Blog

It’s so great to receive those holiday photo cards as we watch the kids get bigger and go from cute to beautiful or handsome, while we still look so great too.  We also know we are doing something right when our clients show us extra appreciation with thoughtful and yummy gifts/gift baskets.  Thanks for thinking of us. Notice the new photo size; after a few quires to my website people…  Read more

It’s December 9th, not a scary date to most of us, nor does it sound like time is running out, but it is.  There is still time for tax planning, and please don’t groan but this excites me. Yes I’m a bit nerdy, but I do love this time of year. This is a great time for our year-end client meetings which may culminate with a plan enabling our client…  Read more

How fortunate I feel to have been able to spend an extended Thanksgiving holiday with my family and friends.  It was great to get away and clear my head.  The morning sunrises over Gourdneck Lake, MI were spectacular Sunrise on the lake As great as our vacation was, I celebrated when our plane flew over Rockaway beach, “there’s no place like home” View from our widow seat as we approached…  Read more

Thanksgiving, a time of reflection, we/I have so much to be thankful for, not just at this time of year, but throughout the year.  I wonder why we focus on our disappointments. Two weeks ago the Powerball was 1.6 billion dollars, our office bought tickets as a group in all our locations: Florida, Georgia, New York, New Jersey.  We didn’t win, but it was fine as we played for fun,…  Read more

Sending best wishes and our thanks to our veterans and their families this Veteran’s day 2022.  We salute you and appreciate your courage and service to our country. Just this morning I received several “Remember Our Veterans” emails, I am borrowing this one from my California realtor Jackie Kurth who included this quote from  Elmer Davis an American news reporter, author and the Director of the US Office of War Information…  Read more

I have been hearing “10 year Hurricane Sandy Survivor Stories” on the radio these last few days.  As one myself I have many memories of the how hard  it was to literally dig out from the sand deposited by the ocean while emptying  rooms of furniture, clothing, sheetrock, etc., destroyed by salt water. I know people love hearing the stories of how communities came together to work with neighbors, friends,…  Read more

Tax season is finally over and I love having more free time again.   I am back to taking walks on the beach where the sunrise is great, even on a foggy day, but nothing beats the amazing colors of fall foliage… Thank you Jeff and Emily for sharing this amazing shot from Telluride, Colorado, safe travels home. Thank you Ilene for sending me some great photo’s from your walk on…  Read more

My fingers are crossed as I watch the weather and Hurricane Ian’s path.  Myriam is up in NY; she is safe and visiting with me, but her family lives in Orlando and we wish them along with others in Hurricane Ian’s path safety and good luck.  The IRS has a bit of a heart too as tax deadlines have been extended for residents and businesses in locations hit by the…  Read more

A recent New York Times business section article “Peloton Regrets? You’re Not Alone”, featured various household items in a garage sale, so of course I had to read it.  As many of you know, my exercise equipment gets plenty of use; being able to cross train has kept me “mostly” injury free for years.  I hope the exercise equipment that others bought as an alternative to their usual gym workouts served them…  Read more

If you live in the right place, even if you are an annoying parent, your kids may come for a staycation, may invite their friends, and if you are really lucky bring their kids and/or pet.  The timing is great for me, this week I progressed to walking for 2 miles barefoot on the beach with no cane and no pain.  While I am grateful to my husband who accompanies me…  Read more

Don’t you just love the summer, most of us don’t want to be inside cooking; even if you don’t have your own garden there are many great options at local markets and farmer’s market which enable you to chop, slice, and mix your way to an impressive and delicious spread.  I am not complaining, but Raquel and I are “struggling” to decide which “garden to table” lunch to have.  This…  Read more

Happy Birthday USA! I am expecting many are planning bar-b-ques, picnics and outings with family and friends. I hear the weather will cooperate and we can enjoy the weather, those friends and family as we watch spectacular fireworks. I am currently recuperating from hip replacement surgery so I will keep this week’s update short and sweet and lead right into this week’s take-a-way: WEEKLY TAKE-AWAY “Never underestimate the importance of…  Read more

I hear that many of our dads had a great father’s day celebrating with family and friends: fishing trips with laughter but no fish on the line, special meals in local restaurants, special meals prepared by our dads for the family, zoom and facetime meetings with smiles all around and of course many backyard bar-b-ques. Despite continued high gas prices and continued covid-19 cases most with much lighter symptoms it…  Read more

With the more contagious Omicron variant rapidly becoming the dominant strain, many experts are recommending upgrading from cloth to N95 masks. This article in Popular Science explains what to look for in a mask, how long they can be worn, how to safely reuse them, and when they should be discarded. Masks designated as KF94, N95, or in the FPP family are all subject to strict government oversight and quality control. However,…  Read more

Is there a perfect number of hours to work each day? Research shows that five hours seems to be the maximum that people can focus and be creative. The constraint of a shorter workday can also increase productivity as people are forced to find ways to get their work done in less time. While a shorter workday gives people more time for other pursuits, it also has several downsides. People have…  Read more

The July 15th deadline is coming up, but it’s not too late to make an IRA contribution! Even though tax filing season is well underway, there is still time to make a regular (traditional) IRA contribution for 2019. You have until your tax return due date (not including extensions). For most taxpayers, the contribution deadline is July 15, 2020. Watch the video to see what actions to take now: Making a last-minute…  Read more

I have been looking forward to seeing my staff in person and had ordered special “cute masks” with filters, high powered cleaning products, a digital thermometer, created a staggered in office work schedule, set up a hand sanitizer station and started our visitor log.  Over the weekend I finalized our plan and certified our readiness. As a New York City accounting office we were all set for phase 2, our…  Read more

I am glad to report that as of yesterday that in a joint statement by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and  SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza those businesses electing to use the rules in H.R.7010: the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act WILL be able to receive partial forgiveness if they properly follow the 60%-40% guidelines for spending for approved payroll costs and operating expenses. Here is the link to that latest announcement …  Read more

BLOG UPDATED AFTER THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY ANNOUNCEMENT  ON JUNE 8TH  We are thrilled that Congress, The Senate and President moved so swiftly to pass this law which gives business owners more options for applying for loan forgiveness as they start to reopen and rehire. This video summarizes the key points and pitfalls- RECORDED PRIOR TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY ANNOUNCEMENT:  click through to the latest announcement  by the…  Read more

If you’re like many small business owners you’re probably astounded by how the world has changed in a very short time. While we can all hope that the pandemic is a once-in-a-lifetime scenario, the truth is there is a lot in life and in business that is uncertain, and there is a great deal we can learn from the response to COVID-19 to help plan for the future. Yes, your…  Read more