Helping Your Kids Achieve Future Financial Security
Young adults who start their careers weighed down by college debt have a tough time buying a home or initiating a retirement savings plan. That’s why, in 1996, Congress added Section 529 to the Internal Revenue Code, creating a new tax-advantaged college saving vehicle. More than two decades later, “529 plans” now collectively hold around…
How to Structure a Business Asset Purchase with Taxes in Mind
Taxes are a major consideration in mergers and acquisitions (M&As). The parties generally can structure a business purchase as either: An asset purchase. The buyer can purchase all or some of the assets of the business. A purchase of stock (or another ownership interest). The buyer can purchase the seller’s ownership interest in the entity…
How to Benefit from the Rising Average Age of American Workers
By 2026, nearly one in four workers will be 55 and older. That’s compared to about one in five today, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. So, the proportion of younger workers in the overall labor pool will shrink. Does that mean your business will have to settle for workers that are less…
When to Update Your Estate Plan
Estate planning isn’t just for the rich and famous. Many people mistakenly think that they don’t need an estate plan anymore because of the latest tax law changes. While it’s true that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) provides generous estate tax relief, even for well-to-do families, the need for estate planning has not…
Three Approaches to Valuing a Business
Most closely held business owners want to know the value of their investments, especially if they are going to sell or gift shares to family members or charities. Valuing a private business is a complex undertaking, however. The only sure way to appraise a business interest is to hire a valuation professional who understands the…
Idea: Roth IRAs as an Estate Planning Tool
Roth IRAs are a great tax saving tool. The reason: Investments held in a Roth IRA are allowed to build up federal-income-tax-free. Later on, you can take federal-income-tax-free withdrawals. Obviously, a zero tax rate is the best rate going. In addition to being great tax saving tools for retirement, Roth IRAs also provide tremendous estate…
Records Retention Guidelines to Remember During Spring Cleaning
Warm weather and rainy days bring the urge to purge. But before you clean your file cabinets or declutter your computer files, it’s important to review these guidelines. Federal Tax Records Most tax advisors recommend that you retain copies of your finished tax returns indefinitely to prove that you actually filed. Even if you don’t…
The Market Approach: A Touchstone in Valuation
The market approach, whereby appraisers use comparable “guideline companies” to help them estimate the value of a private business, has become a long-standing valuation touchstone. Two primary valuation methods are categorized under the market approach: Guideline public company method. Here, appraisers identify companies with stock (or partnership interests) that are actively traded in the public…