4th Quarter, 2009
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4th Quarter, 2009 |
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ABCs of Saving for College
By Greg Dickey, CPA, Tax PartnerIt’s no secret that college costs have risen dramatically in recent years. Setting up an education savings program as early as possible can help you manage the ever-rising costs of post-secondary education for your children or grandchildren. Two types of college savings vehicles — qualified tuition programs, also called Section 529 plans, and Coverdell education savings accounts (ESAs) — offer income-tax benefits. Read more >>> Avoiding Estate Tax on Life Insurance Proceeds
By Ralph Kuhen, CPA, Tax PartnerWhy buy life insurance? Very often, it’s to protect your loved ones from financial hardship. You expect that all of the proceeds will go to your beneficiary. But did you know that life insurance proceeds are sometimes subject to federal estate tax? Many people don’t realize that life insurance proceeds are an asset that must be included in an estate for federal estate-tax purposes.* In 2008, the top federal estate-tax rate is 45%. In that bracket, nearly half of your insurance proceeds could go to Uncle Sam instead of your loved ones. Read more >>> How to Keep Your Best Customers
By Larry Schultz, CPA, Audit PartnerWhat makes customers keep coming back? Factors beyond product and price are important in creating long-term satisfaction. And getting it “right” isn’t necessarily complex or costly. Here are some simple ways to build your repeat business. Read more >>> |
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Welcome to our inaugural issue of HeinSight, our latest quarterly newsletter dedicated to general finance topics. In today’s challenging economy — saving money, whether personally or in business — is more important than ever before. So we’ve dedicated this first edition to exactly that. First, we take a look at education savings programs options. Both 529 plans and ESAs offer income-tax benefits while ensuring you’ll have money set aside for your child’s future schooling. Next, you purchase life insurance to protect your loved ones, but that doesn’t mean they’ll see the total sum of money upon your death. Learn the important steps you can take to avoid estate taxes on your life insurance proceeds. Lastly, when it comes to your company, retaining customers is just as important as saving money. Learn a few simple but effective ways to build repeat business.