Articles & Videos
Retire Your Mortgage Before You Retire
Retire Your Mortgage Before You Retire By George L. Duarte, MBA, CMC Broker, Horizon Financial Associates An increasing number of baby-boomer homeowners seem to be resigning themselves to the fact that, unlike their parents, they will be making mortgage payments well into retirement. If you look at statistics, you can see where this anxiety comes…
Investors: A Growing Taste For Exotic Fare
Investors: A Growing Taste For Exotic Fare Even conservative investors are tempted by the returns of emerging-market funds For many managers of emerging-market funds, the biggest problem these days is that folks just love them too much. It used to be that buying stocks in Turkey and picking up distressed debt in Argentina was for…
When it Comes to Payroll Taxes, Don’t Mess With the IRS
When it Comes to Payroll Taxes, Don’t Mess With the IRS It’s payday! Everybody loves payday, except for the company making all those payments. It’s not that companies don’t want to pay their employees; rather it’s the high cost of payroll taxes that comes with having those employees. However, that’s the law, so if your…
Ten Facts about Capital Gains and Losses
Ten Facts about Capital Gains and Losses Source: IRS.gov The term “capital asset” for tax purposes applies to almost everything you own and use for personal or investment purposes. A capital gain or loss occurs when you sell a capital asset. Here are 10 facts from the IRS on capital gains and losses: Almost everything…
Ten Ways to Involve Your Children in Philanthropy
Ten Ways to Involve Your Children in Philanthropy Derek Ferriera and Martin Johnson Updated: 5/23/2013 Through your own philanthropic generosity—whether volunteering, supporting a charity as a benefactor, attending fundraisers or setting up a family foundation—you are educating your children about your values and teaching them to be generous. While you may identify your philanthropic values…
Business Law | Gautam Dutta
Business Law | Gautam Dutta Transcription: Announcer 0:00 Welcome to American Dreams keys to success with your host, Alan Olsen. Alan 0:06 Welcome back. We’re here today visiting with Gautam Dutta. And formerly an SEC attorney practicing law here in the Bay Area. And we’re talking about your days at the SEC. And during the…
Should You Invest in Residential or Commercial Properties?
Should You Invest in Residential or Commercial Properties? Most people in Northern CA started investing in real estate by buying their own homes. And most have made money as real estate in Northern CA has continued to appreciate in value. So when they move up, they decide to rent out their first homes. And then…
Corporate Tax Planning: Mergers, Acquisitions and Reorganizations
Corporate Tax Planning: Mergers, Acquisitions and Reorganizations by Greenstein, Rogoff, Olsen & Co., LLP In today’s ever-changing business world, a corporation often needs to reconstruct its form for economic survival and growth. These corporate divisions and combinations usually involve exchanges of stock and property, and normally would be taxable transactions. However, Congress enacted certain provisions…
General Rules for Corporate Reorganization
General Rules for Corporate Reorganization In order for a transaction to be given non-recognition treatment under the reorganization provisions, it must meet certain requirements. • The reorganization must meet certain tests in the Regulations regarding “continuity of interest” and “continuity of business enterprise.” • The reorganization must be conducted according to one of seven patterns…
Accepted Patterns for Corporate Reorganization: Types A-G
Accepted Patterns for Corporate Reorganization:Types A-G The seven qualifying patterns of reorganization described in IRC section 368(a)(1)(A) through (G), are as follows: •Type A- a statutory merger or consolidation; •Type B- the acquisition by one corporation, in exchange solely for all or a part of its voting stock (or in exchange solely for all or…
8 Ways to Save on Car Insurance
8 Ways to Save on Car Insurance By Michael Broach Now that the days of cheap gas are over, people are constantly looking for ways to save a few bucks on their car. Most people will look for ways to make their car more fuel efficient, but another way to save is to lower your…
Ten Things the Average Person Does Not Know About Annuities
Ten Things the Average Person Does Not Know About Annuities By Robert D. Cavanaugh, Clu Deferred annuities possess characteristics found nowhere else. They play an important part in seniors’ portfolios. Seniors hold billions of dollars in deferred annuities. However, my experience is that the average person knows little about the unique advantages of deferred annuities,…
Wealthy Be Aware of Shady Financial Advisors
Wealthy Be Aware of Shady Financial Advisors Despite all the benefits and perks that come with being wealthy, there are also many pitfalls that many wealthy individuals can get caught up in, especially when those wealthy individuals are thrust into their wealth very suddenly, like a professional athlete or entertainer. Many of these wealthy people…
Tax Strategies That The Wealthy Use to Save
Tax Strategies That The Wealthy Use to Save We all want to save money on our taxes, especially ultra-wealthy taxpayers who are hit the hardest by the nation’s highest tax strategies of the wealthy percentages. We know that the country’s richest 1 percent pays nearly a quarter, 24 percent, of all federal income taxes collected…
Professional Athletes Could Be Getting a Big Tax Victory in Cleveland
Professional Athletes Could Be Getting a Big Tax Victory in Cleveland Millions of sports fans all over the country love their favorite teams and athletes. A large majority of professional athletes from all walks of the sporting world make a lot of money and are some of the highest paid individuals in the country. While…
How to Choose an Investment Advisor
How to Choose an Investment Advisor Finding a reliable source for investment advice has always been a challenge. It’s especially difficult in today’s investment environment. There’s no shortage of places to turn for advice. The shelves at the bookstores are filled with “experts” offering their perspectives on how and where to invest. The financial pages…
Here’s a 15-item checklist of low-hanging tax tips for financial advisors
Here’s a 15-item checklist of low-hanging tax tips for financial advisors It’s tempting to put April 15th behind you, but here’s how you can plan for next year: With April 15th behind us, many people put tax issues onto the back burner until they’re staring at the next deadline. Alan Olsen, managing partner at Greenstein,…
How To Stay In Control Of Your Company
How To Stay In Control Of Your Company Have you ever watched the popular ABC program Shark Tank? This “reality” show allows entrepreneurs and business owners to pitch their business ideas or products to five extremely wealthy investors who are successful entrepreneurs in their own right. The panel of “shark” investors even includes Dallas Mavericks’…
Family Limited Partnerships: Pros and Cons
Family Limited Partnerships: Pros and Cons A new approach to managing family wealth, the family limited partnership (FLP) has become popular in recent years. As an alternative, a Family Limited Liability Company may be used with similar results. These techniques offer several possible advantages: Family Limited Partnerships • consolidation of assets for convenient management; •…
Taxpayers May Claim Deductions for Vacation Homes
Taxpayers May Claim Deductions for Vacation Homes Updated: 3/22/13 Taxpayers are allowed to claim deductions for their primary residence and one vacation or second home. In the case of the main residence, tax breaks are usually limited to mortgage interest and property tax deductions. However, there are more deductions available when you own a second…