective email message can be expensive. So your company may decide that the most cost-effective way to start an email sales campaign is to write your own material. As you prepare, remember that a poorly written ad can...

Tax Day is right around the corner. Have you filed your federal tax return yet? The filing deadline to submit 2015 individual federal income tax returns is Monday, April 18, 2016, rather than the traditional April 15 date. Washington, D.C., will celebrate Emancipation Day on Friday, April 15, which pushes the deadline to the following Monday...

Giving to charity can provide you with a warm feeling as well as a nice tax break. But you’ve got to itemize deductions on your tax return. And, like most tax breaks, charitable deductions come with a number of rules you must follow to actually claim the write-off. Here are the details. Donation Documentation You can...