Category: Tax Planning
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Sample tax planning engagement email
This page is outdated. A more recent version is available: Sample accounting services engagement agreement 2021 Dear : Thank you for choosing me to discuss tax planning. I will work on your behalf to maintain the confidence that you have placed in me. Four sections of this communication are included below to help us get…
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Revenue Ruling 99-6 LLC partnership conversion to disregarded entity
I have a client who is considering converting an LLC that has elected treatment as a partnership to a disregarded entity owned by husband and wife in a community property state. The goal is to simplify accounting and tax reporting while still retaining the liability benefits of the LLC. No information is available as to…
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Bad tax advice and gobblygook
It has always been tough for small business owners to get basic straightforward information they need to avoid tax problems. But this year I notice the problem is magnified many times by a flood of misinformation and gobblygook published on blogs and promoted in social media, This is especially true for issues surrounding the Affordable…
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Tax planning is tough for high income clients
Many people do not realize that tax planning becomes more difficult as income increases. The easy strategies like those discussed in the article “Top 10 easy tax strategies” do not work as well. Tax planning sometimes requires adjusting to rapidly rising income; not such a terrible problem to face. But the tax calculation changes triggered…
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The wrong way to do year-end tax planning
Implementation is the most important part! The Thanksgiving Day online edition of The Wall Street Journal carried an article about year-end tax planning strategies. It caught my attention because this is my favorite part of my own professional practice; a service I look forward to providing in the last quarter of each year. It is…
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Initial inquiry about a private pension plan
Last night I received an anonymous post on my web site that says “I am a self-employed… with income of $1 million after deductions. I am looking to find a tax deductible retirement plan that can help me reduce my tax liability. I looked in to IRA and Roth IRAs but my income is too high…
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Fall is the best time for financial planning
Early fall is often the best time for small business owners to review their finances and tax strategies. A small investment of time typically pays off in big and almost immediate savings. I am available by telephone or in person to discuss the best ways to: Cut accounting and compliance costs Incorporate tax shelter strategies…
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What options are available to employers who wish to help employees afford the cost of health care?
Provisions of the Affordable Care Act dramatically changed the tax treatment of employer-paid health benefits. Some of the most popular traditional health plans of the recent past now trigger an extremely harsh tax on the employer. Taxes of up to $36,500 per employee per year kicked in on July 1, 2015 for businesses with less than…
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Quoting fees for tax return preparation
Another accountant proposed the concept that there is significant business value of having a standardized and rehearsed response to an initial call from a potential client asking about tax work. I agree. We presume that a primary motivation of the caller is to push for price information. But giving a price with limited information is risky and,…
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Financial planning tips for seniors with unaffordable life insurance
Today’s Wall Street Journal covers the topic of retirees stung by collapsing life insurance policies in this low-interest environment. I added the comment: “For those unfortunate individuals who are caught in this situation, there are some tax saving strategies that can help soften the blow. I see too many individuals who lose the benefit of the…