Steve Ghirardo to speak at upcoming Real Estate event

Steve Ghirardo will be explaining "1031 Swap & Drops" at the upcoming 2nd annual Commercial Real Estate Legal, Tax, Market & Finance Update and Networking event, Tuesday, March 24, 2015, at the San Rafael Corporate Center. This event is free, but registration is required due to limited seating. See below and/or contact us for more info.

Success Story: Dealing with Required Minimum Distributions

We recently provided a creative solution to a client's complex problem, and we uncovered some unforeseen benefits along the way. The client's immediate concern was that his IRA would soon be subject to Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) that would force him into a higher tax bracket. He had also expressed interest in making some changes in his planned charitable giving, while still maximizing the amount of inheritance that he would eventually be able to pass on to his heirs.

We crafted a comprehensive strategy that combined carefully-planned Roth IRA conversions, creation of a Charitable Remainder Trust, and revision of an existing Living Trust to account for recent changes to estate tax laws. As a result, the client's tax liability has been reduced, his charitable giving and estate planning goals are being met, he has more flexibility in satisfying cash flow needs, he has a hedge against possible future increases in income tax rates, and he will transfer increased wealth to the next generation without sacrificing his current standard of living.

Would you like to know more? Our complete case study explaining this project in greater detail was recently published in the North Bay Business Journal's 2014 Legal & Accounting Resource Guide. Just email us to request it and we'll send you the case study PDF. Do you have questions about taxes, retirement, investments, gifts or estate planning? Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you!

Come see us at the Novato Festival of Art, Wine and Music!

Ghirardo CPA is a proud sponsor of the Novato Festival of Art, Wine and Music. Every June, tens of thousands of people from Novato and the San Francisco Bay Area gather for two days to enjoy this fantastic, free multi-generational event. Always a perfect blend of unique handcrafted art, regional vintage wines, award-winning micro brews, Americana and gourmet foods, and first-rate live music, the Festival is the good-time place to be!

We'll be hosting a booth at the festival, so be sure to stop by and see us!

Say Thanks to Our Troops with a Warm Cup of Joe

As we remember our Veterans on this special day, consider also honoring our actively serving troops. One easy way is to participate in the Cup of Joe for a Joe program from Green Beans Coffee. Since early 2009, Cup Of Joe For A Joe has been a wonderful way for Americans everywhere to say thanks to our Troops and let them know they're appreciated through the simple act of buying a cup of freshly brewed coffee, writing a personal letter of encouragement to go with it and having both delivered into the hands of a Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine or Coast Guardsman who is serving far from home.

The Cup Of Joe letters you send from home are delivered to our Troops by email and the freshly brewed cups of coffee are served at Green Beans Coffee cafes on the bases where they're deployed. When the Troops receive your Cup of Joe and letter from home, Green Beans gives them a way to email you back, say thanks and let you know how they're doing.

Xero: Cloud-based Accounting

Some of the best new tools to help you run your business are cloud-based services. Since these systems are hosted online, you don't have to install any software -- all you need is a web browser. Want to do your accounting in the cloud? We can help, using online accounting services from Xero. The system enables business owners and their accountants to work concurrently on the same database. Why is that important? It lets you run the management financial statements you need for running your business, and lets your CPA access reports for tax planning, estimates and preparation, all at the same time. With Xero, you no longer have to take the time away from running your business to stop and get a copy of your accounting file to your CPA, then wait for the file or the journal entries to be returned, much later after the tax return has been complete. Now you can keep your accounting records up-to-date without interruptions.

Xero automatically updates data from your online banking accounts to ensure that your bank transactions are accurate and always available for analysis. Secure, safe, and reliable, Xero is a remarkably cost-efficient way of running your business finances, and it is a proven system that is easy to use.

We are Xero certified, and we can help you set up your company, work with the product, provide training for you or your staff, and/or oversee your daily accounting needs in all aspects of bookkeeping. Contact us today to learn more!

North Bay Business Journal's Best Places to Work - EIGHT years!

Since the very first time this award was given, Ghirardo CPA has consistently been ranked among the very best places to work in the North Bay. The winners are selected each year by North Bay Business Journal editorial staff based on several criteria, including the results of an anonymous employee survey and a company application that provided information on issues such as diversity, family-friendly workplace, community involvement and employee benefits. We are proud to report that the Business Journal has again named us in this honored group, for the eighth consecutive year!