Moving to Canada or beyond

Now that the election is over and all the liberals are complaining, there continues to be talk of moving out of the US.   One if you can find a country that will take you.  It is not as easy to setup a household in another country as you may believe.  The US may...

Trader

To incorporate of not to incorporate…   If you are a “Trader” there are a number of issues that exist before you.  One that may have the most impact on your tax situation may be where or not you incorporate or not.   There are distinct benefits to...

Bitcoin

I am currently reading the latest book in the continuation of the Tom Clancy series.  In the novel, the Russian President is looking to move $8 Billion dollars out of Russia and into secret accounts and a Bitcoin launderer is being used to obscure the trail from any...

Code of Ethics

I was finally cleaning my office and I stumbled over a “Code of Ethic” that I printed off the internet.  This came from Frank Abagnale’s website.  I have heard him speak a couple of times in the past and he mentioned this “Code of Ethics”.   As a firm of CPA’s we...

What Motivates You?

What motivates you?  Is it the typical trio; money, wealth or power? In other words, why do you do what you do for a living? I was asked this question recently at a software convention, where a number of sessions were structured around this question.   I am...

The Blue Collar Office Worker

I have a client who has a few employees, but refers to one in particular as a blue collar office worker.   Apparently this employee will not start until it is exactly the time to start the day.  They also end the day exactly on time as well.  It does not matter...

Not designed to support a family

There are certain jobs that are created that were never meant to support a family on.  They were ways to make some extra cash or provide part time employment for kids to have some cash.   I believe McDonald’s jobs were created with this in mind.  The owner’s...

Seven Basic Cons

I was watching a television program were it was stated that all cons are variation from seven basic principles.  So hearing this I was curious.  Especially with the number of scams and cons that where we are bombarded with e-mail scans to IRS fraud calls or calls...

The next useless Smartphones AP

When was the last time you needed an application that can spot a counterfeit bill?  Or assist in picking a piece of ripe fruit?  Well you will have it soon! A researcher at PARC, part of Xerox, has developed a way to use cheap camera tech to detect wavelengths of...

New Client

We just started working with a new client.  She is a pleasant elderly woman who has been preparing her taxes for years.  In the past she worked for H&R Block and then another tax preparer.   She was referred to us from her banker and her financial advisor....

Class Action

In a recent study from the Institute of Legal Reform, it was found that consumers who participate in class action lawsuits typically recover little to nothing as a result of the litigation.   In more than half of the class actions filed, class members receive...

IRS’s private debt-collection program

The IRS seemingly has thrown up their hands and admitted defeat. They will be outsourcing aspects of the debt-collection program.  This new enterprise is expected to be up and running in spring of 2017. A law passed last year calls for the IRS to turn over many...

Estate Theft Loss

In a recent court case an estate gets a theft loss for assets invested with Bernie Madoff. The decedent who owned 99% of a limited liability company whose only asset was an account with Madoff. After his death and before the filing of the estate return, the LLC-owned...

A Brief History of Halloween

Born from the Gaelic festival “Samhain” marking the end of the harvest season and into winter- the dark times and aided by Pope Gregory III’s “All Saints Day” and the Celtic “New Year”; comes “All Hallows Eve” or “Halloween”.   Granted this is a streamlined...

Attorney Malpractice

In another recent tax case it was decided that a lawyer’s malpractice won’t prevent penalties for a late-filed estate tax return.   The executor hired an attorney to file an estate’s Form 706. But, unbeknownst to her, the lawyer was battling brain cancer and...

3 Ways to Die

I was reading an article recently regarding predictions on the end of the world.  The article referenced an article in the New Yorker, but I have read about these prophecies  before.  Actually I have seen multiple movies and read a few books regarding all of these...

Illinois Business Law and your LLC

As of July 1, 2017, Pub. Act 099-0637 became effective amending 805 ILCS 180 et seq.   What does that mean?  It means that now all LLCs are member managed unless the operating agreement specifically states otherwise.  The operating agreement must also express...

The Simple Tax Return

The illusion of the simple return, no one believes that their lives are as complicated as they are.  We received a call at the beginning of October where a potential client was looking for someone to prepare their tax return.  “Since the filing deadline on an...

The Budget

Have you used a budget for your household expenses? What about work?  Have you ever gone through the budget process for your company or department?  Yes, yes it is a fun process for one and all.   I worked for one company that had just finished their budget...

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