If you've ever tried to get someone to do something they don't want to do, you may agree with the concept that people do things for their own reasons, and not for yours. We may never truly know the reasons that led a Facebook executive to renounce his U.S. citizenship...
Month: May 2012
Prosecutors drop tax fraud charge against San Francisco man. Why?
In an earlier post, our San Francisco Bay area readers learned about the Internal Revenue Service's increased efforts for compliance regarding earnings in foreign bank accounts. In light of that, why would federal prosecutors drop charges against a San Francisco...
Hercules state audit indicates city is all wet
Hercules is a city in Contra Costa County on the southeastern shores of San Pablo Bay, California. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has 24,060 people and within its city limits it is 65.87 percent water.The city may be all wet in more ways than...
Worried about capital gains tax? Plan ahead.
Many of us in California have just finished sending in our personal income tax returns for 2011, but it isn't too early to plan ahead for the 2012 return according to knowledgeable sources.Planning ahead and making certain financial moves now may prevent you from...
Holes in Swiss banks cause tax controversy
For several years the Internal Revenue Service has been cranking up the heat on U.S. taxpayers in California and elsewhere who have unreported income from foreign bank accounts. Many of those accounts are in Switzerland.UBS and Credit Suisse are two large banking...
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Even a fortune can disappear without sound estate planning
Some figures baffle.Like the speed of light. Like the age and size of the universe. And like estimates pegging the personal fortunes of America's richest families.Consider this imagery relevant to the storied Vanderbilt family for a moment: a pile of money equaling...
Broad, measured thinking out of the box promotes sound estate planning
"You own this." Those words might sound frightening to a would-be California estate planner, but they are actually meant to promote a feeling of empowerment rather than intimidation. It is no secret that legions of...
Remarrying couples unquestionably need to focus on estate planning
Many remarrying California individuals fail to timely consider and update existing estate plans to reflect new realities.Don't be one of them. Many remarrying California individuals fail to timely consider and update existing estate plans to reflect new...
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