Author Archives: Nick Spoltore, Esq.
Written by Guy Schmitz J.D., LL.M. We can probably agree that there are Code sections that are stupid, too complex, or wondrously ambiguous (leaving us with wiggle room), but there is a combination of Code sections that is truly scary. Taken together, these sections equal the trust fund tax. The Code Combination Under […]
Written by Guy Schmitz J.D., LL.M. The constant concern of practitioners is a new client who wants to start a new business. The business plan may be a jewel beyond compare, but the client may know nothing about running a business. Practitioners cannot speak to issues such as hiring and firing because such issues […]
T’was the end of the year and all through the firm, Not a staff person was stressing, not even an intern. The staff they were celebrating today without a care, Knowing that next tax season soon would be there. The partners had nestled in to plan the year ahead. While visions of bonuses danced […]
At Surgent, we decided we wanted to do something special to show our gratitude this holiday season. To show how much we appreciate our customers and speakers, we have made a donation in their honor to The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) strives to provide children and their families […]
By Jack Surgent, CPA There is an embarrassing fact that CPAs don’t like to talk about: many of our wealthy closely-held business owner clients give very little to charity. While you may think that this reflects negatively on the character of the client, don’t jump to that conclusion. The truth is that most of […]
On Tuesday, the Senate passed a bill that would retroactively extend more than 50 expired tax provisions though 2014. The bill was passed by the House of Representatives on Dec. 3 and is now awaiting a signature from President Barack Obama. Earlier proposals to permanently extend some of the expired provisions or to extend […]
According to CAIMCO insurance statistics, the average audit claim is around $362,000. The highest loss ratio comes from providers that “dabble” in audits, spending less than 15% of time on that particular service area. What are important steps you can take in order to avoid malpractice risk? Before accepting any engagement, ensure you understand […]
Written by Guy Schmitz J.D., LL.M. The IRS has decided to look at tax-exempt meals offered by Google (and other companies) to its employees. Once again we have an example of the core of tax law (and all law for that matter): the application of a general principle to specific facts. See below. […]
Written By: Guy Schmitz, J.D., LL.M. Is there anything worse than the Congressional ritual of letting temporary provisions expire and then resuscitating them, nominally retroactively? While the members of Congress undoubtedly trumpet their extender legislation as an accomplishment to save these important tax benefits, the fact was that the taxes that affect decisions on […]
Written By: Guy Schmitz, J.D., LL.M. Amazon has agreed to start paying sales tax in Illinois in 2015 because it is opening distribution centers in Illinois. This may not sound like it is worthy of a blog entry, but it is. First we’ll cover the history and then the future, all intertwined with nexus and […]
