As a parent, you know that having kids ain’t cheap. Shelling out for Christmas gifts serves as another excellent reminder that a significant part of your income isn’t for you. Though, if you’re prone to buying in bulk to get your family fed, you could get a...

Coming out of the Thanksgiving fog yet? I think there are still a few leftovers in my fridge from Thursday’s meal that might end up in the waste bin… I’ve had my fill of leftovers.Or maybe you chose to forego leftovers altogether and stay light for your Black Friday...

I love Thanksgiving. I don’t love Thanksgiving. Both are equally true. A lot of it comes down to sharing a meal with our Western Illinois family and friends. There’s something special about getting to gather at the dinner table and express gratitude for a roast turkey...

We’re not the only ones who can get festive this time of year. In the spirit of giving, the IRS recently released important updates for the 2024 tax year to adjust for inflation. They’re increasing the Standard Deduction — up to $29,200 for married...

The real estate market is tough in general right now. With less loans being dealt out and a shortage of homes for sale, both buyers and sellers are working hard to get what they want.And it looks like there’s a big change with how agents are paid that’s coming...

There’s been an extraordinary surge of fakers this year. The explosion of AI along with more sophisticated scams can make it feel like you have to look under every rock. While Biden is enacting a presidential order to demand some accountability from the big...

Though last month was officially National Preparedness Month, it’s sad to think that just about every month these days reminds us about preparing for disasters, from hurricanes on the East Coast to wildfires in the West to tornadoes in the middle.Last year,...

This week, my staff and I are pausing to celebrate that the chapter has closed on 2022’s filing. It was probably over for you back in April, but my team just wrapped that up for some of our Western Illinois clients who needed to file extensions. Of course, we’ll...

This weekend’s events in Israel have been very difficult to take in. Seeing the violence and hearing the stories have been heartbreaking, to say the least. Our thoughts go out to the innocent Israelis and Palestinians suffering through the attacks in Gaza and other...