Taxing Issues

• Navigating The Haiti Charitable Contribution Deduction   02/16/2010  

  Recently President Obama signed into law H.R. 4462, which allows the accelerated deduction of cash charitable contributions made for the benefit of Haitian victims.

• Economic Downturn Creates Estate Planning Opportunities   01/15/2010  

  The current economic environment has had negative implications on most households and businesses in the United States.

• Roth Conversions – Advisor Business Bonanza in 2010?   12/14/2009  

  Are you ready for one of the biggest years in investment rule-change history? With 2010 only weeks away, the volume on the impending Roth IRA conversion rule-changes is growing by the day.

• Is the Roth IRA Conversion Right For You?   11/20/2009  

  Thanks to the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 (TIPRA), January 1, 2010 could be an important day to many people: beginning on that date, anyone holding a traditional IRA can convert to a Roth IRA regardless of their adjusted gross income (AGI). Historically, only those with an AGI below $100,000 were eligible to take advantage of this powerful savings vehicle.

• Recharacterizations – A Low-Risk Approach to Roth IRA Conversions   10/20/2009  

  In the world of individual retirement accounts (IRAs), there are basically two types: traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs.

• Husband Saved From Paying Brother-In-Law’s Taxes   09/25/2009  

  Can your spouse really force you to pay your brother-in-laws taxes? Strangely that answer could be “yes” if your will and your insurance policies are not coordinated.

• FBAR Compliance: Keeping Offshore Accounts Legal   08/28/2009  

  Overlooked in much of the current press coverage over the disputes between UBS and the IRS is the fact that it is entirely legal for a US person to have such an offshore account; yes, entirely legal provided that the appropriate information reports are filed to disclose the existence of such accounts.

• Not So Fast: Things To Consider Before Turning a Private Foundation into a Donor Advised Fund   07/20/2009  

  If you sit on the governing board of a private foundation that has recently experienced a significant decline in assets, you may be reassessing whether the foundation’s annual administrative costs justify its existence.

• Beyond Taxes: The CPA's Role in Wealth Management   07/01/2009  

  Certified public accountants (CPAs) have long played an important role in their clients' personal wealth and asset management.

• Turning Lemons Into Lemonade: Wealth Transfer Planning in Today’s Turbulent Environment   05/27/2009  

  With the potential for future appreciation and valuation discounts, many investors own assets that may be extremely effective in wealth transfer strategies.