Background Checks on Prospective Employees

Background checks don’t inoculate companies against occupational fraud and other criminal acts by employees. After all, many thieves have never been caught and, therefore, have no criminal background.  But conducting background checks on prospective employees remains critical. If you’re hiring an accounting staffer, for example, you want to know if that person is deeply in debt and has an incentive to cook the books. If you’ll be issuing a company car, you probably don’t want to hire someone with a slew of moving violations. Basic information At a minimum, ask former employers to confirm dates of employment, job titles and other resumé information, and then ask about the applicant’s work habits and reliability. Many employers are unwilling to divulge more than factual information because they fear lawsuits from...

A Good Time to Buy Business Equipment

There’s good news about the §179 depreciation deduction for business property. The election has long provided a tax windfall to businesses.  This is because it enables them to claim immediate deductions for qualified assets, instead of taking depreciation deductions over time. §179 was increased and expanded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).  Therefore, it's a good time to buy business equipment. Even better, the §179 deduction isn’t the only avenue for immediate tax write-offs for qualified assets. Under the 100% bonus depreciation tax break provided by the TCJA, the entire cost of eligible assets placed in service in 2019 can be written off this year. §179 basics The §179 deduction applies to tangible personal property (e.g. machinery and equipment) purchased for use in a trade...

Digital License Plate Now Available

As posted to the Reviver Auto YouTube Channel on 5/7/18 Currently available in CA and AZ, there is a fully functional digital license plate now available.  Introducing the"RPlate". Offered in two primary versions. Rplate offers a variety of benefits and features which may include: Plate Customization Customize the theme of your Rplate anytime with the Rplate app Front-lit HD Display The crisp, bright, reflective screen is easily discernible in all weather conditions LTE Connected Built-in LTD connection keeps you connected with your car Smart Registration Rnewal DMV registration renewal can be done on-online Personalized Messages Customize with running messages including sports teams, universities and organizations Trip & Mileage Tracking GPS tracking and journey mapping Location Alerts Know where your cars is at all times For more information, visit www.reviver.com (This is Blog Post #600)...

Does Charitable Volunteering Yield Tax Breaks?

If you’re a volunteer who works for charity, you may be wondering . . . does charitable volunteering yield tax breaks?  Yes, you may be entitled to some tax breaks if you itemize deductions on your tax return. Unfortunately, they may not amount to as much as you think your generosity is worth. Donations to charity of cash or property generally are tax deductible for itemizers.  As such, it may seem like donations of something more valuable for many people — their time — would also be deductible. As it turns out, that's not the case. It doesn’t matter if the services you provide require significant skills and experience, such as construction, which a charity would have to pay dearly for if it went out and obtained...

Maximizing Your Social Security

As posted on the PBS News Hour YouTube Channel on 2/26/15 The longer you wait before cashing in on Social Security benefits, the greater the financial reward. But many don’t wait until age 70. There’s a range of loopholes and “secrets” that can result in maximizing your social security, a fact economics correspondent Paul Solman discovered during a tennis game with friend and Social Security expert Larry Kotlikoff. Their 2015 book, “Get What’s Yours”, shares that knowledge. (This is Blog Post #597)...

The Greatest Corporate Espionage Risk

It’s a federal crime to steal trade secrets.  However, that doesn’t stop thieves from successfully making off with billions of dollars in intellectual property (IP) annually. Companies may work hard to prevent outsiders from infiltrating their organizations, yet the greater danger is generally internal. Here’s how to identify your business’s corporate espionage vulnerabilities and prevent employees from taking advantage of them. The greatest corporate espionage risk: bad and good intentions The greatest corporate espionage risk is internal.  Employees with access to trade secrets may take that information with them when they leave your company.  Or they can pad their paychecks by selling information while still employed. But not all employees who share IP have bad intentions. In some cases, they may not realize they’re passing it on....

Taxability of Non-Resident Pensions

                In the attached audio clip (click on photo above to listen), Spidell Publishing's "California Minute" discusses a questions that comes up a lot.  What is that taxability of non-resident pensions?  These are situations in which you earn a pension in one state, and then retire in another. Under both federal law and California R&TC §17952.5, qualified pension payments paid to former California residents are not taxable by California. (This is Blog Post #595) Spidell Publishing, Inc. has been a critical source of California tax information for tax professionals since 1975, promoting ideas, references, solutions, and guidance, plus news and commentary covering all aspects of tax and its administration....

Summer Camp May Yield a Tax Break

When schools were out for the summer, you might have sent your children to day camp. It’s often a significant expense. The good news: Summer camp may yield a tax break for the cost. The value of a credit Day camp is a qualified expense under the child and dependent care credit, which is worth 20% to 35% of qualifying expenses, subject to a cap. Note: Sleep-away camp does not qualify. For 2019, the maximum expenses allowed for the credit are $3,000 for one qualifying child and $6,000 for two or more. Other expenses eligible for the credit include payments to a daycare center, nanny, or nursery school. Keep in mind that tax credits are especially valuable because they reduce your tax liability dollar-for-dollar — $1 of tax credit...

Stockman on the Feds Rate Cut

As posted to the David Stockman YouTube Channel on 7/31/19 David Stockman appears on Fox Business Network's "Cavuto: Coast to Coast" to discuss the Fed's decision to cut rates.  Also discussed is the recent debt ceiling extension measure which will allow the National Debt to grow another 2T in the next two years. (This is Blog Post #593) David Stockman is a former businessman and U.S. politician who served as a Republican U.S. Representative from the state of Michigan and as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Ronald Reagan.  He is the author of a number of books including "The Great Deformation: The Corruption of Capitalism in America" and, most recently, "Trumped! A Nation on the Brink of Ruin . . . and...