Tag: retirement planning

Today is a major deadline day, it’s like a perfect storm for me with a sunny afternoon and mild temperature expected later.  I really wanted to stay out on the beach and continue my walk even though it was overcast at 7AM.  Not gonna happen as today is March 15th, the perfect tax season deadline storm of beautiful weather and several major business, fiduciary/trust and partnership tax return, election, estimated…  Read more

It’s Friday morning and I am just back from the beach, where at last the sun was actually visible! It’s positive thoughts that help me through these long days of tax season and starting my day at the beach certainly helps set the pace for the day… Friday Morning & Here’s the Sun at Last In Rockaway we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day early, this year it was Saturday March 1st,…  Read more

It’s been crazy busy here as we head into the heat of tax season, and, if I have learned anything from prior tax seasons it’s “Take Care of You First” and it will all work out in the end, or if not, starting the day right should set the stage for your mood and your interactions. This week I made a new friend as I started my day with a…  Read more

It’s official, LIPA has accepted our application and paperwork, we are now banking our exported KWH.  That means that not only can we “withdraw” KWH when our panels are not producing, we can now report our solar panel project on our 2023 personal income tax return and receive tax credits from the IRS and NYS.  As NYC residents we also qualify for a real estate tax reduction over 4 years. …  Read more

This has been a week of “attack of the killer CPA”.  I have been on the warpath against the spotted lantern fly nymphs that appeared on my fig tree Saturday afternoon and the green/white aphids which showed up on my tomato plants Wednesday morning.  I am so grateful for the many garden blogs and articles I have accessed this week. I started with a spray bottle of white vinegar and graduated to a pump…  Read more

Get well wishes and lovely flowers have really boosted my rehab efforts. Get well soon I am 3 1/2 weeks into recovery from my right hip replacement.  Up until yesterday morning I was feeling better and stronger every day, and then… Weekly Take Away …after weeks of following the prescribed and ever increasing physical therapy exercise outline I woke up  feeling exhausted, with a 4/5 level of  pain.  I was…  Read more

No one really likes talking about their death, which makes updating—or even writing—a will an unpleasant experience. Often, people put off thinking about their will for another day, assuming they have a lot of time to deal with it. Along comes the SECURE Act and we see the importance of proactive planning, not just for your retirement, but for your beneficiaries as well. NEIL D. KATZ, J.D., LL.M., CPA Last…  Read more

It’s hard to believe but 2019 is over and it’s time to create or update your business plan. If you’re like us you’re are currently working on your 2020 business plan too (writing 2020 might take a bit of getting used to!) We are recommending that our clients  “take stock” at this time of year and think about their business & strategy for the year ahead. If you’re looking to…  Read more

I recorded this video over the summer (right, I am not standing on the beach in this gear in December!) A Plan with Small Actionable Steps Will Help Create the Goals we Have in Mind for Our Business and Ourselves and what better time to put this tip to use than now… This message is just perfect for this time of year.  We are all hoping to start 2020 with…  Read more

There is “No Time Like the Present” For You to Start Planning for an Amazing 2020 Have you thought about what 2020 holds? Now is the perfect time to book your Business  Strategy Session. You’ll get guidance on updating or setting up your Business Plan. It’s hard to believe but the year is almost over! AND…there is “No Time Like the Present” for a Business Strategy Session. We sometimes call…  Read more

Ready to retire? Worried that you can’t afford to?  Your accountant may be able to help shed some light on your situation.  Remember that your tax situation may change drastically after retirement and that change can have a positive effect on your spending dollars! Watch this video to see how understanding your after tax retirement dollars can bring you peace of mind. You CAN afford to retire with after tax…  Read more

The holiday season is once again here, and with it comes time to relax, focus on family and friends and take stock in what is really important in life. What if you are a small business owner who has not worked through your processes to create a business rather than a job?  Every small business owner knows that being away from the office can be just as stressful as being…  Read more

It was great to end my conference travels right here in New York for the 2019 Long Island Tax Professionals Symposium.  I followed my own advice on setting goals for the conferences I attend, but these takeaways and highlights were unexpected! Try to take at least one “in-person” update course per year on the software you use and depend on in your office.  I was thrilled that this year we…  Read more

Positive energy resulting from respect, appreciation and support of ideas can bolster most relationships. What works for accounting firms works for other businesses as well. Click through to read my full article published this week on Tax Pro Center | Intuit ProConnect site:    “How to Channel More Positive Energy in Your Tax Firm”   Looking to create a better work environment but need some help? You may also want to perform…  Read more

It was great to have Elizabeth with me for this conference. We split up for several sessions and have already compared notes. We were even able to spend time while still away to make plans for implementing our joint takeaways: Many businesses today are challenged with recruiting and retaining talented loyal staff.  You can start solving staffing problems by looking at the way management is currently interacting with their team.…  Read more

I hope you enjoyed my photos and takeaways as much as I enjoyed sharing with you.  Please do send feedback if these tips have resonated with you.  Please share in the comments if and how you have implemented them in your firm/business/practice, I hope you can tell from these photos that I have taken “selfie” taking lessons. Andrea & Ivette You can be an inspiration to your accountability coach when…  Read more

I hope you are enjoying my photos and takeaways, please do send feedback if these tips have resonated with you.  Please share in the comments if and how you have implemented them in your firm/business/practice, but do not judge me by my “selfie” taking ability, I do feel I am getting better. Conference Day 2 takeaways started as soon as I finished my morning workout: Peloton Bike at the Hotel…  Read more

I hope you were able to watch the vlog I posted last week. In the video I discuss the importance of a solid vision statement, one that you and your team create together and believe in. Here is the link to watch the video and read the post in case you missed it.  I hope it inspires you to take action. Have you been working to create a successful business/professional…  Read more

On the road again, this week I am heading to San Jose for an accounting technology conference; in the next few weeks I am also scheduled to travel to Florida and Long Island for specialized industry and tax conferences with my staff members. Recently I have shared “best practices” for attending conferences and networking events, no need to reiterate, but follow these links for a refresher: Tips for getting the…  Read more

Do you want to stay on the path to creating the business you want? Once you can clearly identify your short term and long term goals, use your vision statement to keep you and your team on track. Watch our video below to see what we mean. I hope this video inspires you to take action… Then start creating your business plan using this complimentary resource: how to develop an…  Read more