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Donating Short-term Appreciated Securities

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Course: Income Tax PlanningLesson 15: Property Transactions Student Question: Dear Greene Consulting Team – In the lesson, deducting donations of ‘cash’ versus ‘long term appreciated securities’ are differentiated.  I’m curious about “short term appreciated securities”.  In other words, if I own a stock – bought at $10,000 and it’s worth $50,000 when I donate, but…

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Margin Call

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Your client purchased Beta, Inc. publicly traded shares at $150 per share with an Initial Margin of 50%. The maintenance margin is 25%. A margin call will occur below what price per share? $87.50 $100.00 $112.50 None of the above CLICK TO REVEAL ANSWER Expand B is the answer. Margin Call Price = Initial Purchase…

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Independent RIAs: Three Trends to Thrive

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

CFP® Certificants in the News CFP Board reports in its March 24, 2022 article that “Registered investment advisor (RIA) firms are an important factor in the future of the financial planning profession…” The article discusses how three trends offer independents a path to continued growth including: Hyper-specialization, Increased personalization and Digitalization. The text in quotation marks…

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Are Custodial Accounts Included in the Donor’s Gross Estate?

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Course: Estate PlanningLesson 13: Case Study Online Student Question: Hello- Marvin’s executor had to include the value of the custodial account in Marvin’s gross estate. Was that because Marvin was the donor or the custodian? Thanks Matt Instructor Response: Hi Matt, Good question; this can be confusing. Property is generally included in a U.S. citizen’s…

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Defined Benefit Plan Reversion Tax

By Dan Madden, CFP®

Lucky Star Corp has been extremely lucky with their defined benefit plan as it is currently overfunded. Management decided to terminate the plan while they are overfunded and share the excess with the employees. What amount of reversion tax will Lucky Star Corp have to pay upon termination? 0% 10% 20% 50% CLICK TO REVEAL…

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Managing Concentration Wealth Risk — Swap (Exchange) Fund

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Good to Know Purpose The goal of a swap fund is to reduce concentration of wealth risk through a unique approach to diversification. We will review this intriguing strategy’s operation, legal structure, tax implications, pros, and cons. Operation A swap fund (after this referred to as “the fund”) is a pool of concentrated positions in…

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Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Means Test

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Course: Estate PlanningLesson 13: Case Study Online Student Question: Hello- I am a little confused how one set amount – $100 – is the threshold for means testing a bankruptcy petitioner, when the amount of debt a borrower may owe can vary by large amounts. It would seem the amount left over (income minus allowable…

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Sale of Home by Surviving Spouse

By Dan Madden, CFP®

April’s husband Jay died 5 years ago when their home was worth $600,000. Due to the soft real estate market, April kept the house until the housing market recovered. She finally sold the home this year for $950,000. What is the amount of April’s taxable gain or loss if she bought the home jointly with…

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Millenial and Gen Z Clients Need Financial Advice

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

CFP® Certificants in the News According to a recent CFP Board article, financial opportunity abounds in serving the Millenial and Gen Z generations. For example, the article reveals that “more than half of Americans were Millennials or younger as of July 2020. While the term ‘Millennial’ has been synonymous with ‘young adult’ throughout much of the…

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