Donating appreciated stock can offer substantial tax benefits
Are you planning to make charitable donations before year end? Do you own appreciated stock that you’d like to sell, but you’re concerned about the tax hit? Then consider donating it to charity rather than making a cash gift. Appreciated publicly traded stock you’ve held more than one year is long-term capital gains property. If…
Revive Your Brand!
The startup world can be rough. Some speculate that 8 out of 10 businesses fail in the first 18 months, while others believe the number is closer to 90 percent. Surprisingly, many businesses normally don’t fail because of poor products – they fail because they don’t communicate the company’s value clearly and consistently to the…
Maximizing depreciation deductions in an uncertain tax environment
For assets with a useful life of more than one year, businesses generally must depreciate the cost over a period of years. Special breaks are available in some circumstances, but uncertainty currently surrounds them: Section 179 expensing.This allows you to deduct, rather than depreciate, the cost of purchasing eligible assets. Currently the expensing limit for…
Keep the Recruiting Ball Rolling
Recruiting: it takes time, energy and focus. It may feel like it’s unproductive for the company since it takes a while for the fruits of your labor – the new hire’s training, acclimation and productivity – to appear. Be careful not to assume that the recruiting process stops when the candidate accepts your offer. Technically,…
Watch out for the wash sale rule
If you’ve cashed in some big gains this year, consider looking for unrealized losses in your portfolio and selling those investments before year end to offset your gains. This can reduce your 2014 tax liability. But if you want to minimize the impact on your asset allocation, keep in mind the wash sale rule. It…
Managing Your Employees’ Social Media Use On and Off the Clock
With the pervasiveness of social media, it’s likely that many of your employees are connected to a variety of social media outlets during work and personal time. This leaves business managers with concerns regarding how they should manage their employees’ usage of social media at work, what potential issues could arise from their actions, and how…
Careful tax planning critical for RSUs — and other stock-based compensation
If you’re an executive or other key employee, you might be compensated with more than just salary, fringe benefits and bonuses: You might also be awarded stock-based compensation, such as restricted stock or stock options. Another form that’s becoming more common is restricted stock units (RSUs). RSUs are contractual rights to receive stock (or its…
Business Success in Just 5 Easy Steps!
Personal touches, like sending a follow up thank you note or a small gift via snail mail after a purchase, go a long way toward customer loyalty. Whether you’re at the head of a large corporation or a small, but sharp neighborhood operation, try these ideas on for size to increase customer loyalty and put…