This special report explores tax issues and accounting, the local and national economies, and topics of interest affecting local businesses.
On Feb. 27, major U.S. indexes fell more than 3 percent in a single day. The plunge was the first single-day correction of more than 2 percent in over a century for the Dow Jones industrial average, according to Bloomberg News. Since then, markets have struggled to take back the resulting losses. On Wednesday, the third day of the second quarter, the Dow closed at 12,530, just 0.4 percent above its 2006 year-end close.
If you are like many San Diegans who own investment property, you may be facing a common dilemma.
Tax Freedom Day will fall on April 30 this year, according to the Tax Foundation's annual calculation using the latest government data on income and taxes.
Advanced technology has leveled the business banking playing field, enabling organizations of varying size and specification to choose a banking partner based on service rather than geography. As a result, more and more businesses accustomed to relying on oversized banks with a national footprint have been happily converted to local or regional community banking relationships.
Nearly five years ago, Congress responded to revelations of business malfeasance by passing the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. By now, its provisions are pretty well known to anyone with a stake in a publicly traded American company. The law imposed strict internal financial controls on all publicly traded companies. Sarbox also gave us the Public Companies Accounting Oversight Board, which monitors the work of major professional services firms.
Every month, University of San Diego Economics Professor Alan Gin releases his Index of Leading Economic Indicators.
Finding a good tax preparer has never been easy. But the growing complexity of the tax code has made it even trickier.
WASHINGTON -- A federal appeals court on Friday overturned a rule that allowed securities brokers to avoid some requirements faced by financial planners in advising customers, saying both groups must be held to the same standards in order to protect investors.
H&R Block Inc. (NYSE: HRB) said Friday it won't meet its self-imposed March target for a deal to sell its Option One Mortgage Corp. operation because of weakness in the subprime mortgage market.
CLEVELAND -- On a recent pay day, nurse's aide Danikca James bypassed the grocery store in a low-income neighborhood where she once cashed her checks and walked into a branch of KeyBank.
This could -- in fact, it should -- be so much easier.
It's a tortuous journey -- with a happy ending.
If you research airline travel using the Web, you discover flights are generally sorted by price -- lowest to highest. An experienced traveler knows the lowest fare may not represent the best itinerary. Schedules, stops, seating options and the airline's reputation for service greatly affect the travel experience. Careful comparison-shopping can mean the difference between an interminable flight and a comfortable one. So, too, can comparison-shopping help you select the right qualified intermediary for your next 1031 exchange.
Oh, the ups and downs of interest rates in the American economy! The Federal Open Market Committee has incredible power, directing our economy up hills, through valleys, around corners and through the maze.
Bankers are not often thought of as an innovative lot. If anything, people think we're too conservative. But quietly, there has been a slow revolution occurring, which is making banking more dynamic, powerful and convenient for business owners. It has been happening on the cash management side of the business. And now, it's gotten even better.
Many property owners find themselves trapped by management responsibilities while earning only a fraction of the monthly income they desire. With good investment planning they can frequently double and sometime triple their monthly income, reduce the risk of their investment portfolio and minimize management responsibility -- all while avoiding taxes in the process.
Do you believe the IRS is Santa Claus?
Understanding the pluses and minuses of investing in a "tenants in common" (TIC) commercial property can be a challenge.
Nobody looks forward to tax season, and April 15 is just around the corner. We dread the time it takes to sit down with our accountant, shuffling through the previous year's statements and receipts. And if you file on your own, you're always hoping to find at least one more deduction. As annoying as taxes may be, there are ways to avoid the inevitable tax-time headache.
It's an interesting coincidence that two popular personal finance magazines -- Money and Smart Money -- both featured cover stories in April issues that blared the concept "Retire Early."
The San Diego County Employees Retirement Association (SDCERA) filed suit late Thursday against Amaranth Advisors LLC, a Greenwich, Conn.-based hedge fund that lost more than $6 billion last year on risky natural gas futures.
The next couple of weeks will be busy for taxpayers and professionals who help them prepare their returns for the Internal Revenue Service and state tax collectors.
As a former IRS attorney, Eric Swenson might be a lawyer you want on your side when the taxing agency comes looking for an audit.
Matthew Bradvica's dreams while growing up included him landing a job in which he could wear a suit. After graduating from San Diego State University with a master's degree in taxation, Bradvica found not only could he put his skills to task as managing director of RSM McGladrey Inc., a professional CPA firm, but also he could indeed wear a suit.
For Don Starkey, banking is about people.
Finding a good tax preparer has never been easy. But the growing complexity of the tax code has made it even trickier.
WASHINGTON -- A federal appeals court on Friday overturned a rule that allowed securities brokers to avoid some requirements faced by financial planners in advising customers, saying both groups must be held to the same standards in order to protect investors.
H&R Block Inc. (NYSE: HRB) said Friday it won't meet its self-imposed March target for a deal to sell its Option One Mortgage Corp. operation because of weakness in the subprime mortgage market.
CLEVELAND -- On a recent pay day, nurse's aide Danikca James bypassed the grocery store in a low-income neighborhood where she once cashed her checks and walked into a branch of KeyBank.
This could -- in fact, it should -- be so much easier.
The Banking & Finance Quarterly report takes an in-depth look at the local economy, market conditions, financial institutions and more.
The Banking & Finance Quarterly report takes an in-depth look at the local economy, market conditions, financial institutions and more.
The Banking & Finance Quarterly report takes an in-depth look at the local economy, market conditions, financial institutions and more.
The Banking & Finance Quarterly report takes an in-depth look at the local economy, market conditions, financial institutions and more.
The Banking & Finance Quarterly report takes an in-depth look at the local economy, market conditions, financial institutions and more.
The Banking & Finance Quarterly report takes an in-depth look at the local economy, market conditions, financial institutions and more.
The Banking & Finance Quarterly report takes an in-depth look at the local economy, market conditions, financial institutions and more.
The Banking & Finance Quarterly report takes an in-depth look at the local economy, market conditions, financial institutions and more.
The Banking & Finance Quarterly report takes an in-depth look at the local economy, market conditions, financial institutions and more.
This quarterly edition of Banking & Finance focuses on the latest in taxes and investments, as well as the financial impact of sequestration.
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