Tax Notes has published a "Letter to The Editor" from E. Lynn Nichols, CPA Nichols Patrick CPE, Inc., discussing Circular 230 disclosures in outgoing e-mail and conference presentations. In his letter, Mr. Nichols points out the overzealous use of the...
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Peter J. Reilly discusses a recent Tax Court holding concerning the termination of conservation easements. See Kayln M. Carpenter, et al. v. Commissioner, TC Memo 2012-1. He discusses how the IRS attacked the conservation easements based upon a clause in the contract instead of...
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While the economy is still sluggish to say the least, there are a lot of very happy people in silicon valley. Many new internet companies have had their IPO and with it newly minted millionaires (and billionaires). For financial companies,...
As the saying goes, you only get one shot to make a good first impression. In difficult economic environments, the first impression may be the only opportunity you have to impress a prospective employer. Forbes magazine has laid out some...
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Peter J. Reilly discusses how difficult it is to interpret legal advice from field attorneys (LAFA). LAFA documents are prepared by Field attorneys in the Office of Chief Counsel that are reviewed by an Associate Office, and subsequently issued to...
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LexisNexis has introduced a new service, which provides legal services directly to individuals and which competes with estate lawyers, other than those that affiliate with LexisNexis, called EZ Law. EZ Law offers Wills beginning at $75, which "includes attorney review...
Russell James, Professor at Texas Tech University, advises that in behavioral finance, decision-making usually comes down to getting an investor's rational functions to override impulsive behavior and steer the investor toward better decisions. He also reports that there are two...
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Claudio Pannunzio lists five rules for creating a successful marketing plan. These include:Identifying your target audienceEstablishing your core messageSticking with your core messageDeciding whether or not to use social mediaViewing the marketing plan as a slow building block processSee Claudio...
Donna Mitchell advises that to be prepared for succession, financial planning companies must make sure that employees are able to advance their careers within the company. According to FA research, 27% of financial planning companies make career opportunities a key...
A draft proposal to amend the ethics rules which limit ownership to licensed attorneys is to be submitted this November in order to improve legal services and extend ownership of law firms to other professionals. See: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/29/business/selling-pieces-of-law-firms-to-investors.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rssPosted by E. Jazmin Antezana, Associate...
In an interview with Harvey Mackay, Dan Schawbel gets the founder and CEO of MackayMitchell Envelope Company to discuss his latest book. The interview discusses ways to be a great salesperson, make a difference in the world, and tips for finding...
The sixth 2011 installment of the McGuireWoods Fiduciary Advisory Services circular lists several recent cases that concern the extent of the liability of a trustee for investment losses. These cases include:Figel v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS...
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The Fore Trust Software company has designed a software that incorporates directly into a firm's existing website. The Virtual Estate Planning System (VEPS) allows a client to directly enter in their information and answer questions regarding their preferences. Both the...
Steven Schneider discusses three recent IRS victories in cases concerning tax shelters involving importing foreign built-in tax losses, foreign tax credits, and generating tax losses from "underwater" commercial leases. In Southgate Master Fund LLC v. US, the Fiifth Circuit Court...
To be an effective speaker, you need to use that is language crisp, clear, and resonates with the audience. Delivery needs to be unique and reflect your personality. Claudio Pannunzio lists four guidelines for being a more effective speaker: (1)...
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