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That time of the year is upon us once again: tax season. Time to gather your W-2s, 1099s, and get all your receipts and documentation in order.

Some people just have to file a single piece of paper and move on with their lives. For other folks, tax time is a stressful few months of pulling together business expenses, pay stubs, donation receipts, and more.

If you’re in the second camp, you may be wondering, “Could I get some help with my taxes? What’s the difference between a tax lawyer vs CPA? Who should I reach out to for help with this?”

If this is you, don’t worry. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about the difference between tax lawyers and CPAs.

What is a Tax Lawyer?

Tax lawyers, sometimes also called tax attorneys, are experts in tax law. They have to pass the bar exam and have spent years studying the intricacies of the legalities of taxes. A tax lawyer is trained first and foremost to represent clients in legal disputes surrounding liens, wage garnishment, and fines.

One of the benefits of connecting with a tax lawyer is that your conversations with them as a client remain confidential, meaning that you don’t risk incriminating yourself through any of the details that you share with your lawyer.

What is a CPA?

A CPA, or a Certified Public Accountant, has to have a degree in accounting, business, or some other form of finance education. They also have to pass the CPA exam and complete an extensive number of supervised hours in order to get their certificate.

CPAs are well-versed in all areas of tax law and regulations, and they are experts in filing taxes and various forms of financial recordkeeping.

Tax Lawyer vs CPA: Who Do You Call?

If you’re simply looking for some assistance with filing your end-of-year taxes, connect with a CPA. They can help you with most of your day-to-day questions and can even help you navigate an audit from the IRS.

If you need to get legal help for taxes, you should contact a tax attorney. They can help if you owe the IRS money, want to submit a claim, or need representation in court. They’ll work with you to set up monthly payments, or even get your debt settled for less than the amount you owe.

Go Have the Best Tax Season Ever

Now you never have to wonder, “What exactly is the difference between a tax lawyer vs CPA?” Remember: these professionals are here to help you, and you should ask for their help if you need it! Go forth and use this knowledge to find the help you need to make your upcoming tax season stress and worry-free.

Looking for more advice on how to take control of your finances? Check out one of the many articles in the business, finance, and other sections of our site. We have all the information you need!

The total global gross domestic product (GDP) is right around $85 trillion. GDP is the total valuation of all goods and services available in the marketplace. The benefits of free trade have let the global GDP flourish to these heights.

While not all countries have free trade policies, those that do tend to be more economically successful than those that don’t. This may lead one to question “is free trade good or bad?” The answer to this question is contextual.

A free trade agreement between nations can benefit or destroy a country depending on the context they find themselves in. They are beneficial if done right, however. Read about the social and economic benefits of free trade here.

What Is Free Trade?

Free trade is unrestricted trade between two or more national entities. Having a free trade network means keeping tariffs, embargoes, and other means of economic control out of the trading process.

Free trade is an inherent state between two nations. As long as nations don’t levy any additional restrictions or fees on each other, their trade is said to be free.

Free Trade vs Protectionism

In a free trade situation whoever can produce goods and services for the cheapest price will reap the most rewards. If a country has a domestic market that produces the same thing, this market may be handicapped by free trade.

The cure for this is ingenuity and streamlining production processes. Some countries however take the easy way out and levy tariffs or make restrictions to help protect domestic marketplaces. This is known as protectionism.

Economic Benefits of Free Trade

Having free trade policies opens up the door to new markets. These markets may have products and services not found within the borders of your nation. Free trade can also get you products for cheaper than domestic markets.

Free trade also fosters ingenuity in your domestic sectors. To compete on a global scale, your business leaders will need to step up their game. Joseph Stiglitz highlights some other important economic benefits of free trade.

Social Benefits of Free Trade

In addition to fostering positive economic conditions, free trade also benefits society in general. It is conducive to diplomacy and helps strengthen relations between different nations. It also helps spread the idea of multiculturalism.

A populace in a country reaping the rewards of free trade will have access to a wide variety of goods and services for affordable prices. In this way, free trade raises standards of living and improves the lives of all your citizens.

Live Free and Prosper

The best way to ensure prosperity for a nation’s people is to have free trade policies in place. The benefits of free trade don’t only extend to the economic sector, they also make people’s lives better for their day-to-day existence.

Use the information in this guide as part of your understanding of the global economic system. If you are allowed to vote, lean on the side of free trade for a better tomorrow.

Take a look at the rest of our website for more helpful information like this.

Bonds are instruments that help companies and governments borrow money from the public. If the Government needs money, it issues government bonds. On the other hand, when companies need debt financing, they issue corporate bonds. 

How do bonds work?

Bonds work by returning a regular amount to the investor, also known as a “coupon rate,” and are thus pertained to as a type of fixed-income security.

Bonds usually carry a fixed rate of interest. coupons. These coupons are paid at specified intervals, i.e., annually or half-yearly. Other features of bonds are as follows –

  • They might be offered for a specific tenure after which you can redeem them
  • There are different types of bonds available in the market
  • Some bonds also give you the option to convert them to equity after a specified period 
  • You can trade bonds on the stock exchange and sell them to other investors before their maturity 
  • You can buy and sell bonds physically or through a Demat account

So, when you invest in bonds, you are essentially lending money to the issuer, and you get the benefit of guaranteed returns in the form of interest payments. Moreover, you can trade bonds and earn capital gains if the price paid for buying the bond is lower than the price at which you sell them.

Is it worth investing in bonds?

Bonds are beneficial, because –

  • They are liquid in nature as they can be traded on the stock exchange
  • They are a form of debt instruments that give guaranteed interest earnings on your investments
  • They help you diversify your portfolio
  • Some bonds are also tax-efficient as they yield tax-free interest income 

Also, for senior citizens and investors looking for stable and steady returns, bonds can prove to be a good investment option as they promise guaranteed interest income.

Bonds, when used strategically alongside stocks and other assets, can be a great addition to your investment portfolio, many financial advisors say. Unlike stocks, which are purchased shares of ownership in a company, bonds are the purchase of a company or public entity’s debt obligation.

So, if you are looking for portfolio diversification through debt exposure and your investment strategy permits, bonds can prove to be a worthy investment avenue. 

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Feature Circle provides you with the opportunity to learn from market advisers, fin-tech companies, wealth advisors etc and engage yourself with other users through group discussion, polls and quizzes. Also, earn flipitcoin for every action. You can get the latest share market news in Hindi too.

Download the best app for stock market updates – FlipItNews App now and join Circle to become a part of the biggest investment network.

Most people don’t like to think about death, but it’s one of life’s few inevitabilities. Are you protecting your loved ones with a life insurance policy?

If you’re a primary provider for your family, it’s crucial that you have life insurance (even if you’re young). Selecting life insurance providers isn’t easy, however.

We’re here to help you find the right life insurance company for your needs. Read on to learn all about several factors that you should keep in mind when you’re making your decision.

  1. Reputation and Credibility

Getting life insurance is a major investment. You want to make sure that the life insurance provider is reliable, credible, and has a good reputation.

There’s a reason that there are popular life insurance companies that you’ll see in advertisements. While marketing is a factor, reliability is another one. The business wouldn’t have the ability to spend a lot of money on marketing if they didn’t have financial stability (which makes them more reliable).

You can also consider references and reviews. Ask friends and family members about their own life insurance policies to see if they have any recommendations for you.

Look at online reviews before committing to a provider.

  1. Customer Service

Great customer service is key when it comes to working at a life insurance company. If you contact the company to inquire about policies and you don’t feel as though the representative is giving you good customer service, it’s a red flag.

Policies are complicated. You want to have a representative on your side who can explain insurance terms and conditions and any potential problems that can arise.

For example, the Paradigm Life MEC explanation shows that they have good customer service because they’re interested in helping customers avoid the complications that come alongside an MEC. Some

Some options for insurance providers are only interested in money and it shows.

  1. Policy Options

Not all life insurance policies are alike. Before committing to a company, browse the policies and add-ons that they have available to you. If the policies are unclear online, don’t be afraid to reach out and talk to a representative to clarify anything that’s confusing.

You want to make sure that you get a policy that helps you and your loved ones. Not everyone is a good candidate for every life insurance policy.

  1. Affordability 

While price shopping is never the best idea, you still need to take the cost of available life insurance policies into consideration. A life insurance policy won’t be helpful to you if you can’t afford it.

When you’re comparing insurance costs, make sure to look for any hidden fees as well as the costs that can come with add-ons. Again, if you’re confused, talk to a representative before you make your decision.

Selecting Life Insurance Providers Can Be Tricky

Selecting life insurance providers isn’t as simple as it looks. With all of the available policy options, it can be confusing. Reach out to several credible life insurance providers and don’t be afraid to spend a lot of time asking questions.

For more helpful articles about the top trending topics, visit the rest of our site.

Did you know that people in the Balkans processed gold 6,500 years ago? Previously, the oldest discovered processed gold was the Varna Gold, considered the oldest gold objects in the world.

Where did gold come from, and what’s the history behind it? We dive deeper into the history of gold so you can find out.

Where Did Gold Come From?

As we mentioned above, a recent archaeological discovery uncovered a tiny gold bead in Bulgaria. It’s supposedly the oldest bit of processed gold in Europe and possibly the world.

Prior to this finding, the Varna Gold found outside the Black Sea port of Varna was thought to be the oldest found gold objects.

Archaeologists discovered 13 pounds of processed gold objects in the necropolis. The ancient people that lived in the area were understood to be farmers, and there’s still quite a bit of mystery surrounding their civilization.

The gold bead found in Bulgaria may push the processing of gold back 200 years.

Around 3600 BC, goldsmiths in Egypt would melt gold ore.

Spanish explorers also encountered the Inca people, who had a high appreciation for silver and gold. Gold was used for their ritualistic objects, in jewelry, and to make coins.

The precious metals silver and gold have historically proven themselves an excellent source of value.

Gold in the Earth                                            

There are two theories about how gold was actually first formed. One theory involves the explosion of supernova stars creating a nuclear fusion that results in gold. The other theory is that a collision of neutron stars resulted in a gamma-ray burst.

It’s unknown when exactly humans started to mine for gold. Gold mining is at least 6,500 years old if the oldest processed gold is correctly dated. Gold exists deep inside the earth, and it’s transported by volcanic eruptions, molten lava, earthquakes, and water.

Geologists have discovered gold rocks that are billions of years old. In fact, the Witwatersrand in South Africa holds the world’s largest known gold reserves. It’s a 300km radius crater believed to have been created by a meteor impact more than 2 billion years ago.

Gold Today

Is gold a good investment today?

Gold is as coveted now as it was thousands of years ago. In fact, many people invest in gold and precious metals as it’s a solid financial strategy. Whether you invest in gold bullions, jewelry, stocks, or other types of gold, it can be a great hedge against inflation and a store of value.

You can learn more about Gold IRAs and converting your IRA when you check out this link Raremetalblog.com/advantage-gold.

All That Glitters

All that glitters may not be gold, but you can rest assured gold itself remains a great investment. It’s as treasured today as it was thousands of years ago and likely will be for many years to come.

When other people ask, “Where did gold come from?” You can confidently tell them all you know.

To learn more bits of knowledge, be sure to check out some of our other posts. Our bite-sized articles are perfect for learning something new.