by Leif Jensen | Feb 2, 2016 | General |
Airport Security will be even more fun at O’Hare shortly. The feds are expected to implement their rules in 2016 only allowing drivers licenses that have security features such as holograms as valid ID for passing through security. Looking at my driver’s license I...
by Leif Jensen | Feb 1, 2016 | General |
There are 70 million kids born after 1998. They are expected to start making their mark. They are defined as those who have never known the internet to not be widely available and necessary. Gen Z-ers are expected to continue to challenge merchants, and eventually...
by Leif Jensen | Feb 1, 2016 | Case Study |
Imagine making $250,000 a year in your business. Your business pays all of your business and household bills, including car payments. In other words, your business covers every aspect of your living expenses. Also, you never have to pay a nickel in FICA, federal taxes...
by Leif Jensen | Jan 27, 2016 | General |
This is a topic that I have been reading about for years. Actually the first time I did it was 100 years ago in a “Spenser” novel by Robert B. Parker. The bad guys had a roof garden on top of their fortified building to feed the gang and minimize the need to leave...
by Leif Jensen | Jan 26, 2016 | General |
There seem to be new metrics in place to value and evaluate businesses. I have heard this referred to as the “Unicorn Syndrome”. There are mythical valuations of businesses that have special valuations that are defying traditional measures. Some of those named in...
by Leif Jensen | Jan 25, 2016 | General |
I remember when I was in High School each year when we got our yearbooks there was one coach who used his H.S. Graduation photo for his picture for the yearbooks. It was ridiculous and we all laughed at the idea that this was how he represented himself, even back...
by Leif Jensen | Jan 20, 2016 | General |
A number of businesses have prided themselves on their youth culture, filing their ranks with Millennials, slowly forcing out the Gen X’ers and Boomers. Now in some circles as the Millennials who are near or over 30 are feeling the gentle hand on their backs pushing...
by Leif Jensen | Jan 19, 2016 | General |
The IRS has announced a new guideline for restaurants and retailers who refresh their premises every 5 to 10 years. They are now able to deduct 75% of their costs under the safe harbor, beginning January 1, 2014. The remaining 25% needs to be capitalized. Typically...
by Leif Jensen | Jan 18, 2016 | General |
Auto enrollment is a relatively new idea to businesses. Once hired after the probationary period employees are automatically enrolled into the company’s 401K Plan. As no surprise this practice does increase employee participation in retirement plans. A recent study...
by Leif Jensen | Jan 13, 2016 | General |
According to a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) analysis finds that among households with members aged 55 or older, nearly 29 percent have neither retirement savings nor a traditional pension plan. My typical business client does not fit in this category. ...
by Leif Jensen | Jan 12, 2016 | General |
Typically if the trust document is the road map as to how the deal with the issues that arise from running the trust. If the document is silent as to a point (Trust Situs) the state’s governing laws take effect. So if a trust does not specifically make mention of a...
by Leif Jensen | Jan 11, 2016 | General |
Fiduciary Accounting Income (FAI ) is unlike taxable income or GAAP income, which is why most trustees hire CPA to deal with 1041’s instead of tackling it themselves. Occasionally tax practitioners have difficulties with this concept as well. Interest on a municipal...
by Leif Jensen | Jan 6, 2016 | General |
Unfortunately I have a client that is in an unusual position. They want to minimize their taxes, but December is too late to effectively plan for them. They make a reasonable amount of interest income. But, they get a lot of dividends and a lot of capital gains. ...
by Leif Jensen | Jan 5, 2016 | General |
As we know consumers have many purchasing options whether we are selling a good or a service. So we have to be concerned about the customer experience. This has become a primary way to differentiate your brand, from our competitors. The customer experience is to work...
by Leif Jensen | Jan 4, 2016 | General |
I believe now is the time for most entrepreneurs to go back to basics with their businesses. Whether you had a record breaking year or gains or losses, I think now is the time to review who you are and what you are doing and for whom. Are you using the best business...
by Leif Jensen | Dec 28, 2015 | General |
Beginning on Jan. 1, 2016, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be: 54 cents per mile for business miles driven, down from 57.5 cents for 2015 19 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes, down from 23...
by Leif Jensen | Dec 28, 2015 | General |
I wrote before on how I purchased a stock from a company I had worked at long ago. They had kept pushing me to buy the stock when I was there. I hated the job, most of the people I worked with and for. There was no way I was going to buy into the business. I saw it...
by Leif Jensen | Dec 23, 2015 | General |
I have been looking into rental properties on and off for over a decade. I remember looking at the top of the market, thinking that the properties were so overpriced I would never ever make any money off of them. I am thrilled that were did not buy any of them....
by Leif Jensen | Dec 22, 2015 | General |
I was meeting with a reporter a few weeks ago and he was surprised when I mentioned that I strongly recommend having a Board of Advisors for their businesses. I believe that no small business owner should have to make decisions in a vacuum. The roundtableing of ideas...
by Leif Jensen | Dec 21, 2015 | General |
I was recently meeting with a client and we were discussing their yearend tax planning strategy. They have come into some money and we were attempting to calculate their tax liability. As we progressed in the discussion I was asking them about their asset...
