Articles

The new tax law means it’s now time to review your estate plan

The tax law signed in 2017 doubled the federal estate tax exemption, meaning the vast majority of estates won’t have to pay federal estate tax. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore its impact on your estate plan. The law doubled the federal estate tax exemption to $11.18 million for individuals and $22.36 million for couples. (These figures are indexed for inflation, so in 2019 they are $11.4 million and $22.8 million, respectively.) The tax rate

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Don’t Leave Your Business Exposed

5 Insurance Tips to Protect Your Assets and Your Bank Account Have you conducted a business insurance review lately? Changes in your business equipment, real estate holdings, the amount of inventory, and the number of employees are all good reasons to review your insurance. Here are a few policy review tips to consider:

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Don’t Let Disaster Befall Your Favorite Charity

A crucial deadline is approaching and you can help! The filing deadline for most non-profit organizations is May 15. Missing this deadline results in penalties that can devastate the organization’s budget, or worse, strip them of their non-profit status and make your donations non-tax deductible! Here’s what you can do to help them:

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Tax Day is Here!

5 Big Questions People Are Asking The individual tax deadline of April 15 is fast approaching. Do you have all your tax arrangements in order? Here are five important questions that people are asking.

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Leasing vs. Buying a Car

Knowing the tricks makes you a better decision-maker There are many reasons for you to lease a car versus buy a car, but too often it is the auto dealer’s profit motive that determines which method you use rather than what’s best for your budget and lifestyle. To help you make an informed decision, here are some things to consider: When to lease You want a car with lower down payments and monthly costs. You don’t

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4 Key Metrics to Fortify Your Business

Even the best, well-prepared business plans can unravel quickly without a process in place to evaluate performance. Creating a scorecard with quality metrics can give you the daily insight you need to successfully run a business without drowning in the details. Create a scorecard that works An effective scorecard gives you a holistic view of the state of your business in one report. The report consists of key financial and non-financial metrics to provide a daily

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This month:

April 15: – Individual tax returns due – C corporation tax returns due – First-quarter 2019 estimated tax due – Six-month filing extension – 2018 gift taxes – 2018 IRA contributions – 2018 HSA contributions

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What is Eminent Domain? Do I have to hand my property over to the government?

The government has the power to seize private property for public use under the authority of eminent domain. However, this doesn’t mean the government can take your land without compensating you for it. In fact, not only does the government have to provide you with “just compensation” you are also given an opportunity to object. The legal process of eminent domain is known as condemnation and is only used when private property is needed for the

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Estate planning critical for non-traditional couples

Generally speaking, estate planning laws were designed for the traditional nuclear family, a married couple with kids. But according to the 2010 U.S. Census, such families are less than 50 percent of the total. Non-traditional families, including single parents, blended families and unwed partners, need to pay particular attention to their estate plans to avoid unwanted consequences. If you die without a will, your assets will be distributed according to your state’s default laws. If you’re

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Preventing a will contest

When you write a will, you have control over how your assets will be distributed after your death. However, if someone in your family disputes your will, an anonymous probate court judge could end up with the final say over who gets your property. Emotions run high when someone dies. If family members aren’t content with what they’ve received or don’t believe your wishes are being interpreted properly, they may contest your will. Will contests can

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