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What Are the Different Types of Real Estate Investments?

I know the title here sounds quite fundamental, but you’d be surprised how we hear from clients who are confused or even intimidated by the different forms of real estate investment that might make sense for their situation. In...

How To Add Cash Flow To Your Rental Property Portfolio

At Eckhoff & Companies we have numerous clients who own rental property, several of which own multiple properties. These properties range in type from single family homes, apartments, retail, and commercial buildings. Many clients have...

Is Your Highly Appreciated Rental Property Producing the “Right” Amount of Income?

How to evaluate this important part of your financial plan? In the past several months the team of professionals here at Eckhoff Wealth Management, LLC and Eckhoff and Company have been performing dozens of analyses for clients who own...

Accounting For It All

Protective Claim Form

Protective Claim Form

Take Steps to Curb Power of Attorney Abuse

A financial power of attorney can be a valuable planning tool. The most common type is the durable power of attorney, which allows someone (the agent) to act on the behalf of another person (the principal) even if the person becomes...

The Tax Aspects of Selling Mutual Fund Shares

Perhaps you’re an investor in mutual funds or you’re interested in putting some money into them. You’re not alone. The Investment Company Institute estimates that 56.2 million households owned mutual funds in mid-2017...

Getting Help With a Business Interruption Insurance Claim

To guard against natural disasters and other calamities, many companies buy business interruption insurance. These policies provide cash flow to cover revenues lost and expenses incurred while normal operations are limited or suspended...

There Still Might Be Time to Cut Your Tax Bill With IRAs

If you’re getting ready to file your 2019 tax return, and your tax bill is higher than you’d like, there may still be an opportunity to lower it. If you qualify, you can make a deductible contribution to a traditional IRA...

Look Closely at Your Company’s Concentration Risks

The word “concentration” is usually associated with a strong ability to pay attention. Business owners are urged to concentrate when attempting to resolve the many challenges facing them. But the word has an alternate...

3 Best Practices for Achieving Organic Sales Growth

Most business owners would probably agree that, when it comes to sales, there’s always room for improvement. To this end, every company should strive for organic sales growth — that is, increases from existing operations...

Can You Deduct Charitable Gifts on Your Tax Return?

Many taxpayers make charitable gifts — because they’re generous and they want to save money on their federal tax bills. But with the tax law changes that went into effect a couple years ago and the many rules that apply to...

Landlords Need to Include These Rental-Related Payments in Their Gross Income.

You probably already know that you need to count rental income as part of your federal gross income. What you may not know is that you must include: Any advance rent in the year you receive it, regardless of the period covered or the...

Time Passages: Estate Planning Through the Years

Virtually everyone needs an estate plan, but it isn’t a one-size-fits-all proposition. Even though each person’s situation is unique, general guidelines can be drawn depending on your current stage of life. The early years...

Help Protect Your Personal Information by Filing Your 2019 Tax Return Early

The IRS announced it is opening the 2019 individual income tax return filing season on January 27. Even if you typically don’t file until much closer to the April 15 deadline (or you file for an extension), consider filing as...

4 New Law Changes That May Affect Your Retirement Plan

If you save for retirement with an IRA or other plan, you’ll be interested to know that Congress recently passed a law that makes significant modifications to these accounts. The SECURE Act, which was signed into law on December...

5 Ways to Strengthen Your Business for the New Year

The end of one year and the beginning of the next is a great opportunity for reflection and planning. You have 12 months to look back on and another 12 ahead to look forward to. Here are five ways to strengthen your business for the...

How Do You Evaluate the Performance of Your Investment Real Estate?

Or should I be asking, “DO YOU evaluate the performance of your investment real estate?” For the past several years we have been helping our clients to understand how this important asset in their portfolio of investments...

IRS Confirms Large Gifts Now Won’t Hurt Post-2025 Estates

The IRS has issued final regulations that should provide comfort to taxpayers interested in making large gifts under the current gift and estate tax regime. The final regs generally adopt, with some revisions, proposed regs that the...

Do You Have a Side Gig? Make Sure You Understand Your Tax Obligations

The number of people engaged in the “gig” or sharing economy has grown in recent years, according to a 2019 IRS report. And there are tax consequences for the people who perform these jobs, such as providing car rides,...

3 Pitfalls to Avoid When Naming a Beneficiary of a Life Insurance Policy

Life insurance can be a powerful financial and estate planning tool, but its benefits can be reduced or even eliminated if you designate the wrong beneficiary or fail to change beneficiaries when your circumstances change. Common...

What’s the Right Device Policy for Your Company?

Device policies pertaining to smartphones and other technology tools continue to frustrate business owners as they try to balance their needs for security and functionality against employees’ rights to privacy and freedom. At...

Your Emergency Fund: How Much Is Enough?

Have you ever had one of those months? The water heater stops heating, the dishwasher stops washing and your family ends up on a first-name basis with the nurse at urgent care. Then, as you’re driving to work, giving yourself...

Look in the Mirror and Identify Your Company Culture

“Company culture” is a buzzword that’s been around for a while, but your culture may never have mattered as much as it does in today’s transparency-driven business arena. Customers, potential partners and...

Don’t Be Afraid of Probate

The word “probate” may conjure images of lengthy delays waiting for wealth to be transferred and bitter disputes among family members. Plus, probate records are open to the public, so all your “dirty linen” may...

Medical Expenses: What It Takes to Qualify for a Tax Deduction

As we all know, medical services and prescription drugs are expensive. You may be able to deduct some of your expenses on your tax return but the rules make it difficult for many people to qualify. However, with proper planning, you...

Parental Priorities: How to Choose a Guardian for Your Child

If you have minor children, arguably the most important estate planning decision you need to make is choosing a guardian for them should the unthinkable occur. If you haven’t yet made this decision, formalize your choice as soon...

Bridging the Gap Between Budgeting and Risk Management

At many companies, a wide gap exists between the budgeting process and risk management. Failing to consider major threats could leave you vulnerable to high-impact hits to your budget if one or more of these dangers materialize. Here...

What Is Your Taxpayer Filing Status?

For tax purposes, December 31 means more than New Year’s Eve celebrations. It affects the filing status box that will be checked on your tax return for the year. When you file your return, you do so with one of five filing...

In an Unpredictable Estate Planning Environment, Flexibility Is Key

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) made only one change to the federal gift and estate tax regime, but it was a big one. It more than doubled the combined gift and estate tax exemption, as well as the generation-skipping transfer (GST)...

Using Your 401(K) Plan to Save This Year and Next

You can reduce taxes and save for retirement by contributing to a tax-advantaged retirement plan. If your employer offers a 401(k) or Roth 401(k) plan, contributing to it is a taxwise way to build a nest egg. If you’re not...

Is Multicloud Computing Right for Your Business?

Cloud computing — storing data and accessing apps via the Internet — has been widely adopted by businesses across industry and size. Like many technological advances, though, new derivatives continue to emerge —...

Small Businesses: Stay Clear of a Severe Payroll Tax Penalty

One of the most laborious tasks for small businesses is managing payroll. But it’s critical that you not only withhold the right amount of taxes from employees’ paychecks but also that you pay them over to the federal...

A Shadow Board Could Shed Light on Your Company’s Best Future

In many industries, market conditions move fast. Businesses that don’t have their ears to the ground can quickly get left behind. That’s just one reason why some of today’s savviest companies are establishing...

Don’t Worry! A Broken Trust Can Be Fixed

There are good reasons why estate planning advisors recommend you revisit and, if necessary, revise your estate plan periodically: changing circumstances, including family situations and new tax laws. While it’s relatively simple...

At the Very Least, Update the Financials in Your Business Plan

Every new company should launch with a business plan and keep it updated. Generally, such a plan will comprise six sections: executive summary, business description, industry and marketing analysis, management team description,...

Who Needs an Estate Plan? You Do!

Despite what you might think, estate planning isn’t limited to only the rich and famous. In fact, your family is likely to benefit from a comprehensive plan that divides your wealth, protects your well-being and provides a...

Deciding Whether a Merger or Acquisition Is the Right Move

Merging with, or acquiring, another company is one of the best ways to grow rapidly. You might be able to significantly boost revenue, literally overnight, by acquiring another business. In contrast, achieving a comparable rate of...

Leave a Philanthropic Legacy with a Charitable Remainder Trust

Let’s say you’re charitably inclined but have concerns about maintaining a sufficient amount of income to meet your current needs. The good news is that there’s a trust for that: a charitable remainder trust (CRT)....

Understanding and Controlling the Unemployment Tax Costs of Your Business

As an employer, you must pay federal unemployment (FUTA) tax on amounts up to $7,000 paid to each employee as wages during the calendar year. The rate of tax imposed is 6% but can be reduced by a credit (described below). Most...

Capital Gains Rates: The Long and Short of It

Capital gains tax can take a bite out of your investments. Here's an overview of capital gains taxes incurred on the sale of the most common types of assets:

Is a Self-Directed IRA Right for You?

Traditional and Roth IRAs can be powerful estate planning tools. With a “self-directed” IRA, you may be able to amp up the benefits of these tools by enabling them to hold nontraditional investments that offer potentially...

Take Advantage of the Gift Tax Exclusion Rules

As we head toward the gift-giving season, you may be considering giving gifts of cash or securities to your loved ones. Taxpayers can transfer substantial amounts free of gift taxes to their children and others each year through the...

Estate Tax Relief for Family Businesses

Fewer people currently are subject to transfer taxes than ever before. But gift, estate and generation-skipping transfer (GST) taxes continue to place a burden on families with significant amounts of wealth tied up in illiquid closely...

For Best Results, Start Your Strategic Planning Early

Time flies when you’re having fun — and running a business. Although it’s probably too early to start chilling a bottle of bubbly for New Year’s Eve, it’s certainly not too early for business owners to...

You May Find Relief from College Costs on Your Tax Return

We all know the cost of college is expensive. The latest figures from the College Board show that the average annual cost of tuition and fees was $10,230 for in-state students at public four-year universities — and $35,830 for...

Putting Together the Succession Planning and Retirement Planning Puzzle

Everyone needs to plan for retirement. But as a business owner, you face a distinctive challenge in that you must save for your golden years while also creating, updating and eventually executing a succession plan. This is no easy task...

2019 Q4 Tax Calendar: Key Deadlines for Businesses and Other Employers

Here are some of the key tax-related deadlines affecting businesses and other employers during the fourth quarter of 2019. Keep in mind that this list isn’t all-inclusive, so there may be additional deadlines that apply to you....

Control How Your Charitable Gifts Are Used by Adding Restrictions

If philanthropy is an important part of your estate planning legacy, consider taking steps to ensure that your donations are used to fulfill your intended charitable purposes. Outright gifts can be risky, especially large donations...

The Next Estimated Tax Deadline Is September 16: Do You Have to Make a Payment?

If you’re self-employed and don’t have withholding from paychecks, you probably have to make estimated tax payments. These payments must be sent to the IRS on a quarterly basis. The third 2019 estimated tax payment deadline...

Expenses That Teachers Can and Can’t Deduct on Their Tax Returns

As teachers head back for a new school year, they often pay for various expenses for which they don’t receive reimbursement. Fortunately, they may be able to deduct them on their tax returns. However, there are limits on this...

Expanded 529 Plans Offer Unique Estate Planning Benefits

If you’re putting aside money for college or other educational expenses, consider a tax-advantaged 529 savings plan. Also known as “college savings plans,” 529 plans were expanded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA)...

4 Tough Questions to Ask About Your Sales Department

Among the fastest ways for a business to fail is because of mismanagement or malfeasance by ownership. On the other hand, among the slowest ways is an ineffective or dysfunctional sales department. Companies suffering from this malady...

Taking Distributions from Your Traditional IRA

If you’re like many people, you’ve worked hard to accumulate a large nest egg in your traditional IRA (including a SEP-IRA). It’s even more critical to carefully plan for withdrawals from these retirement-savings...

Avoid Common Slip-Ups When Selling Your Business

Contact us for more information on the best way to sell a business. © 2019 You may also be interested in: Business Owners, How Prepared Are You for a Successful Transition? Using Knowledge Management to Develop Your Succession Plan

Understanding the Contents of a Will

You probably don’t have to be told about the need for a will. But do you know what provisions should be included and what’s best to leave out? The answers to those questions depend on your situation and may depend on state...

What to Do If Your Business Receives a “No-Match” Letter

Over the past few months, many businesses and employers nationwide have received “no-match” letters from the Social Security Administration (SSA). The purpose of these letters is to alert employers if there’s a...

Is It Time to Hire a CFO or Controller?

Many business owners reach a point where managing the financial side of the enterprise becomes overwhelming. Usually, this is a good thing — the company has grown to a point where simple bookkeeping and basic financial reporting...

The Tax Implications of Being a Winner

If you’re lucky enough to be a winner at gambling or the lottery, congratulations! After you celebrate, be ready to deal with the tax consequences of your good fortune. Winning at gambling Whether you win at the casino, a bingo...

What’s the Difference Between the Two Types of Power of Attorney?

When drafting your estate plan, you and your attorney must account for what happens to your children and your assets after you die. But your plan must also spell out your wishes for making financial and medical decisions if...

The “Kiddie Tax” Hurts Families More Than Ever

Years ago, Congress enacted the “kiddie tax” rules to prevent parents and grandparents in high tax brackets from shifting income (especially from investments) to children in lower tax brackets. And while the tax caused some...

Naming a Trustee May Be One of the Most Important Decisions of Your Life

When it comes to estate planning, trusts are appealing for many reasons. They can enable you to hold and transfer assets for beneficiaries, avoid probate and reduce estate tax exposure. But they can be complicated to set up. One of the...

The “Nanny Tax” Must Be Paid for More Than Just Nannies

You may have heard of the “nanny tax.” But even if you don’t employ a nanny, it may apply to you. Hiring a housekeeper, gardener or other household employee (who isn’t an independent contractor) may make you...

Thinking About a Roth IRA Conversion? Now May Be the Ideal Time

Roth IRAs offer significant estate planning and financial benefits. If you have a substantial balance in a traditional IRA and are considering converting it to a Roth IRA, there may be no better time than now. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act...

Volunteering for Charity: Do You Get a Tax Break?

If you’re a volunteer who works for charity, 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. Because...

Donating Your Vehicle to Charity May Not Be a Taxwise Decision

You’ve probably seen or heard ads urging you to donate your car to charity. “Make a difference and receive tax savings,” one organization states. But donating a vehicle may not result in a big tax deduction — or...

You Have Options When Addressing Life Insurance in Your Estate Plan

Life insurance has long provided a source of liquidity to pay estate taxes and other expenses. But, with the estate tax exemption currently set at an inflation-adjusted $10 million ($11.40 million for 2019), estate taxes are no longer...

Your Succession Plan May Benefit from a Separation of Business and Real Estate

Like most businesses, yours probably has a variety of physical assets, such as production equipment, office furnishings and a plethora of technological devices. But the largest physical asset in your portfolio may be your real estate...

The Chances of IRS Audit Are Down but You Should Still Be Prepared

The IRS just released its audit statistics for the 2018 fiscal year, and fewer taxpayers had their returns examined as compared with prior years. However, even though a small percentage of tax returns are being chosen for audit these...

Hire Your Children This Summer: Everyone Wins

If you’re a business owner and you hire your children (or grandchildren) this summer, you can obtain tax breaks and other nontax benefits. The kids can gain on-the-job experience, save for college and learn how to manage money....

Selling Your Home? Consider These Tax Implications

Spring and summer are the optimum seasons for selling a home. And interest rates are currently attractive, so buyers may be out in full force in your area. Freddie Mac reports that the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 4.14%...

Plug In Tax Savings for Electric Vehicles

While the number of plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) is still small compared with other cars on the road, it’s growing — especially in certain parts of the country. If you’re interested in purchasing an electric or...

Estate Planning for Single Parents Requires Special Considerations

Here’s a fast fact: The percentage of U.S. children who live with an unmarried parent has jumped from 13% in 1968 to 32% in 2017, according to Pew Research Center’s most recent poll. While estate planning for single parents...

How Entrepreneurs Must Treat Expenses on Their Tax Returns

Have you recently started a new business? Or are you contemplating starting one? Launching a new venture is a hectic, exciting time. And as you know, before you even open the doors, you generally have to spend a lot of money. You may...

An Implementation Plan Is Key to Making Strategic Goals a Reality

In the broadest sense, strategic planning comprises two primary tasks: establishing goals and achieving them. Many business owners would probably say the first part, coming up with objectives, is relatively easy. It’s that second...

Still Working after Age 70½? You May Not Have to Begin 401(k) Withdrawals

If you participate in a qualified retirement plan, such as a 401(k), you must generally begin taking required withdrawals from the plan no later than April 1 of the year after which you turn age 70½. However, there’s an...

Business Owners: How Prepared Are You for a Successful Transition?

Recent studies by the Exit Planning Institute (EPI) show that 66% of the current American business market is owned by Baby Boomers, who are set to transition their businesses to new owners over the next zero to ten years.(1) According...

Vehicle-Expense Deduction Ins and Outs for Individual Taxpayers

It’s not just businesses that can deduct vehicle-related expenses. Individuals also can deduct them in certain circumstances. Unfortunately, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) might reduce your deduction compared to what you...

The 2018 Gift Tax Return Deadline Is Almost Here

Did you make large gifts to your children, grandchildren or other heirs last year? If so, it’s important to determine whether you’re required to file a 2018 gift tax return — or whether filing one would be beneficial...

Using Knowledge Management to Develop Your Succession Plan

As the old saying goes, “Knowledge is power.” This certainly rings true in business, as those who best understand their industries and markets tend to have a knack for staying on top. If that person is a company’s...

No, It’s Not Unusual to Include Your Pet in Your Estate Plan

An unexpected outcome of the recent death of designer Karl Lagerfeld is that the topic of estate planning for pets has been highlighted. Lagerfeld’s beloved cat, Choupette, played a major role in his brand. The feline was the...

Beware the Ides of March — If You Own a Pass-Through Entity

Shakespeare’s words don’t apply just to Julius Caesar; they also apply to calendar-year partnerships, S corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs) treated as partnerships or S corporations for tax purposes. Why?...

Have You Properly Substantiated Your 2018 Charitable Gifts?

Donating to charity is a key estate planning strategy for many people. It reduces the size of your taxable estate and it can help you leave a lasting legacy with organizations you care about. The benefit of making such gifts during...

5 Deductions That May Shrink (or Disappear) on Your 2018 Tax Return

While the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) reduces most income tax rates and expands some tax breaks, it limits or eliminates several itemized deductions that have been valuable to many individual taxpayers. Here are five deductions you...

Building an On-Off Switch into Your Estate Plan

The right estate planning strategy for you likely is the one that will produce the greatest tax savings for your family. Unfortunately, there can be tension between strategies that save estate tax and ones that save income tax. This is...

Financial Statements Tell Your Business’s Story, Inside and Out

Ask many entrepreneurs and small business owners to show you their financial statements and they’ll likely open a laptop and show you their bookkeeping software. Although tracking financial transactions is critical, spreadsheets...

Why You Shouldn’t Wait to File Your 2018 Income Tax Return

The IRS opened the 2018 income tax return filing season on January 28. Even if you typically don’t file until much closer to the April 15 deadline, this year consider filing as soon as you can. Why? You can potentially protect...

Hastily Choosing an Executor Can Lead to Problems After Your Death

Choosing the right executor — sometimes known as a “personal representative” — is critical to the smooth administration of an estate. Yet many people treat this decision as an afterthought. Given an...

An ESOP Can Benefit a Business Owner’s Retirement and Estate Plans

Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) offer closely held business owners an exit strategy and a tax-efficient technique for sharing equity with employees. But did you know that an ESOP can be a powerful estate planning tool? It can...

Refine Your Strategic Plan With SWOT

With the year underway, your business probably has a strategic plan in place for the months ahead. Or maybe you’ve created a general outline but haven’t quite put the finishing touches on it yet. In either case,...

Depreciation-Related Breaks on Business Real Estate: What You Need to Know When You File Your 2018 R

Commercial buildings and improvements generally are depreciated over 39 years, which essentially means you can deduct a portion of the cost every year over the depreciation period. (Land isn’t depreciable.) But special tax breaks...

When a Spouse Unexpectedly Dies

What if the unthinkable happens and your spouse dies unexpectedly? Would you be prepared to cope emotionally and financially? It’s a conversation no one wants to have, but an important one to be prepared for. As the surviving...

Get Wise to the Rise of “Smart” Buildings

Nowadays, data drives everything — including the very buildings in which companies operate. If your business is considering upgrading its current facility, or moving to or constructing a new one, it’s important to be aware...

What Will Your Marginal Income Tax Rate Be?

While the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) generally reduced individual tax rates for 2018 through 2025, some taxpayers could see their taxes go up due to reductions or eliminations of certain tax breaks — and, in some cases, due to...

Have You Had Your Annual Estate Plan Checkup?

An annual estate plan checkup is critical to the health of your estate plan. One reason is that because various exclusion, exemption and deduction amounts are adjusted for inflation, they can change from year to year, impacting your...

4 Business Functions You Could Outsource Right Now

One thing in plentiful supply in today’s business world is help. Orbiting every industry are providers, consultancies and independent contractors offering a wide array of support services. Simply put, it’s never been easier...

2 Major Tax Law Changes for Individuals in 2019

While most provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) went into effect in 2018 and either apply through 2025 or are permanent, there are two major changes under the act for 2019. Here’s a closer look. 1. Medical expense...

A Refresher on Major Tax Law Changes for Small-Business Owners

The dawning of 2019 means the 2018 income tax filing season will soon be upon us. After year end, it’s generally too late to take action to reduce 2018 taxes. Business owners may, therefore, want to shift their focus to assessing...