Blog

I love Thanksgiving. I don’t love Thanksgiving. Both are equally true. A lot of it comes down to sharing a meal with our Santa Cruz County family and friends. There’s something special about getting to gather at the dinner table and express gratitude for a roast...

We’re not the only ones who can get festive this time of year. In the spirit of giving, the IRS recently released important updates for the 2024 tax year to adjust for inflation. They’re increasing the Standard Deduction — up to $29,200 for married...

The real estate market is tough in general right now. With less loans being dealt out and a shortage of homes for sale, both buyers and sellers are working hard to get what they want.And it looks like there’s a big change with how agents are paid that’s coming...

There’s been an extraordinary surge of fakers this year. The explosion of AI along with more sophisticated scams can make it feel like you have to look under every rock. While Biden is enacting a presidential order to demand some accountability from the big...

Though last month was officially National Preparedness Month, it’s sad to think that just about every month these days reminds us about preparing for disasters, from hurricanes on the East Coast to wildfires in the West to tornadoes in the middle.Last year,...

This week, my staff and I are pausing to celebrate that the chapter has closed on 2022’s filing. It was probably over for you back in April, but my team just wrapped that up for some of our Santa Cruz County clients who needed to file extensions. Of course, we’ll...

This weekend’s events in Israel have been very difficult to take in. Seeing the violence and hearing the stories have been heartbreaking, to say the least. Our thoughts go out to the innocent Israelis and Palestinians suffering through the attacks in Gaza and other...

Here we are in October. I know what you’re thinking… already?! Yes, already.And with the way time seems to race by in the last few months of the year with Santa Cruz County holiday celebrations and gift buying and all the other little tasks, you’ll be thinking the...

As I’m finishing off 2022 tax filing for San Jose clients who requested extensions — if you’re in the extension crowd and haven’t talked to me about this yet, schedule something right away — it’s got me thinking about what’s coming. Let’s take a look.1099-K for you...

Let’s start today with a reminder.If you filed for an extension and haven’t yet submitted your 2022 taxes, the deadline for doing so is coming up quickly. Let’s get things settled before October 16:calendly.com/phil-cpa-eaAnd beyond that, the moratorium on paying...

The anniversary of 9/11 always reminds me that our lives can be changed dramatically in the span of a day. We could not have imagined on September 10 that such tragedy would strike or that so many people’s lives would be changed. It’s one of the reasons it’s so...

Enjoy your long weekend soaking up the final vestiges of summer? Last minute visits to your Santa Cruz County pool, outdoor amusements, a little grill-out … maybe buying a new car?Typically Labor Day is one of the biggest car shopping days of the year. As dealers look...