The Academy is all about systems that allow firms to be productive and efficient and therefore, profitable. One of the ways to ensure that law firm revenue goals are achieved is to incentivize staff so they also share in the firm’s continued growth and success. In fact, over the years, many Member firms have tied […]

As I discussed in last week’s blog, the fiscal cliff legislation, officially known as the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (“ATRA”) included increases in income tax rates for high-earners. For couples earning more than $450,000, the top ordinary income tax rate went up to 39.6% and the rate for long-term capital gains and qualified […]

Which television venue can better help start funeral planning conversations: reality TV or TV interviews? Yep, even funerals are fair game for reality TV, as you’ll find out.TV interviews can get people talking about their own funeral services by bringing the conversation directly into their homes. The problem is, most news and talk programs won’t […]

Attention Attorneys! If you are NOT a member of the Academy, here is a list of action items that we released to Members relating to the recent tax law changes. You may want to consider updating certain materials. If you have any questions about anything specific, email us at info@aaepa.com. The New Year rang in […]

We all know that the fiscal cliff legislation, officially known as the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (“ATRA”) made the estate, gift, and generation-skipping tax exclusion “permanent” (whatever that means in Washington) at $5 million (inflation adjusted). But, the legislation also included increases in income tax rates for high-earners. In fact, for couples earning […]

Can the medium used to present medical information affect patients’ understanding and the decisions they make about their medical care? Yes, according to a new study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Researchers looked at different methods for presenting information about CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to advanced cancer patients. One group of patients listened to a […]

It’s the start of a New Year, and if your law practice is not where you expect it to be, financially or structurally, then you don’t want to miss our upcoming free attorney Webinar hosted by Academy co-founders, Robert Armstrong and Sanford M. Fisch.This Webinar will help you discover: What’s really happening in your practice and how it’s […]

The U.S. Supreme Court has scheduled the dates for oral arguments in two landmark cases concerning same-sex marriage. As I discussed in my December 26th blog, these cases might have lasting impact on estate planning for same-sex couples. The constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8 will be examined in Hollingsworth v. Perry. The Court will hear […]

Getting great customer reviews on sites such as Google+ Local, Yelp, Bing Local and Yahoo Local can give your company a huge advantage.  According to a new poll by market research firm Ipsos, 78 percent of Americans (aged 18-64) feel that online reviews influence their purchases.  Additionally, having a solid number of positive online reviews […]

Teetering on the brink of the “fiscal cliff,” Congress finally voted to come to a partial compromise. About two hours into the New Year in Washington, the Senate voted 89-8 to pass H.R. 8, the “American Taxpayer Relief Act.” Late into the evening of the same day (January 1, 2013) the House of Representatives followed […]