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Twenty-five years ago, the IRS e-file system became operational nationwide. For the most part, it's been a secure system that protects taxpayers' information, but there have certainly been some bungles -- the latest being the subject of a lawsuit recently filed...

Most people think of an estate plan as just a way to specify end-of-life wishes and divvy up personal possessions among heirs. These are both important functions, but a well-written estate plan does more than that. Notably, it can reduce the chances that family and...

One tax issue that can be a big one for businesses are deductions. There are a wide range of different deductions that tax law allows businesses to claim. Deduction matters can have a big impact on what a business' overall tax liability is. The rules on business...

In our last post, we began a discussion about business expense deductions. If you're a small business owner, you may have struggled with this issue in the past (or are struggling with it right now). Perhaps the most confusing deductions are those involving expenses...

If you own a business or are trying to start one, you have probably realized the legal regulations that business owners must abide by are often complex and confusing. Tax compliance alone is complicated enough to make you rethink your decision to be an entrepreneur....

We are picking up where we left off with our June 20 post. We were talking about what goes into the inventory and appraisal of a decedent's estate in California. The law does not require an inventory for every estate; the administration of a small estate, for example,...

We have discussed the role of the personal representative in probate proceedings in past posts ("Personal representative or executor? Either way, it's a tough job," for example). The specific duties may vary from estate to estate, determined by the size of the estate...

A rule change proposed by the IRS could make a weekend in Las Vegas a little less attractive for Bay Area gamblers. The IRS would like to lower a reporting threshold for certain winnings, and casino owners say it would take a large bite out of their bottom lines.Right...

We are talking about the "jock tax" and its provenance. As we said in our last post, the jock tax is a nonresident tax on professional athletes' income. Fewer than half of all states, along with a handful of municipalities, impose the tax, according to the Tax...

The San Francisco Giants will shell out more than $166 million for player salaries this year. The money is not exactly distributed equally. According to ESPN.go.com, the highest-paid player on the team is Hunter Pence, with an annual paycheck of $18.7 million. The...