About 75% of the businesses in our country are structured as sole proprietorships, unincorporated businesses that consist of one individual owner. This business structure is the simplest and least expensive to form and dissolve; however, it opens the owner to unlimited personal liability and debts of the business are debts of the owner. For more information on sole proprietorships, read this C.P.A. Insight.
Hedge funds are investment funds that are free to invest in almost any investment opportunity, utilizing a broad array of investment strategies. Initially, hedge funds were designed to hedge against market risk, and while some still do, others take on excess risk in hopes of outsized gains. For more information on hedge funds, read this Investment Whys.
Capital gains can have a serious impact on your tax situation. It is advisable to plan ahead, as present law provides different tax rates for different types of property with rules provided by a complex tax code. For more information on capital gains and their treatment, read this C.P.A. Insight.
Debit cards work like cash—when you use one, money is automatically deducted from your checking account. While this may save you from having to carry cash in your wallet, owning a debit card does come with risks. For a list of pros and cons of owning a debit card, as well as some security tips, read this Financial Strategy.
Purchasing stocks as investments is often easier than selling because of most investors’ fears of capital gains. However there are several circumstances where it is beneficial to sell a stock and recognize the capital gain. For more information on when to take capital gains and losses, read this Financial Tip.
You may not be thinking of buying a house during the holidays, but as the new year rolls around, your home purchase may still qualify for the first-time homebuyer tax credit. This credit was recently extended, and not only first-time buyers qualify. For more information on the new qualifications for this tax credit, read this C.P.A. Insight.
If you have decided to establish an IRA for your child, there are several decisions you must make, including which type of IRA to use and what investments to choose. For more information on how we apply our Ten Year Rule investment philosophy to a child’s IRA, read this Financial Strategy.
If you ever find yourself in an unfortunate situation where you utter the phrase "I thought that was covered by my homeowners policy," you would likely be protected by an umbrella liability policy. Umbrella liability insurance "sits" on top of your auto and homeowners policies, providing extra protection–like an umbrella. For more information on umbrella liability coverage, read this Insurance Know-How.
The staggering statistic is that most small businesses fail within the first four years. A successful business is continuously growing and adapting to the current business environment and not resting on its laurels. For the top 10 avenues of potential failure and how to avoid some of the pitfalls associated with them, read this C.P.A. Insight.
When you hire a tax adviser, you are paying for more than the preparation and filing of your returns. A tax adviser’s job is to be creative enough to structure your financial situation to take advantage of as many deductions as possible. For more information on how to work with a tax adviser and what your responsibilities are, read this C.P.A. Insight.