The SPS workforce spends the day with BookEnds BookEnds is a Southern California-based nonprofit that, as they say on their website (BookEnds.org) “…recycles quality children’s books through student-run book drives and places them in schools and youth organizations.” Since 1998, BookEnds has donated more than two million books. BookEnds not only provides books to schools, but also teaches their student Read More »
SPS welcomes Dave Berman Dave Berman has accepted a position with SPS as staff accountant. He is a graduate of Northeastern University (Boston, Massachusetts) with an Accounting degree. Dave is living in Manhattan Beach and is acclimating himself to the Southern California lifestyle. Welcome aboard!
Guardianship isn’t an all-or-nothing choice No one likes to think of their parents as being less-than-capable of managing their own affairs, but illness and injury can reduce anyone’s ability to cope with life’s demands. Sometimes, it’s necessary to step in and take charge via a guardianship (also known as conservatorship). If you think your parent needs help, then the first Read More »
If you have 50 employees or less, here’s what’s coming There’s an oft-quoted (though nonexistent) Chinese curse that says, “May you live in interesting times.” Well, welcome to “interesting times” in the form of changes to our healthcare system. Though large employers were generally elated when the US Treasury Department announced a one year delay in implementing the “play or Read More »
Keeping kids on horses and off the streets Where’s the best place to go horseback riding? You may be surprised to learn there are some children who would answer, “Compton!” Twenty-year SPS veteran Valerie Chamberlain, Manager of our Business Management Department, has been volunteering with a unique non-profit kid’s organization, the Jr. Posse Youth Equestrian Program, otherwise known as the Read More »
Congratulations to two Sobul, Primes & Schenkel graduates ‘Tis the season to toss mortarboards in the air and applaud graduates from institutes of higher learning. We are proud to announce that two SPS employees are celebrating receipt of their graduate degrees. Cheers to Riza Marfori (Supervisor) for earning her MST (Master of Science in Taxation) from California State University, Northridge. Read More »
Fire season is here… take steps to protect yourself Though California is frequently the butt of jokes for having no “real” seasons, Californians are all too aware that the state’s worst season (if you don’t count tax season) is fire season. This year fires are already in the news because we did not have much of a rainy season. The Read More »
Sobul, Primes & Schenkel introduces the secure Client Portal Have you ever dreamed of being able to instantly access your individual tax return and payment vouchers as well as transferring financial files to us via a secure, web-based application? Who hasn’t, right? Then you will be excited to hear about the SPS Client Portal which was launched this year, to Read More »
Beware of “official notices” You’ve long ago learned to trash those overdue notices for magazines you’ve never subscribed to and to ignore those Canadian lottery notifications. Be aware, however, that sophisticated fraudsters have learned the Achilles’ heel of small business owners – notices from the government demanding a relatively small payment. A father and son team was recently arrested, according Read More »
Changes to gift and estate taxes Although it didn’t receive as much publicity as other parts of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA), estate and gift taxes also got a makeover by our representatives. Congress permanently increased the maximum estate and gift tax rate to 40% for estates of decedents dying after 2012, with an exclusion of $5,000,000, Read More »