With the exception of land, all tangible property generally loses value over time because it deteriorates (e.g., buildings or vehicles), becomes obsolete (e.g., computers) or loses protection against competition (e.g., patents). This has a specific impact on businesses, which are
Every day that passes marks less time for private companies to get ready for ASC 842, the new lease accounting standard. Private companies will have to comply with this standard in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim
Inattention to beneficiary designations and jointly titled assets can quickly unravel your estate plan. Suppose, for example, that your will provides for all of your property to be divided equally among your three children. But what if your IRA, which
You’ve probably seen it in the movies or on TV: A close-knit family gathers to find out what’s contained in the will of a wealthy patriarch or matriarch. When the terms are revealed, a niece, for example, benefits at the
Nearly everyone owns at least some digital assets, such as online bank and brokerage accounts, bill-paying services, cloud-based document storage, digital music collections, social media accounts, and domain names. But what happens to these assets when you die or if
You may think of trusts as estate planning tools — vehicles for reducing taxes after your death. While trusts can certainly fill that role, they’re also useful for protecting assets, both now and later. After all, the better protected your
If you’re a partner in a business, you may have come across a situation that gave you pause. In a given year, you may be taxed on more partnership income than was distributed to you from the partnership in which
Owning assets jointly with one or more of your children or other heirs is a common estate planning “shortcut.” But like many shortcuts, it may produce unintended — and costly — consequences. Joint ownership advantages There are two potential advantages
As we approach the end of the year, it’s a good time to think about whether your business needs to buy business equipment and other depreciable property. If so, you may benefit from the Section 179 depreciation tax deduction for
A warning if your not-for-profit organization is looking for expenses to cut: Don’t skimp on insurance. Should your nonprofit experience a fire, major theft or other calamity, you’ll be glad you have the coverage. Of course, you may also be