Are you driving a clunker? You may love your vehicle, but if it gets less than 19 miles to the gallon, the federal government would like to see it taken off the road. But don't be alarmed... you could wind up with a new vehicle and save as much as $4,500 in government rebates in addition to dealer and manufacturer incentives. You need to act fast, but if your vehicle qualifies, this could be a great opportunity for a low-cost upgrade. Click through for details about the CARS program that President Obama signed into law on June 26.

There's one thing that Uncle Sam is serious about: Taxpayers must file federal income tax returns when required. The IRS is notoriously tough on no-shows and insists tax returns are filed when due - whether or not full payment can be made with a return. What happens if you don't file a tax return on time?

We encourage you to safeguard your financial and tax documents before a hurricane strikes. Many records are very difficult to replace or duplicate; keeping them protected from the elements, easily accessible, and in a safe place is an essential part of smart recordkeeping. Protecting your information is one way to protect yourself in everyday life, but also when faced with a worst-case scenario. There are several easy steps you can take to safeguard your financial, tax and personal records, even if you do not live in a hurricane prone area. Click through for recommendations from the IRS on how to make sure a disaster doesn't destroy your financial documentation.

The April 15 deadline for filing tax returns is well known. But paying taxes is actually a year-round proposition. For example, employees are required to pay tax through regular withholding payments, while others must make quarterly installments of estimated tax. Fortunately, a change in the new tax law eases the requirements for certain taxpayers. For an explanation of the three safe-harbor rules for avoiding an underpayment penalty and how the new law eases the requirements for certain small-business owners, please click through.

Keeping track of business travel expenses is a necessary evil. To simplify matters somewhat, the IRS has authorized a standard mileage rate that may be used by business taxpayers who drive vehicles. The standard mileage method is not as time-consuming as maintaining records of all business-related expenses. Instead of deducting actual expenses, you may opt to use the convenient standard mileage rate (the new rate for 2009 was recently announced). All of the costs of operating the car - including depreciation - are built into the standard mileage rate. There are a few exceptions, but most taxpayers are able to take advantage of this shortcut.

The Limited Liability Company (LLC) entity structure continues to gain popularity among new businesses. What are some of the main attractions? One of the primary benefits is that an LLC avoids the "double taxation" that plagues traditional C corporations. Another perk to having an LLC is that there are no particular management restrictions. Is an LLC right for you? Click through for a brief summary of several LLC benefits that should be of interest to business owners and for a comparison between an LLC and a C Corporation.