Especially for small firms, marketing can be a frustrating topic. It’s expensive, and you’re never sure what works. Should you go with a yellow pages ad? A radio spot? Maybe a web campaign? You look around to see what other firms are doing, and follow their lead; after all, it must be working for them. […]

We see it all around us. There are the television ads offering bargain-basement wills, there are the books and software for clients who want to do it themselves, there are other firms down the street and around the corner. It’s easy to feel the squeeze and think that competition is ruining your marketplace. In truth, […]

Failure to tell the IRS enough on a Federal gift tax return (Form 709) can hamstring your clients’ efforts to minimize their taxes through FLP and FLLC transfers. How? First, let’s look at what has to be disclosed. The IRS Regulations governing reporting of gifts require a taxpayer to disclose enough to apprise the IRS […]

One of our Academy Members recently brought to my attention a really moving article from the MSN Money website. In it, Chuck Jaffe writes about how a couple of years back, his brother had insisted, over the protests of his sister-in-law, that they plan their estate. The sister-in-law was really hesitant, primarily because estate planning isn’t […]

It looks like the recession is continuing to hit law firms – especially the big ones – hard. According to California Lawyer, in 2009, the number of associates at the top 250 firms in the U.S. declined by 8.7 %, while the number of lawyers overall shrank by 4%. The latest report from the Bureau […]

It’s tempting, especially considering the financial times our nation is experiencing, to buy into the myth that spending as little money as possible is always the best business practice. In reality, though, the best of anything costs more and often turns out to be the best value in the long run. Consider the two areas […]

Social Media is a powerful tool for marketing your law firm. Online marketing shouldn’t be limited to putting up a website and hoping people see it. Belonging to and being active on sites like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn can help you develop new connections and let potential clients get to know you. If you have […]

When one spouse dies leaving significant assets, a primary goal is to pass those assets on to the surviving spouse in such a way as to minimize the survivor’s taxable estate when he or she eventually passes away. Competing with this goal are income tax goals. When the first spouse dies, their executor can allocate […]

Are you aware that if you hire a worker who has been unemployed for 60 days or longer, you’re exempt from the employer’s 6.2% share of that worker’s Social Security Payroll Tax through the end of the year?  Plus, if you retain the worker for a year, you’re eligible for an additional tax credit of […]

It’s so easy to fall into the trap of thinking that all we need to be successful is a blueprint and the right tools. As the owner of an estate planning firm, you can have a great plan in place, but there are distractions everywhere to get you off track. The hard work in running […]