WebCPA - Tools and Resources for the Electronic Accountant

• Login
• Not a registered member yet?   Register Now

• Lance Hall Podcast

  February 5, 2010

  President of FMV Opinions discusses estate valuation and planning for celebrities like Peanuts cartoonist Charles Schultz and the uncertain state of the estate tax.

• TAX NEWS

  January 11, 2010

  House approves 45% estate tax extension; thousands disclose foreign accounts; millions may owe under Making Work Pay.

• House Approves 45 Percent Estate Tax Extension

  December 3, 2009

  The House voted to set the inheritance tax at 45 percent permanently for estates larger than $3.5 million.

• FINRA Fines Terra Nova Financial $400,000

  November 24, 2009

  The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has fined Terra Nova Financial $400,000 for making more than $1 million in improper “soft dollar” payments to hedge fund clients for accounting expenses, estate planning fees and more questionable expenses.

• Playing Hide and Seek with the Estate Tax

  November 13, 2009

  Although I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth, and I would have to get very lucky very soon to be concerned with the estate tax rate, it has always seemed an unfair proposition to tax a person or business when it is most vulnerable.

• Personal Financial Planning for Divorce

  September 22, 2009

  Published: October 2009 Published by: Wiley Author: Rattiner
  FREE SHIPPING

• AICPA Offers Guide to End-of-Life Financial Planning

  September 14, 2009

  The American Institute of CPAs has published a free guide to help people make plan for eldercare and manage the period leading up to the end of life.

• Estate Planning Guide Offered for Turbulent Times

  July 28, 2009

  A new downloadable e-book aims to help CPAs, business owners, personal financial planners, and insurance consultants assess and modify their estate and financial planning to adjust to a volatile market.

• CPA as Client Trustee

  July 28, 2009

  The family CPA is often the best choice as successor trustee of the family trust.

• Forming a Captive Insurance Company

  July 23, 2009

  Part of a CPA’s job is to evaluate the potential tax benefits of various business and estate planning strategies.

• Why We Can All Learn a Lesson from Michael Jackson

  July 21, 2009

  One good thing that might come from all the attention on Michael Jackson's estate is that it may motivate people to get their own affairs in order.

• Cheshire Adds More Estate Planning Features

  June 23, 2009

  Cheshire Software has expanded the estate planning features in its wealth management software product, Cheshire Wealth Manager.

• Beyond the Magic Number

  May 22, 2009

  Americans today are being forced to review their retirement planning goals with greater scrutiny.

• Life Settlement Supporters Relieved by IRS Rulings

  May 13, 2009

  Financial professionals gathered at a recent life insurance conference expressed relief about two revenue rulings issued by the IRS this month.

• Shooting for the stars

  April 19, 2009

  The Internal Revenue Service now has a new interest in sports and entertainment - and not just as a spectator.

• A Toolkit for the Financial Planner

  April 5, 2009

  Given the current economic situation, conducting a financial planning practice isn't getting easier. With the financial uncertainty of the past several years, investors have become uncomfortable with the 'business as usual' planning approach.

• Advising Younger Generations About Investing

  April 5, 2009

  Gen X and Y may reap some big benefits from the bear market, and advisors who target those generations could profit from helping them.

• Boomers Making Seismic Plan Changes

  April 3, 2009

  More than half of affluent 60-year-olds are revamping their retirement plans, according to Bell Investment Advisors' fourth annual Affluent Boomers at 60 Survey of 500 high net-worth 60-year-olds.

• IRS Provides COBRA Guidance

  April 2, 2009

  The Internal Revenue Service has issued guidance to clarify the COBRA benefits offered under the recently passed stimulus bill.

• Tax Strategies for IRA Owners Affected by the Market

  March 31, 2009

  The sharp stock market decline we've experienced has no immediate tax effect on pre-retirement-age taxpayers who invested their traditional IRAs or Roth IRAs in stocks and mutual funds, since losses as well as gains are not recognized within either type of IRA.

• Financial Planning Briefs

  March 31, 2009

• Seniors Lack Economic Security

  March 31, 2009

• Watershed Era for Environmental Investing

  March 31, 2009

• RIA Ability to Monitor Data from Banks, Brokerage Houses

  March 31, 2009

  Financial advisors will get on-demand access to a complete view of their clients' financial portfolio, including assets held at competing brokerage firms.

• Saving More, Cutting Debt

  March 31, 2009

• Aiding 401(k) Filing Requirements

  March 31, 2009

• Cost Cutting and Saving

  March 27, 2009

  American families are said to have a newfound commitment to cutting household expenses and saving money, according to the First Command Financial Behaviors Index that was just released.

• ADP Expands Retirement Services

  March 24, 2009

  ADP has launched ADP Access, a retirement program that combines the benefits of ADP's 401(k) plan recordkeeping services and the guidance of a financial advisor.

• Grant Thornton Launches Hedge Fund Services Unit

  March 23, 2009

  Global CPA and business-advisory firm Grant Thornton is gearing to launch a new practice unit -- hedge fund internal control, governance and regulatory compliance services.

• Questions to Ask

  March 20, 2009

  Today is the first day of spring and it's a welcome sight for those of us in the Northeast. It's been a rather interesting winter, to say the least.

• Free Webcast: What You Need to Know About Estate Planning

  March 18, 2009

  No matter how much money your client has, it's crucial to have a basic estate plan simply to ensure that the financial goals of the client are met after the client dies.

• Clients, Advisors Urgently Seek Answers

  March 15, 2009

  As the economy worsens and unemployment continues to rise, many people who have stayed invested may be asking themselves if they made a mistake by not selling out and remaining in cash.

• HBK Acquires Stikelether

  March 16, 2009

  CPA firm Hill, Barth & King has acquired Stikelether & Associates of Fort Pierce, Fla., expanding the firm's presence on the state's "Treasure Coast."

• Do What You Love

  March 13, 2009

  Mary Lloyd says that retirement is simply not for old folks, anymore!

• Securities Settlements Down 50 Percent

  March 12, 2009

  The average settlement as a result of securities class-action litigation dropped more than 50 percent in 2008, to $31.2 million, according to a report from Cornerstone Research.

• Shareholder Meetings Likely to Be Contentious

  March 10, 2009

  Accounting firm BDO Seidman anticipates that shareholder meetings this year will be dominated by concerns about excessive executive compensation, recession plans and credit concerns.

• Seniors Lack Economic Security

  March 6, 2009

  So, do you get the feeling that American seniors will be living longer but on less money?

• Financial Planning Video Site Launches

  March 5, 2009

  The American College has introduced a video-on-demand Web site that will provide information for financial planners on wealth management and related topics.

• Tax & Financial Planning News

  March 1, 2009

  Crisis center launched; Avalara launches blog; Copanion names CFO; Morningstar ponders credit ratings; CCH names sales tax team; Advent net jumps; ADP net and sales rise; and SpeedTax starts channel program.

• These Ladies Are Savvy

  February 27, 2009

  Although admittedly many people look upon January 1st as the trigger-point for resolutions, an organization known as Savvy Ladies figures that April 15th is really the better date.

• Bill Would Beef up Broker-Dealer Auditor Oversight

  February 27, 2009

  Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Pa., has introduced a bill in Congress to close a legal loophole that allowed Bernard Madoff's tiny auditing firm to avoid scrutiny.

• Tax Season Essentials: Children's Investment Income

  February 26, 2009

  Children with investment income may have part or all of this income taxed at their parent's tax rate rather than at the child's rate, according to the IRS.

• Don't count out mutual funds!

  February 23, 2009

  Talking with your clients about investment strategies may not be easy given the current economic climate, but preparation and ongoing assessment of an investor's portfolio are the keys to restoring confidence.

• Straight talk on Boomer Retirement

  February 23, 2009

  A growing number of Baby Boomers, America's largest generation, are considering retirement in the midst of what many are calling the worst economic environment since the Great Depression. This year alone, Americans have seen the value of their 401(k) and other retirement plans decline by over $2 trillion.

• Your Retirement Goals Pushed Back?

  February 20, 2009

  Despite tightening their wallets, Americans are now further from achieving their retirement goals amidst the weakening economy.

• Gillan Named Senior Advisor at SEC

  February 19, 2009

  The Securities and Exchange Commission has appointed former Public Company Accounting Oversight Board member Kayla Gillan as senior advisor to new Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Mary Schapiro, effective immediately.

• Can We Learn Something Here?

  February 13, 2009

  Canadian consumers are in structurally better financial shape than U.S. consumers.

• SEC Begins XBRL Mandate for First 500 Companies

  February 11, 2009

  The Securities and Exchange Commission has begun requiring 500 of the largest companies to start filing their financial statements in an interactive data format.

• Retiring: It's Not What's For Dinner

  February 10, 2009

  Retirement doesn't have to be just about bingo and shuffleboard.

• Morningstar Ponders Credit Ratings

  February 9, 2009

  Morningstar has issued a statement that it is considering establishing its own credit-ratings systems in competition with rating agencies such as Moody's and Fitch, although it has no plans in place.

• SEC Chair Wants to Beef up Enforcement

  February 9, 2009

  Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Schapiro announced plans to make it easier for SEC staff to bring enforcement actions and indicated that the Financial Accounting Standards Board would further modify fair value accounting standards.

Related Articles

• TAX NEWS

• House Approves 45 Percent Estate Tax Extension

• FINRA Fines Terra Nova Financial $400,000

• Playing Hide and Seek with the Estate Tax

• AICPA Offers Guide to End-of-Life Financial Planning

Special Offers

Editors' Picks

• 

  Better ways to get paid

  Start with being clear about what you're charging

• 

  IRS Overdue on Paying Hazardous Waste Fee

  An IRS processing center in Kansas City, Mo., is overdue on paying a $172.50 fee for a hazardous waste removal permit dating back to 2006.

• 

  Should 401(k) plans be scrapped?

  Some have bemoaned the failure of 401(k) plans to provide for our retirement.

• 

  WebCPA Twitter Page

  Check out WebCPA's Twitter page, WebCPAtweets

Quick Poll

See Recent Polls