by David Lam | This article originally appeared in The Los Angeles Business Journal. Pioneers of the information security field have known for decades how important it is—and forever will be—to protect one’s data. When my business partners started our practice in 2001, large companies were already well aware of this fact, so our […]
Hopefully, you already have a sound estate plan in place to protect the interests of your heirs and minimize potential estate tax liability. But that doesn’t mean you’re completely in the clear. You can’t just fill out the paperwork, lock up the documents in a file cabinet or store them electronically, and forget about it. […]
If you’re starting to worry about your 2021 tax bill, there’s good news — you may still have time to reduce your liability. Here are three quick strategies that may help you trim your taxes before year-end. 1. Accelerate deductions/defer income. Certain tax deductions are claimed for the year of payment, such as the mortgage interest […]
A transparency provision included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) requires group health plans to annually submit health care and drug cost reports to the U.S. Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, and the IRS. Recently, these agencies issued interim final regulations implementing the CAA requirement that group health plans and insurers […]
Most U.S. businesses operate as so-called “pass-through” entities, including partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs) and S corporations. For decades, the IRS and valuation professionals have been at odds over how to value pass-through businesses because of their unique tax characteristics. Taxation of pass-through entities For pass-through entities, all items of income, loss, deduction and credit […]
Retirement planning and estate planning often go hand in hand: The more you save in retirement, the more you’ll have to pass on to the next generation. If you currently have a substantial balance in a traditional IRA, you may be considering whether you should convert the IRA to a Roth IRA. To answer that […]
An external audit is less stressful and less intrusive if you anticipate your auditor’s document requests. Auditors typically ask clients to provide similar documents year after year. They’ll accept copies or client-prepared schedules for certain items, such as bank reconciliations and fixed asset ledgers. To verify other items, such as leases, invoices and bank statements, […]
On November 17, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued a new accounting standard on disclosing certain types of government incentives that businesses receive to set up shop in a locality. The standard comes at a time when investors have been clamoring for more detailed information around incentives businesses get — some to the tune of […]
In Notice 2021-61, the IRS recently announced 2022 cost-of-living adjustments to dollar limits and thresholds for qualified retirement plans. Here are some highlights: Elective deferrals. The annual limit on elective deferrals (employee contributions) will increase from $19,500 to $20,500 for 401(k), 403(b) and 457 plans, as well as for Salary Reduction Simplified Employee Pensions (SARSEPs). The […]
Are you thinking about merging with or acquiring a business? CPA-prepared financial statements can provide valuable insight into historical financial results. But an independent quality of earnings (QOE) report can be another valuable tool in the due diligence process. It looks beyond the quantitative information provided by the seller’s financial statements. These reports can help […]
The IRS recently announced next year’s cost-of-living adjustment amounts. For 2022, the federal gift and estate tax exemption has cracked the $12 million mark: $12.06 million to be exact. Arguably more notable, the annual gift tax exemption has increased by $1,000 to $16,000 per recipient ($32,000 for married couples). It’s adjusted only in $1,000 increments, […]
Do you have a tax-saving flexible spending account (FSA) with your employer to help pay for health or dependent care expenses? As the end of 2021 nears, there are some rules and reminders to keep in mind. An account for health expenses A pre-tax contribution of $2,750 to a health FSA is permitted in 2021. […]