Articles & Videos
50 Tax Deductions You Should Remember
50 Tax Deductions You Should Remember 1. Accounting fees for tax preparation services and IRS audits 2. Alcoholism and drug abuse treatment 3. Amortization of premium on taxable bonds 4. Appraisal fees for charitable donations or casualty losses 5. Appreciation on property donated to a charity 6. Casualty or theft losses 7. Cellular telephones –…
Underpayment of Taxes – Personal Returns – How to Avoid Penalties – Dreaded “Spiky Income”
Underpayment of Taxes – Personal Returns – How to Avoid Penalties – Dreaded “Spiky Income” By Ron Cohen, CPA, MST Partner Greenstein, Rogoff, Olsen & Co., LLP One of the most frustrating issues taxpayers confront as they attempt to deal with their taxes is to determine the required amount and due dates for estimated tax…
Are You Ready for the 2014 Tax Year?
Are You Ready for the 2014 Tax Year? If you’re like most individuals or businesses then you’re probably breathing a sigh of relief as the 2013 tax year is finally in the rearview mirror, except for those who have filed for an extension, of course. Well, don’t get too comfortable; it’s time to start thinking…
6 Tips for Avoiding Digital Clutter
6 Tips for Avoiding Digital Clutter What is “Digital Clutter” and why do we need to avoid it? Although there isn’t a true definition for the phrase, we can define the term “clutter” and apply it to the digital world. “Clutter” is defined as a collection of things lying about in an untidy mess. Although…
Enduring Your Race
Enduring Your Race Every Year in Australia, an endurance race is held. It stretches from Sydney to Melbourne totaling 543.7 miles. For a world class athlete it takes five days to run. These athletes are young, professionally trained, and receive huge sponsorships Cliff Young was a very unlikely competitor in the race. At the age…
Transitioning from Employee to Entrepreneur
Transitioning from Employee to Entrepreneur If you are out of work, have you ever considered creating your own job? As of April 2013, 7.5% of the American population are unemployed. The downturn of the economy has led many to wonder where they are going to find work, but has also opened opportunities for many to…
China Now World’s Sixth Largest Economy
China Now World’s Sixth Largest Economy China on Tuesday raised its estimate of the output of the world’s fastest-expanding major economy by a sixth, a revision that leaves growth better balanced but may increase pressure on Beijing to let the yuan rise faster. The new estimate, based on a vast nationwide census, hoists China above…
Asset Transfer Checklist
Asset Transfer Checklist Planning for the distribution of a lifetime of accumulated wealth can be complicated. The process involves drafting and regularly updating your will and making the necessary trust arrangements. It requires understanding exactly what you own and how to transfer what you own (and in what manner) to family members or other beneficiaries.…
Fashioning a Charitable Gift: Creative Ways of Giving
Fashioning a Charitable Gift: Creative Ways of Giving The idea of “planning” a gift to charity may not spring as readily to mind as investment or retirement planning. Yet there are many ways to give, and many kinds of gifts to consider, especially when your philanthropic impulse is strong. Initial steps Of course, the very…
Durable Power of Attorney: Manage with Care
Durable Power of Attorney: Manage with Care With over 35 million people age 65 and older, more and more families are grappling with the needs of their elderly parents. Care-giving arrangements may be necessary, involving some difficult choices and emotional upheaval. For children with parents of substantial means, there may be concerns that extend beyond…
Gifts to Grandchildren: Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax
Gifts to Grandchildren: Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax The federal government currently imposes three distinct taxes on the transfer of wealth. The first two limit the total amount of assets that a person can pass tax free to others in life or at death. The gift tax and/or the estate tax take a substantial portion of all…
Independent Retirement Account – Defined, What Are The Options?
Independent Retirement Account – Defined, What Are The Options? There are typically two types of beneficiaries for an Independent Retirement Account (IRA). A beneficiary can be either a spouse or non-spouse, and each group has different options and benefits to receiving money from an inherited IRA. INHERIT INDEPENDENT RETIREMENT ACCOUNT FROM SPOUSE If you inherit…
Estate Planning Can Protect Your Wealth From Obamacare
Have you considered that estate planning can protect your wealth from Obamacare? What if everything you worked for in life, was handed over to the government the moment that you were about to give it to your heirs? Unfortunately this nightmare could be a reality if you don’t plan against it. Obamacare has expanded Medicaid,…
Relocating? Revisit your Planning
Relocating? Revisit your Planning If you are new to our state, or someone among your family or friends has just relocated here, we say, “Welcome!” Your move was certain to have been hectic (isn’t everyone’s?), and you still must have a million things to do. Even so, we’d like to make some suggestions regarding your…
Save for Retirement – Early is Better than Late
Save for Retirement – Early is Better than Late We all should plan for our retirement. The worst thing that can happen is to reach an age where you don’t want to work anymore, and not be able to quit because you don’t have the money saved to do so. Most of us start saving…
Estate Tax Confusion Continues as of 2/13/10
Estate Tax Confusion Continues as of 2/13/10 As of 2/13/10, U.S. estate tax outcomes — (and capital gains tax for the heirs) — for taxpayers who pass away in 2010, are becoming more confusing each day Congress does not act to replace expired laws. The following is a Wall Street Journal article on the complete…
Estate Tax Repeal or Revision?
Estate Tax Repeal or Revision? In 2010 the estate tax will be repealed and the gift tax rate will fall to 35%. However, this repeal is effective only for that year and the estate tax will be reinstated in some form the very next year (2011). The US Senate is considering options to reduce or…
Alternative Retirement Savings Plan: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b)
Alternative Retirement Savings Plan: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b) Tax-Sheltered Annuity (TSA), also known as a 403(b), is an alternative retirement savings plan. Not everyone can participate in this plan, and it is restricted to those who are employed by educational, cultural, or non-profit organizations such as religious groups (also known as 501 (c)(3) organizations). TAX-SHELTERED…
Updating Your Estate Plan
Updating Your Estate Plan It’s a good idea to update your estate plan every few years or after the occurrence of significant life events such as marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, or adoption. Even if you haven’t experienced any of these events since you last updated your estate plan, there may have been…