"Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." – Luke 12:34 I’m in a bit of a contemplative mood as I write, this morning. After a restful weekend with friends and family … being out and about, listening to the radio and watching some TV, I’m struck by this question — why is it that so many people … Read More
Northridge Tax Professional Answers, “How Warren Buffett Did It”
“Fortune favors the bold.” – Virgil Ah, sweet May. I love it. The birds are chirping and the flowers are blooming. Once the weather begins to get warmer, you see people start thinking about summer and, of course, they want to lose weight to look good in their bathing suits. Why do so many wait until it gets warmer until … Read More
Could There Be a Mistake? We Can Fix It.
"If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one." – Dolly Parton As I write this on Monday morning, we’re all pretty distracted by the news of the capture and death of Osama bin Laden. It’s a bipartisan moment of gratification — even if it does mean celebrating the death of another human being. In this case, … Read More
Refunds & UN-Automating Your Life
Success is not measured by what you accomplish but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds. – Orison Swett Marden Last week, I posted my Note about automating your investment savings. After posting it, I did some more thinking about the whole notion of automating our lives, and … Read More
Thoughts During Our Final Week
The ability to concentrate and to use your time well is everything if you want to succeed in business–or almost anywhere else for that matter. – Lee Iacocca I’m writing this on Monday morning, the 11th, and our offices are buzzing! Next Monday will be no different — it’s the federal deadline, after all, and we always get panicked phone … Read More
Kindergartners With A Credit Card?
"Good, better, best. Never rest until good be better and better best." – Mother Goose Google tells me that Mother Goose didn’t *actually* exist — but she sure was smart, eh? We’re heading into spring … and just a couple weeks remain here in "tax season" (what we tax professionals call it). I do hope that, by now, you’ve taken … Read More
‘They’re All The Same’, And Other Untruths
“If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people.” – Virginia Woolf So the really important question: How’d you do on Valentine’s Day? Many people say it’s a “Hallmark Holiday”, but well–some spouses and significant others think otherwise, right? Well, if you blew it, I’ve heard that it’s NEVER too late. Make this … Read More
Well-Publicized Mistakes, And Going Alone
The important work of moving the world forward does not wait to be done by perfect men. – George Eliot This week after the Super Bowl is leaving football fans at a bit of a loss. But an interesting fact about the winning Green Bay Packers: They’re the only professional sports team operating as a non-profit organization. There are exactly … Read More
Clearing the fog of common mistakes
Derive happiness in oneself from a good day’s work, from illuminating the fog that surrounds us. – Henri Matisse This is the time of year, during which we get to do exactly what Monsieur Matisse, up there, advises. We clear the fog of the (unnecessarily, in my opinion) burdensome pile of forms and regulations which form our tax process. Yes, … Read More
Now what?
“It’s income tax time again, Americans: time to gather up those receipts, get out those tax forms, sharpen up that pencil, and stab yourself in the aorta.” – Dave Barry Every year, around this time, I find myself blogging about “procrastination” and its dangers, as well as observations from tax season thus far. But this year is different. I’m writing … Read More