Client News

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="11f285a1erlcgo.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>Stewart N. Grant, CPA, P.C.</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Stewart N. Grant, CPA, P.C."><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About the Firm"><U>About the Firm</U></A>   |   <B>Client News</B>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Services and Payments"><U>Services and Payments</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Newsletters"><U>Newsletters</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links/Search"><U>Links/Search</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Privacy Policy"><U>Privacy Policy</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us!"><U>Contact Us!</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="135d2c00dkelyh.png"> <div>  <img src="HTMLobj-133/aniGif.gif" border="0" align="bottom" width="76" height="120">  </div> <div>  <script language="Javascript"> var tickerheight=95; var tickerwidth=150; var fontcolor="#990033"; var tickercolor="#FFFFFF"; var bordercolor="#3333FF"; var bordersize=0; var fontspace=5; var fontsize=10; var visitedlink="#ffffff"; var rollovercolor="#ffffcc"; var font="Verdana"; var speed=100; var pause=2500; var sparte=4; var rubrik=13; var ticker_stop=1; var rollover_underline=1; var font_underline=0; var tickertyp=2; var u_id=32680; </script> <script language="JavaScript" src="http://newsticker.shortnews.com/com/js/free/2/ticker.js"></script>  </div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Client News</I></div> <div>  <A NAME="client"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <I><B><U>May 20, 2007</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>We are in the process of chaning over to new computers.  Please bear with us.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>April 24, 2007</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>As a reminder, our offices will be closed May 3-4 and May 28-June 1 for Continuing Education.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Another tax season is now behind us.  Thank you for once again placing your trust and confidence in my firm.   Please know that it is my sincere pleasure to provide this service for you.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>This year's technology glitch was rather unexpected and unusual in that many of the data CDs that were provided to us appeared to be blank.  It was discovered that many clients were actually creating DVDs that required a DVD drive to read them.  Once the problem was diagnosed, it was very easy to correct but these technology problems always seem to persist.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>This year, not a single e-filed return was rejected.  Not one.  For those still not e-filing, please note that at some point it is expected to become mandatory for all individual tax returns.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>If your tax return is on extension and I do not have all of your information, you should forward the information as soon as possible since we will quickly be moving into mid-year planning and it is now very important for many clients to meet the VA state deadline of May 1st.   As you may or may not know, VA no longer has an extension.  If you owe when you return is eventually filed, you are simply deemed to be late.  Thus, it is important to know that you won't owe VA anything after the filing deadline.</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>January 2, 2007</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>With the holiday season behind us, the new year has finally arrived along with a new tax season.  Tax organizers and year-end tax newsletters have been mailed and our office is prepared for the new season.  If you have any questions as you gather your information together, please contact us.   As always, we have the latest version of QuickBooks 2007 installed and it will be fully supported.  All forms of backup whether ZIP, CD, or Flashdrive will also be supported but note that only a CD will be kept as a permanent file record.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Please note that the standard mileage rate for 2007 has increased to 48.5 cents per mile.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>November 7, 2006</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Tax projections are now being prepared for year-end and reminder letters will be mailed this week.  If you would like a tax projection prepared, please contact our office.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Year-end newsletters will be mailed with the tax organizers which are expected to be delivered in December.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>The election outcome is certain to have significant tax implications for the next couple of years. While it is expected that President Bush would veto any direct tax increase measures, the new congressional leadership has indicated that they will allow tax provisions to expire in what are essentially back door tax increases and tax measures are often attached to bills not dealing directly with tax issues (for instance, the President may be forced to sign an Iraq funding bill that contains unfavorable tax provisions).    It will be very important to keep an eye on these as we move through 2007.  With all the provisions of the 2001 act set to expire in 2010, the 2008 elections could have very significant tax implications.</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>September 15, 2006</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>We are finishing up mid year planning and will quickly be moving to tax projections for the end of the year.   There is still time to take advantage of mid-year planning and you should contact our office to do so.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>The release of QuickBooks 2007 is expected around the end of the month.  As usual, we will be ready to support the latest version of QucikBooks by year end.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>If you haven't done so already, </I><I><B>Please take a look at Health Savings Accounts</B></I>.  <I>Individual Health Insurance premiums for our plan are currently $89 per month.   HSA Accounts and High Deductible Health Insurance plans are the best way to control the rapid increase in health insurance costs. If you would like to discuss these plans, please contact us.</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>May 15, 2006</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Please note that our offices will be closed May 29th - June 2nd for block training.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Mid year planning letters are expected to be sent by mid June.  Clients needing to make appointments for mid-year planning may schedule them at any time.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Many of you may be aware that Congress just passed another major tax bill.  Most of the new bill simply extends tax cuts already in place.  Additional guidance will be provided in the near future.  Please see the post below dated December 10, 2005 for key 2006 tax changes.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>April 15, 2006</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>As a reminder, our offices will be closed April 17-18!</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Well, together we made it through another tax season.  Thank you for once again placing your trust and confidence in my firm.  I am very proud of the fact that we had the </I><I><U>fewest extensions ever </U></I><I>and everyone who got their information in was finished on time.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>It wouldn't be tax season without a crisis and this year was no different as we experienced a complete network failure followed by a computer failure in the last week.  It is just another reminder of how we need to be prepared for things to go wrong.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>If your tax return is on extension and I do not have all of your information, you should forward the information as soon as possible since we will quickly be moving into mid-year planning and the extended tax deadline tends to sneak up on us rather quickly. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>-Stu</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>March 1, 2006  <img src="HTMLobj-432/aniGif.gif" border="0" align="bottom" width="48" height="28">  </U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Clients may wish to delay upgrading to QuickBooks 2006.  Some clients have experienced extremely slow response times with QuickBooks 2006.  Those who track inventory or have a large number of A/R or A/P seem to be affected the most.  When converting client files our firm has noted certain conversion problems.  While none have been serious, make certain that you have good backups before any upgrade.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Intuit is aware the problems and has been releasing fixes/patches to the program.  Make certain that QuickBooks update is turned on so that you will receive all the latest updates.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>December 10, 2005  <img src="HTMLobj-343/aniGif.gif" border="0" align="bottom" width="48" height="28">  </U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>It's hard to believe but another tax season is upon us!  Tax projections are currently being completed and if you would like a tax projection prepared, you should contact our office immediately.  Tax organizers will be mailed shortly to all clients for whom we prepared a 1040 last year.   We will be sending our year-end newsletter with the organizers again this year (click here to view the lastest edition of </I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#990000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TaxTips News"><U><I>TaxTips & News</I></U></A></FONT><I> )</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Please note that there was a change in the standard mileage rate for 2005 and you should make certain that you were reimbursed the proper amount from your business:</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>The mileage rate increased to 48.5 cents a mile for all business miles driven between Sept. 1 and Dec. 31, 2005. This is an increase of 8 cents from the 40.5 cent rate in effect for the first eight months of 2005</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Please note that for 2006, the standard mileage rate will be 44.5 cents per mile!</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Other 2006 changes:</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><U>Pensions:</U></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>401 (k) Deferral Elections - $15,000</I></div> <div> <I>Annual Defined Contribution Limit - $44,000</I></div> <div> <I>Annual Compensation Limit - $220,000</I></div> <div> <I>Catch-up Contribution Limit - $5,000</I></div> <div> <I>Highly Compensated Employees - $100,000</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Social Security Taxable Wage Base $94,200</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Regular and Roth IRA's remain at $4,000 but the catch up (50 or over) increases to $1,000</I></div> <div> <I>SIMPLE IRA's remain at $10,000 but the catch up (50 or over) increases to $2,500</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><IMG SRC="13f16930.gif" border=0 width="534" height="147" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <div> <I><IMG SRC="14034940.gif" border=0 width="564" height="148" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><U>Depreciation and Section 179:</U></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>The section 179 expense limit for assets placed in service increases to 108,000</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Click here for more </I><A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tax Changes"><U><I><B>Tax Changes</B></I></U></A><I> that affect 2005</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>If you have questions about other tax changes for 2006, please contact us..</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>As you may have noticed, the web site has received a "face lift" and many broken links etc have been fixed.  There is more to come as we strive to provide you with the best possible content and a helpful resource.  As always, your feedback is both appreciated and welcome.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Have a wonderful holiday season!!</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>November 30, 2005</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>QuickBooks 2006 has been released and is a "true" upgrade in that it has a lot of changes from previous versions.  We now have QuickBooks 2006 installed and thus have the ability to support this latest version.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>July 15, 2005</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>As a reminder, our offices will be closed August 22nd and September 5th and 6th.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Letters have been sent and mid year planning is well under way!  Any client that wishes to take part in mid year planning should forward a copy of their QuickBooks file or contact me for an appointment.  Mid year planning is crucial for those clients who are unsure whether or not their current withholdings and/or estimates are appropriate and for those clients who have had a material change in their tax situation.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>In addition, this is the ideal time of year to review your overall financial plan, draft wills, review and draft trust documents, review your life insurance, setup pension plans, establish HSA plans, etc.  </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Don't put off these important financial matters.  Tax projections and tax season will once again be here before you know it!</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>May 1, 2005</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>As a reminder, our offices will be closed May 9-10 and May 29-June 5.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Well, together we made it through another tax season.  Thank you for once again placing your trust and confidence in my firm.  I am very proud of the fact that we had very few extensions this year and the firm completed every tax return that could have been completed on time.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>As many of you are aware, this was a very difficult tax season as we experienced a fire and a medical crisis right in the middle of tax season.  I sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as we worked through these various difficulties.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>If your tax return is on extension and I do not have all of your information, you should forward the information as soon as possible since we will quickly be moving into mid-year planning and the extended tax deadline tends to sneak up on us rather quickly. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Please see below for some important changes for the 2005 tax year and, as always, please contact our office with any questions or concerns.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>-Stu</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>December 22, 2004</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Tax organizers have been mailed to all clients for whom we prepared individual tax returns last year.  If you do not receive a tax organizer and would like to have one, please contact our office.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>There have been a lot of questions about the new sales tax deduction.  Please note that this is an "option" to take this deduction instead of the state income tax deduction.  Generally, this appears to only benefit those who live in a state without a state income tax.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>For instance, a couple in VA with adjusted gross income of $60,000 and a total of three exemptions probably had a state income tax liability of approximately $2,300.  The table amount for the sales tax deduction for this couple is only $637.  Thus, unless they had very little of their state income tax paid or withheld, the income tax deduction will provide a greater benefit.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Clients need not worry about this as we will be making the comparison automatically and taking the deduction that yields the greatest tax benefit.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Have a safe a happy holiday season!!</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>December 1, 2004</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>With very successful mid year planning and tax projection seasons now behind us, it is time to focus on tax season 2005.  Yes, it is here again.  Tax organizers and year-end client newsletters will be mailed during December to all clients for whom we prepared individual income tax returns last year or for those who have provided copies of last years returns to us.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>You can view important 2004 tax changes here:  </I><A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tax Changes"><U><I>Tax Changes</I></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <I>Of important note is that the rules have changed regarding the expensing of large SUVs, this is the last year for the 50% bonus depreciation, and it is also the last year that you can deduct the fair market value of a vehicle donated to charity.  Please call if you have questions about these items.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Please note that mileage for business in 2005 is </I><I><B>40.5 </B></I><I>cents per mile (up from 37.5 in 2004)</I></div> <bR> <div> Maximum Section 179 Expense Deduction</div> <bR> <div>        <B>2005                2004          </B>  </div> <div>     $105,000       $102,000      </div> <bR> <div> Self-Employed Health Insurance Deduction remains 100% for 2005</div> <bR> <div> Retirement Contributions for 2005 are as follows:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="0fd47930.gif" border=0 width="583" height="147" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <I>As always, if you have any questions about your tax situation, please give us a call.</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>April 15, 2004</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>As a reminder, our office will be closed May 17-21 and July 5-9.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Well, together we made it through another tax season.  Thank you for once again placing your trust and confidence in my firm.  I am very proud of the fact that we had very few extensions this year and the firm completed every tax return that could have been completed on time.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>If your tax return is on extension and I do not have all of your information, you should forward the information as soon as possible since we will quickly be moving into mid-year planning and the extended tax deadline tends to sneak up on us rather quickly.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>As most of you are probably aware, Virginia is still debating tax legislation and has not yet conformed to some of the new federal rules.  I will keep you posted on any significant developments that might affect you from any new state legislation.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Again, thank you for another successful tax season and  I look forward to assisting you through many more.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>-Stu</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>April 3, 2004</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>The filing deadline is quickly approaching and all clients are advised that we will file extensions for any tax return that is not completed by April 12th.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Tax season just wouldn't be complete without some kind of technology problem and this year was no different..  One of our network computers became infected with the Netsky-P worm virus.  This virus was detected when the main computer was scanned and infected files were found in a shared directory.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>The good news is that since the main computer was not infected, no e-mails containing the virus were sent via the client address book and no client disks etc could have been infected by our computers.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>The bad news is that this wasted a lot of time in not only removing the worm virus but figuring out how it got into the network in the first place and how to prevent it from happening again.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Given the nature of the data on our computers, we take data security and integrity very seriously and employ extraordinary security and safety measures.  This event simply stresses how important it is for everyone who uses computers in their business to remain vigilant about protecting their data.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>January 12, 2004</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Tax time is here and we are ready for it!  The IRS will begin accepting electronic returns on January 16th and paper returns may be filed immediately.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Clients who need assistance gathering year-end information should contact our office and those requiring appointments should make them as early as possible.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><U>Please note the following changes for 2004:</U></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>The 401K Limit has increased to $13,000</I></div> <div> <I>The SIMPLE IRA Limit has increased to $9,000</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>The Social Security Wage base is now $87,900</I></div> <div> <I>The Section 179 Expense limit is now $102,000</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>The Standard Mileage Rate is now 37.5 cents</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>If you have any questions regarding other changes for 2004 and beyond, please contact us!</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>December 13, 2003</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Happy Holidays!</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>There are only a few days remaining to take advantage of our tax projection service.  Any clients that wish to have a tax projection prepared should forward their information to our office as soon as possible.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Tax organizers were mailed today to all clients who had their individual tax returns prepared by us last year.  A completed organizer saves time and helps to reduce your tax preparation costs.  If for some reason you do not receive an organizer or if you have questions regarding the organizer, please contact our office.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>October 10, 2003</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Please note that our offices will be closed November 10th and 11th.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Tax projection letters were sent to all business clients today.  The main purpose of the tax projection is to project the impact of the business income on your personal tax situation and to take appropriate action.  Non business clients that also wish to have a tax projection performed should contact our office.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>The tax projection is an integral part of the tax preparation process and will serve to avoid penalties and "surprises" when the tax returns are prepared in the early Spring.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>If you have any questions or concerns regarding the tax projections, please contact our office.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>August 11, 2003</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Please note that our offices will be closed August 18-20th.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Letters have been sent and mid year planning is well under way!  Any client that wishes to take part in mid year planning should forward a copy of their QuickBooks file or contact me for an appointment.  Mid year planning is crucial for those clients who are unsure whether or not their current withholdings are appropriate and for those clients who have had a material change in their tax situation.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>May 28, 2003</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>President Bush signed the third-biggest tax cut in history today, promising relief to millions of taxpayers... </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>President Bush said US employers could begin leaving more money in workers' paychecks starting next month and said checks worth up to $400 per child would be sent to 25 million eligible families beginning in July. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>The tax bill includes increases in the child tax credits, reductions in tax rates, taxation of dividends as capital gains, relief for married filers, and a dramatic increase in the amount of assets small businesses can write off in the first year.</I></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id35_changes.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tax Changes"><U><I>Click here for more information!</I></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>May 22, 2003</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>No refund yet?  Go to www.irs.gov and click on "where's my refund?".  You will need to answer a few simple questions and then you can get the status of your refund as well as contact information should you still have questions.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Please note that our office will be closed from June 30-July 4.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>April 25, 2003</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>As a reminder, our office is closed April 26-30.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Well, together we made it through another tax season.  Thank you for once again placing your trust and confidence in my firm.  Many clients used the tax organizers that were sent out this year to gather their individual tax data and I sincerely hope everyone found them useful. A completed organizer certainly helps to ensure that a return is complete and accurate.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>If your return is on extension and I have all of your information, you can be certain that I will complete your tax returns as soon as possible.  If I do not have all of your information, you should forward the information as soon as possible since we will quickly be moving into mid-year planning and the extended tax deadline tends to sneak up on us rather quickly.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>As most of you are probably aware, the President is attempting to pass some rather significant tax legislation this year.  It is almost certain that something will pass this year and I will keep you posted on any significant changes.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Again, thank you for another successful tax season and  I look forward to assisting you through many more.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>-Stu</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>February 05, 2003</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Please remember that property tax schedules are generally due by March 1, 2003 and that the corporate filing deadline is March 15, 2003.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Important Retirement Plan Changes for 2003!</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>401(k), 403(b), 457 accounts, and SARSEPs:</B></I><I><B> </B></I><I>The annual contribution limit increases from $11,000 to $12,000 for 2003, and the catch-up contribution limit (for those age 50 and older) increases from $1,000 to $2,000. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>SIMPLE IRAs:</B></I><I><B> </B></I><I>The contribution limit increases to $8,000, and the catch-up contribution (again, for the half-centenarians and beyond) to $1,000. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Traditional and Roth IRAs:</B></I><I><B> </B></I><I>For 2003, the limit will stay at $3,000, and the catch-up contribution limit will remain $500.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>January 21,2003</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>The firm has installed and evaluated QuickBooks 2003.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>As is typically the case with these annual updates, very little has been added to the program to justify the upgrade cost.  The basic version adds almost nothing except the ability to e-mail invoices and the Pro version adds only the ability to automatically create a budget (it's about time).  Both versions add more reporting options.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Unless there is some pressing need for the above features, we recommend skipping this update unless you are still using QuickBooks 2000 or 2001.  It is always a good idea to update at least bi-annually.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>If you have any questions regarding QuickBooks or if you need support or assistance, please contact us! </I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>January 2, 2003</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id35_changes.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tax Changes"><U><I><B>Click here for 2002 tax changes</B></I></U></A><I><B>!</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Articles and Information"><U><I><B>Click here for an important home office update!!</B></I></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>December 11, 2002</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Individual tax organizers were mailed today.  A properly completed tax organizer can improve accuracy, speed up the tax preparation process, and significantly reduce the cost preparing individual tax returns.  If for some reason you don't receive an organizer or have questions concerning the completion of the tax organizer, please contact us.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>December 5, 2002</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>The new website was launched today.  We apologize for the problems with the old site and for the delay in getting it fixed.  As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions on how to improve the website and make it more useful.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>October 15, 2002</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Tax Projection letters were mailed to all business clients today. The purpose of the tax projection is to project your business income for the remainder of the year and its impact on your personal tax situation in order to take any necessary action prior to the end of the year. Non business clients may also have tax projections prepared if they so desire. Please contact us with any questions regarding the year end tax projections.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>August 14, 2002</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Letters were mailed today to all clients that had tax returns affected by the passing of the Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>If you do not receive a letter, it means that your tax returns were filed after the Act was passed and thus it was considered in the preparation of your tax returns or the tax returns were simply not affected by the act.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Any client that has questions regarding this should contact us.</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>August 1, 2002</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Are you concerned with the rising cost of Health Insurance? We decided that a Medical Savings Account (MSA) Plan is the best possible option for our firm. A tax favored medical savings account plan dramatically reduced our overall health care costs.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>An MSA Plan provides for tax deductible contributions and tax free withdrawals to cover medical expenses. This account, when combined with a high deductible insurance plan, can result in significantly reduced overall costs without a significant reduction of benefits. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>If you would like to discuss the MSA option in greater detail, please contact us for an appointment. </I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>June 28, 2002</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Mid Year planning letters were mailed to all business clients today. Mid Year planning usually involves a quick review of the company books and payroll to be certain everything is on track for the current year.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Mid Year planning also involves Tax, Estate, Financial, Retirement, and Education planning for those clients interested in those services. Both individual and business clients that are interested in these services should contact me for a an appointment.</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>April 30, 2002</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>It's hard to believe that another April 15th has come and gone and I want to express my sincere thanks for your continued confidence and trust in my firm. Thanks to everyone that forwarded asprin, tax jokes, comics, etc. as it really helps to get through the season. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>If you are on extension and I have your information, you can be certain that I am working to complete your tax returns as soon as possible. If I do not have your information, please forward it at your earliest convenience as mid-year planning is just around the corner.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>As you may or may not be aware, the President signed the "Job Creation and Workers Assistance Act of 2002" into law right in the middle of tax season and this law has retroactive provisions </I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.taxzone.com/taxnews.htm#Job%20Creation" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.taxzone.com/taxnews.htm#Job%2"><U><I>(click here to read about the new law)</I></U></A></FONT><I>.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>You need not worry. If you are affected by the new law and if your tax returns will need to be changed, I will notify you as soon as I have had a chance to review all potentially affected tax returns.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Finally, this new website format (with many more features) was launched recently and I hope you find it useful. Feedback concerning the website and its usefulness is always appreciated.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Again, thank you for another successful tax season. The next step is mid-year planning and I hope you will take advantage of this service. Letters that explain mid-year planning will be mailed in June.</I></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id17_bio.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About the Firm"><U><U>-Stu</U></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="#client" TITLE="Client News"><U><IMG SRC="0c579150.gif" border=0 width="121" height="21" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>