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Jul 01
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Why Some People Are Afraid of the Hobby Loss Rules

By Blog, Tax and Financial News

Hobby Loss Rules IRSMany tax advisors are very cautious when it comes to claiming hobby losses – and some would argue overly so. This conservative view stems from the impression that the taxpayer usually loses when challenged by the IRS. While technically true that the odds aren’t in your favor of winning a challenge, the overall risk often works out in the taxpayer’s favor over the long run. Below we’ll look at why tax advisors should start from the assumption of taking the losses.

Always a Loser

Taxpayers usually lose hobby loss cases. Typically, the odds are around 3-to-1 in favor of the IRS. So, on the surface it seems like the smart bet is to assume you’ll lose, but there are reasons not to plan based on this fact. First, this statistic only represents cases that are decided by the court. Taxpayers are usually pretty stubborn and most cases are settled in much more favorable circumstances to the taxpayer.

Second, the “losers” are often winners in the long run.

Why Losers are Really Winners

When a taxpayer loses a hobby loss case, they usually face a deficiency and an accuracy penalty of 20 percent.  The key issue here is how long before the loss is challenged?

Let’s take a pretend case as an example. Assume we have a taxpayer with tax losses of $60,000 per year, a 35 percent tax rate and they are audited for three years and lose. This results in a $63,000 deficiency ($60,000 x 35 percent x 3 years), plus an accuracy penalty of $12,600 (20 percent of the $63k). Had they not claimed the deduction, they would have paid the $63,000 in taxes anyway, so this isn’t really a loss; only the accuracy penalty is.

This doesn’t sound so great, does it? Why would someone take 3-to-1 odds in a scenario like this? Let’s think for a minute; what if the taxpayer had been taking the losses for 10 years?  Those first seven years that were never audited allowed the taxpayer to take the deduction. In this case we have $21,000 x 7 years = $147,000 in deductions that the taxpayer would have missed if they played it conservatively. Next, our hypothetical taxpayer would still be up more than $134,000 over the long term ($147k, less the accuracy penalty).

This all of course assumes the taxpayer is sincere in his or her efforts to make money and is not playing the “audit lottery,” which is of course unethical.

Honest Motives

Tax courts look to see if a taxpayer is genuinely and honestly engaged in the activity for profit. Objective honesty is the standard, and it doesn’t matter how slight the odds of turning a profit are. The IRS isn’t looking to judge the taxpayer’s business acumen, but their objective instead. You’ll need to truly be trying to make money with the activity or you’re doomed to lose.

Conclusion

In the end, if a taxpayer has an honest objective to make a profit through a hobby, claiming the losses is typically in their interest. While they are likely to lose if challenged, they are guaranteed to lose if they don’t take the losses themselves. Finally, even if they lose certain years under audit, they are likely to come out ahead in the long run. So, if you’re truly trying to make money in a venture that could be seen as a hobby, it might not pay to be conservative.

Jul 01
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How Increased Tariffs on Chinese Goods Will Impact Market Earnings

By Blog, Stock Market News

How Increased Tariffs on Chinese Goods Will Impact Market EarningsWith the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announcing the increase of tariffs on imported Chinese goods from 10 percent to 25 percent on $200 billion worth of goods, and a directive from the executive branch to increase tariffs on an additional $300 billion in Chinese goods, how will publicly traded companies’ earnings be impacted?

According to a May 10 press release from the office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), tariffs of 10 percent on imported Chinese goods, consisting of $200 billion, increased to 25 percent. The press release also indicated that the remaining amount of Chinese imports, about $300 billion, will now be subject to tariffs. Based on a June 14 USTR press release, hearings on implementation of the additional tariffs on Chinese goods will be held during the second half of June. This, as the press release notes, is being considered in addition to the pre-existing $250 billion in Chinese tariffs.

Based on a recent publication from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United States-China trade war has had an ongoing impact on both U.S. businesses and consumers of Chinese imports. When it comes to Chinese imports headed for the United States, there has been a record amount of American importers increasing their orders to hedge tariff rate increases or additional products subject to tariffs.

The IMF’s piece found that increased tariff costs have been passed onto consumers by American businesses in some instances. One example the piece noted is increased consumer prices of washing machines due to increased tariffs on Chinese imports. In other instances, however, companies have decided to accept reduced profit margins versus increasing the prices of other imported Chinese goods subject to higher tariffs.

How This Impacts Consumer Spending

Analysis of recent economic data reveals that American households consume between 1.5 percent and 2.5 percent of goods imported from China. Using midpoint of 2 percent and a mean consumption rate of $60,000 per American household, the additional tariffs would cost a minimum of $300 more per household for the same imported Chinese goods. 

According to a Trade Partnership study conducted in February 2019, the calculation of Chinese steel and aluminum tariffs plus the 25 percent rate of the initial $250 billion of imported Chinese goods – would result in the average American household spending $767 more.

When it comes to recent and longer-term consumer surveys, the news is mixed; however, it doesn’t portend well over the long-term, especially if the trade issues persist. This is based on survey results from the University of Michigan for June 2019.

The survey found that “consumer sentiment” fell after May’s gain because of both a slower increase in job production and the tariff situation, including the real potential for Mexican tariffs and ongoing Chinese trade issues. It also found that many consumer respondents thought the nationwide economic growth would slow, thereby creating fewer new jobs.

This trend is evident from the survey. In June of 2018, 40 percent of respondents looked poorly at tariffs, compared to 21 percent of those surveyed in May 2018, and 35 percent in July 2018. The respondents similarly indicated, without prompting, that 19 percent of consumers would buy ahead of tariff implementation during the start of June 2019, compared to only 12 percent doing so in May 2019, and 21 percent of those surveyed doing so in March of 2018. Overall, “real personal consumption expenditures” is expected to increase by 2.5 percent in the year ahead.    

The survey’s Sentiment Index improved because consumers said they’re planning to make more “large household durables” purchases sooner to stave off the impact of increased tariffs. This aligns with other experts referenced but can be argued as pulling demand ahead with the potential for fewer future sales.

While there’s no way to predict future sales, for companies reliant on Chinese imports and consumers facing higher costs due to tariffs, consumer sales could very well be lower in the future.

Jul 01
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How to Define and Calculate a Break-Even Analysis

By Blog, General Business News

Break-Even AnalysisAccording to data from a U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy report from August 2018, businesses have varied longevity.

Nearly 80 percent (79.8 percent) of business startups in 2016 lasted until 2017. Between 2005 and 2017, the SBA mentions that 78.6 of new businesses lasted 12 months. Similarly, nearly 50 percent lasted at least five years.  

While there are many reasons why a company goes out of business – one is profitability. Knowing when the business is breaking even and will start making a profit can be accomplished with a break-even analysis.

Defining a Break-Even Analysis

As the SBA explains, a Break-Even Analysis is a useful way to measure the level of sales necessary to determine how many products or the amount of services that must be sold in order to pay for fixed and variable costs, otherwise known as “breaking even.” It refers to the time at which cost and revenue reach an equilibrium.

In order to get the Break-Even Quantity (BEQ), as the SBA uses, businesses must take their fixed costs per month and divide this figure by what’s left over after subtracting the variable cost per unit from the price per unit – or the product’s selling price.

Fixed Costs

These types of costs can include things such as rent or lease payments, property taxes, insurance, interest payments or monthly machine rental costs.

Variable Costs

In contrast to fixed costs, such as taxes or interest payments for the next month or year, business owners also must deal with variable costs. Utilities and raw material expenses are two examples of variable costs.

Looking at electricity costs, the amount and price of kilowatts used per month will vary based on the amount and length of usage of lights, climate control equipment, production runs and the rate of kilowatts from the supplier.

Looking at raw materials, such as oil or precious metals, these costs can decrease or increase frequently due to tariff or commodity fluctuations.

Sales Price Per Unit and Further Considerations

When it comes to how much an item is ultimately sold for, there are different considerations for different product sales. If a company is selling a product for $100 on the retail level, and the business’ fixed costs are $4,000 and there’s $50 in variable costs, the Break-Even Quantity can be calculated like this:

$4,000 / ($100 – $50) = $4,000 / ($50) = 80 products (to break even)

If those products are surfboards priced at $100 each, then sales of the 81st surfboard and onward would represent profits for the company. It’s also important to see how changing either fixed costs or variable costs can make a difference in the break-even point.

Reducing Fixed Costs

If a business owner refinances a loan to a lower, fixed interest rate, or reduces a salary for the next 12 months, the overall fixed costs will go down. Here’s an example with a lower fixed cost for the same scenario:

$3,500 / $50 = 70 products (to break even)

Reducing Variable Costs

If a business owner searches for another supplier, such as one that’s not subject to import tariff costs that get passed on to consumers, variable costs can be reduced for the same scenario. In this example, the variable cost is reduced to $45.

($100 – $45) = 55

$4,000 / $55 = 73 products (to break even)

While each business has its unique costs and industry conditions, a break-even analysis can help business owners determine future moves.

Sources

https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/advocacy/Frequently-Asked-Questions-Small-Business-2018.pdf

https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/Worksheet_Pricing_Models_for_Successful_Business.pdf

Jul 01
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Financial Tips for Recent College Graduates

By Blog, Financial Planning

Financial Tips for Recent College GraduatesMembers of the college graduating class of 2017 owed an average of close to $30,000 each in student loan debt. Imagine starting out adult life with that kind of debt load?

The prevalence of this type of mounting debt for a 21- or 22-year-old is unprecedented in U.S. history – and all the more reason why young adults need sound financial advice. Financial advisors might not necessarily market to this demographic; instead, waiting until they’re older and have assets worth their while. However, if today’s young adults don’t get off on the right financial footing with regard to managing debt, saving, budgeting and investing for the future, there won’t be that many in need of financial advice once they hit middle-age.

The following are a few tidbits of advice to help recent college grads develop successful money management habits.

Be Patient

Interestingly, many college graduates know they are in over their heads and welcome financial advice; in fact, they’re hungry for it. A recent survey found that the No. 1 goal for 94 percent of Millennials is to become debt free. Unfortunately, tackling thousands of dollars in debt while earning an entry-level salary is a difficult task. The first rule of thumb is to be patient.

It takes time to pay off that much debt. The best advice is not to develop expensive habits, such as buying an expensive car, one with poor gas mileage or a make that is known for expensive repairs. Don’t get into the gourmet coffee habit. Bring your lunch to work. These are common habits among young adults with little discretionary income, but the hard part might be refraining from this type of spending once they start earning a higher salary.

Any wage increases or monetary windfalls should be directed to paying off debt and establishing an emergency savings fund to cover three to six months of living expenses – just in case they get laid off or encounter a large, unexpected expense.

Be Disciplined

Just as it takes time and patience to pay off a large debt, it also takes time and patience for invested money to compound. Once debts are paid off, extra income should be devoted to a regular, automated savings plan, such as a tax-deferred retirement plan with a company match.

Here’s an example of the reward:

  • Madison starts investing $10,000 a year at age 25 for 15 years, for a grand total of $150,000. At age 40, she stops and never returns to that investment habit.
  • Aidan starts investing $10,000 a year at age 35 and continues that habit for 30 years – twice as long as Madison. His total contribution also is twice that of Madison’s, at $300,000.

By age 65, Aidan’s investment grows to $790,582. While Madison invested only half as much as Aidan, by age 65 her investment grows to $998,975 – $208,392 more than him (assuming a 6 percent average annual return). That’s what the power of compound interest can do for a new college graduate who starts saving young.

Be Diligent

Compound interest works both ways, so it’s important that young adults don’t miss or make late payments on student loans or other debt. Such bad habits lead to negative information being reported on their credit report, resulting in a low credit score that can cause them to be turned down for loans or charged higher interest rates. It can even mean losing out on a job opportunity, as some employers check out candidate credit scores.

Above all else, young college graduates need to make debt payments on time, build a credit history and protect their credit score.

Ideally, no matter how large debt payments are or how little a new college grad earns, a young adult should get in the habit of saving the same amount of money each month. Even if it’s just $20 a paycheck; it’s not the amount that matters – it’s the habit.

The best way to accomplish this is to live below your means. When you get a salary increase, increase your monthly savings amount. The easiest way to entrench a savings habit is to “keep living like you’re still a college student.”

Jun 02
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quarterly estimated taxes

Quarterly Estimated Taxes

By Taxes

Hey folks! The due date for second quarter estimates is around the corner! (June 17, 2019)

If you are a self-employed business owner or an independent contractor, make sure to discuss your estimated tax payments (and whether or not you should be making them) with your certified public accountant. If this is your first year dealing with being self-employed (or the first time you’ve heard you might have to pay estimated taxes), feel free to contact me and we can discuss your situation.

A quick primer: the IRS requires a certain amount of income taxes to be paid throughout the year, either based on 100% of your prior year tax (110% if your income was above $150,000K), or 90% of your projected current year tax. Most people don’t have to deal with this because they are wage employees. In other words, their employers withhold taxes on their behalf (usually through withholding from each paycheck that is received). This is why you don’t see the “gross” amount of your salary in your bank when you check it on pay day. What you actually receive is an amount net of taxes withheld for the Federal government, New York state, and NYC (if you are a NYC resident).

Unfortunately, if you own your own business, the responsibility falls on you to make sure tax is paid throughout the year. Have a look at this page for more detailed information on the topic. It is never too late to catch up on your estimated taxes – let your CPA handle this for you and make sure you are squared away with the IRS and NYS.

Jun 01
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Best Road Trips on a Budget

By Blog, Tip of the Month

Summer is here and it’s time for getting out of town. However, you don’t want to set off on the open road without a plan. While there are an endless number of places to visit across the United States, here are a few road trips that are filled with natural parks, mountains and beaches, all of which are notably affordable, if not free.

From New York City to Charleston, South Carolina

First stop, Cape May, NJ, where you can hit Cape May Beach for some sun, then walk/bird watch for free at The Meadows. Next stop, Ocean City, MD, where there’s a 3-mile-long boardwalk with lots of arcades and fast-food joints (read: kid-friendly and affordable).

After that, head toward the fabled Outer Banks of North Carolina. Lots of adorable towns and free public beaches pepper this area, but you can’t miss Cape Hatteras. Should you want a break from the sand, you can take in all the critters at the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, then climb to the top of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse – both free. Last stop, iconic Charleston, where the eye-popping architecture is complimentary, as is visiting The Battery, biking the Palmetto Trail and swooning over the miraculous Angel Oak Tree.

From Chicago, IL, to Santa Monica, CA, via Route 66

Starting in Grant Park, the official beginning of Route 66, you can walk and hike across lots of gorgeous tree-filled greens, bike along Lake Michigan, snap pics by Buckingham Fountain and check out sculptures and installations, all gratis.

Head next to Carthage, MO, to the 66 Drive-In, where you can watch one movie and get the second one for free. After this, make your way to bucket list-worthy national parks, including Yosemite, Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest National Parks. While they do charge entrance fees, they’re minimal and the jaw-dropping nature is priceless. Last stop, beachy Santa Monica, where the waves, the pier, the mountains – everything is waiting to greet you.

From Houston, TX, to Portland, OR

First stop is Dallas, where you can see the JFK Memorial and the Calatrava Bridge, both without charge. Next stop, Amarillo, where a must-see is the Cadillac Ranch, rows of old Caddies nose-down in the ground. Free and a great photo op.

Head to Denver, where Rocky Mountain National Park is just a heartbeat away. Stop by Red Rocks Park in the city for awesome natural formations (no charge), followed by the Denver Museum, which is free every first Saturday of the month.

After this, head to Boise, ID, where you can hike/walk in the Boise River Green Belt, hoof it around the Idaho State Capital Building, then get yourself back into nature at the Camel’s Back Park. Last stop, Portland, where a few free things of note include visiting Mill Ends Park, the world’s smallest park. The Vacuum Museum, (yes, you read that right), where you’ll see vintage vacuums. And then, of course, what you came here for, the nature stuff: Forest Park, where you can check out the Witch’s Castle. The Urban Waterfall at Ira Keller Forecourt Fountain Park and of course, Columbia River Gorge, for crazy gorgeous waterfalls and all kinds of outdoor fun.

These three road trips are just a sliver of the many routes that offer freebies along the way. But remember: head for the great outdoors. More often than not, you’ll see some memorable sites that won’t cost an arm and a leg.

Sources

https://blog.esurance.com/6-must-see-roadside-attractions-along-route-66/

https://www.trippy.com/drive/Houston-to-Portland

Jun 01
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Small Business Survey: How Are Today’s SMBs Using Technology?

By Blog, What's New in Technology

One way to reduce the overhead associated with hiring workers is to make efficient use of technology. According to a recent survey by CompTIA, 73 percent of midsize businesses and 56 percent of firms with fewer than 20 employees say technology is a primary factor in pursuing their business objectives.

Budgeting

According to the 4Q 2018 survey, the average small/midsize business (SMB) invests anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 a year on technology. About half (52 percent) of small business owners think they’re not spending enough on business technology.

Upgrading

The largest share of small businesses (36 percent) say that in recent years they’ve focused their technology budget on infrastructure, such as laptops, desktops, servers, phones and storage. The second largest item in their tech budget was industry-specific software. Areas in which small businesses say they most need to improve technology include:

  • Integrating different applications, platforms and devices
  • Cyber and data security
  • Managing and using data effectively
  • Modernizing equipment and software
  • Improving ROI on technology purchases
  • Hiring skilled employees with experience working with newer technologies

Customer Service

One interesting find was that customer service is the biggest technology spending priority for SMBs going forward. Small business owners are looking to technology to help them renew existing customer accounts, identify new customer segments and markets, and innovate new products and services.

New Trend

A new trend among SMBs is to use technology as a service or product that can be offered to customers. In fact, more than half (52 percent) of professional service firms such as accountants and lawyers introduced such a service last year. For example, an accounting firm might provide a cyber security audit or become a software reseller (buy at wholesale price and sell to customers for a profit). Among SMBs that have begun offering technology services, almost half say that revenue stream is growing faster than their regular business.

Preferred Tech Vendors

Where do the majority of SMBs buy technology? Pretty much the same places as individual consumers, namely online retailers such as Amazon and brick-and-mortar stores like Best Buy.

Priorities Compared to Two Years Ago

Another interesting finding from the study is that SMBs are not executing on their technology plans as well as they had hoped. The share of respondents who say they’ve achieved their vision and strategy dropped from 23 percent in 2016 to just 18 percent in 2018. The report asserts that, “Many firms are taking two steps forward and one back as they navigate these new learning curves.”

Emerging Technologies

Despite their sluggish success, more than half (53 percent) of SMBs believe that emerging technologies, such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices, artificial intelligence (AI) and drones will drive opportunities for them in the future. Thirty percent of SMBs say they’ve already incorporated some form of emerging technology into their business to:

  • Increase productivity: 63%
  • Meet customer demand: 47%
  • Enhance innovation: 42%
  • Boost sales: 42%
  • Differentiate themselves from the competition: 39%
  • Avoid obsolescence: 22%

Still, some SMBs are hesitant to invest in emerging technologies. Ten percent think it will trigger a negative impact on their business while 23 percent believe it’s soon to project the potential impact, especially given the cost of entry, the technical training required, and the time it would take to identify high-quality and cost-efficient vendors or suppliers.

Jun 01
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How Will Increased Business Productivity Impact Business Earnings Reports?

By Blog, Stock Market News

During the first three months of 2019, non-farm labor productivity grew 3.6 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is coupled with a 4.1 percent increase in output, along with hours worked increasing by one-half of one percent. Comparing the rates from 2019’s Q1 to the first three months of 2018, productivity grew by 2.4 percent, year over year. Looking at the trend over 12 months, the BLS reported a 3.9 percent uptick in output and a 1.5 percent uptick in hours worked. 

With the BLS defining the non-farm business sector accounting for nearly four-fifths (77 percent) of America’s gross domestic product, it’s still noteworthy to see what it doesn’t include. It doesn’t account for government entities, households, farms and non-profits that deal with individuals.

Understanding the Measure of Productivity

The BLS defines a few terms relevant to how it can and will impact a business’ profitability. When it comes to labor productivity – alternately defined as hourly production – this measure is determined by taking an index of real output and dividing it by a pre-determined number of hours from employees, business owners and non-compensated family workers.

Specifically, unit labor costs dropped by 0.9 percent for the non-farm business sector during Q1 of 2019, despite growing 0.1 percent during the past 12 months. This, the BLS notes, is the slowest four-quarter increase – compared to 2013’s 1.7 percent drop in the fourth quarter.

The federal department looks at unit labor costs as how much individuals are paid per hour compared to how much they produce per hour. The more individuals are paid, the higher the unit labor costs, while higher output per hour lowers this ratio.

The BLS provides an interesting illustration of past improvements in labor productivity and what it might mean for the future of work. In the piece, “What can labor productivity tell us about the U.S. economy?” it mentions that Americans clocked in 194 billion hours in both 2013 and 1998. This figure is noteworthy because in the 15-year time frame, with the U.S. population growing by 40 million, the American economy added $3.5 trillion in increased output, despite the same number of hours worked.

An example from the BLS shows how a car factory goes from making 30 cars an hour compared to a previous 20 per hour capacity, resulting in a 50 percent gain. This increase in efficiency comes from a factory upgrade and additional employee training, which translates into labor productivity growth.

The December 2016 White House report titled “Artificial Intelligence, Automation and the Economy” explains how increased productivity has impacted workers and business owners over time.

The report found that beginning in the mid-1970s, the lowest 90 percent of American households saw their incomes drop from two-thirds to 50 percent of all U.S. income. While American workers became more productive, the report found that for low- and middle-income American workers, wages didn’t increase accordingly.

Beginning in about 2000, it found profits of corporations growing as a percentage of GDP. In contrast, workers’ share of GDP started to fall, albeit reversing very recently. The report found in 2016 corporate profits were just under 65 percent of GDP, compared to approximately 58 percent of GDP for the non-farm labor share.

While innovation and using technology for greater efficiency is nothing new and artificial intelligence (software and smart machines) becomes more capable of assisting less skilled workers increase labor productivity, this signifies an overall trend to make jobs less complex, and therefore able to command less compensation.

Examples could include entry level accounting professionals using tax software (supervised by certified professionals) or medical imaging technicians aided by software (supervised by radiologists) to make diagnoses, saving time to complete bulk work. While software and artificial intelligence engineers are on the higher end of the workforce, it’s expected that more work in the future will be deskilled, and result in lower pay.  

If these trends are predictive of the future, the U.S. economy will see greater efficiency and bigger corporate profits. 

Jun 01
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How to Make the Most of Margins and Markups

By Blog, General Business News

When it comes to gross margins and the American economy, they vary widely throughout the country’s industries. When New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business recently compiled gross margin statistics for January 2019, they found the low end includes the Auto and Truck industry with a gross margin of 11.45 percent and the Oilfield Services/Equipment industry with a gross margin of 10.70 percent. On the top end, the General and Diversified Real Estate industry saw a gross margin of 73.08 percent and the Investments and Asset Management industry saw a 70.67 percent gross margin. While these gross margins are divergent, understanding more about gross margins gives better context for understanding this measure.

Why Gross Margins Matter

One way to understand gross margins better is to understand how it’s calculated. As the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) explains, the gross margin is expressed as a percentage. It’s determined by taking the Costs of Goods sold from the company’s overall revenue. The resulting figure is then divided by the original revenue number. It’s also done over a specific time frame such as a single quarter, a calendar year or an internal fiscal year.

As the SBA explains, gross margins show what portion of the overall sales a business keeps after accounting for the Cost of Goods Sold, or whatever direct costs the good or service took to get ready for sale. Naturally, the higher the percentage, the more profitable the product or service. Regardless of the percentage, it’s important to perform this analysis because it can show where there are efficiencies or inefficiencies in the good or service.

The SBA points out that gross margin is an important factor in determining how to price a product or service to ensure its profitability. For example, with recent developments on steel and aluminum tariffs, businesses that use these two raw materials would likely have to recalculate their costs and therefore gross margins, due to tariff rate changes.

With Section 232 tariffs no longer imposed on aluminum and steel from Canada and Mexico as of May 19, 2019, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, companies using this steel would need to see how this impacts their Cost of Goods Sold, and therefore gross margin.

There are many factors beyond this to account for when determining the final price for wholesale or retail. The SBA gives examples of what also influences a business’ pricing strategy, such as transportation costs, seasonal demand, how customers see the worth of a product or service and how badly a company wants to make a name for itself against other business’ products or services.

While the SBA’s general target for a gross margin is 45 percent (meaning the retail price of the good or service covers the Cost of Goods Sold, plus a 45 percent premium), it can act as a general guide. In addition, there are strategies that businesses can employ to work around various economic conditions.

Increase Efficiency

Increasing efficiency can take the place of investing in technology. With the advent of self-checkout technology and using mobile apps, we have reduced the need for cashiers in the retail/grocery industry. Over the long term, this will reduce the costs for labor. While this might not contribute to the cost of goods or services directly, it can reduce overhead in the long haul for retailers, offsetting a lower gross margin.

Maintain Current Prices (at least temporarily)

In the case of steel and aluminum tariffs, companies can benefit. With tariffs recently lifted on imported metals from Mexico and Canada, companies will be able to maintain current retail prices in the short term, thereby increasing margins.

While each industry has different gross margins, doing a financial analysis will give a business its true financial picture.

Jun 01
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Social Security: News, Tips and Trends

By Blog, Financial Planning

There are a number of threats that both retirees and pre-retirees are facing right now when it comes to drawing Social Security benefits. For example, there’s a new scam this year. Seniors are being solicited by callers who claim to be with the Social Security Administration (SSA). The caller says he regrets to inform that the elderly person’s Social Security payments have been suspended. The caller says it’s either because the beneficiary has been involved in a crime or there has been suspicious activity related to their benefit. Here’s the interesting part: the caller then requests that the senior repay a certain amount of his benefit to Social Security by gift card. The scammer is then able to use this money quickly with no paper trail.

If that sounds absurd, consider that over the span of just two months Social Security beneficiaries collectively lost upward of $6.7 million by falling prey to this a new, highly effective scam. Even if an elderly person is suspicious or knows the call is fraudulent, he may acquiesce anyway for peace of mind. Seniors who rely on Social Security as their primary source of income are of no mind to mess around when that income is threatened. If you or anyone you know is in this situation, be aware that the SSA does not make direct phone calls, does not threaten to stop paying benefits, and certainly does not ask to be refunded payments by gift card.

From a longer-term perspective, Social Security payments could be threatened by – ironically enough – the current administration’s strict immigration policy. The former chairman of the Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan, recently noted that in 2010 alone, unauthorized foreign workers paid about $12 billion in tax revenues that went directly into Social Security’s coffers. Because many immigrants pay FICA taxes whether they are documented or not, this revenue source has been a mainstay to our Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid programs for as long as they’ve been in effect. Based on 2016 government data, even before the recent immigration policies were implemented, Pew Research reports that the number of unauthorized immigrants had dropped to its lowest level (10.7 million) since its peak (12.2 million) in 2007.

The unfortunate consequence of fewer immigrants is that payroll taxes may have to increase and/or Social Security benefits reduced in coming years. One economist projected that if we continue down this current path of highly restrictive immigration policies, Social Security benefits would need to be cut by nearly 25 percent.

To make the most of their benefits, many retirement planners recommend that retirees wait as long as possible to begin drawing Social Security income. The longer you wait, the higher the benefit. However, those in poor health or diagnosed with a terminal illness (only two to four years to live) may be better advised to begin taking benefits. However, there is a caveat to this strategy that should be considered. Delaying benefits not only ensures a higher payout for the primary beneficiary, but also for the surviving spouse. When the primary breadwinner takes Social Security before full retirement age, his monthly benefits are permanently reduced – that is, the amount his widow will be stuck with for the rest of her life. If you don’t actually need the income, it might be worth delaying benefits to increase the amount a dependent spouse receives upon your death.

Another little known fact about Social Security is that you can have a do-over. If you retire, start drawing benefits and then decide to go back to work, you can actually stop taking the payout and let it continue to accrue until you’re ready again. Of course, there are restrictions in place. First, you must be under age 70. Second, you have to alert SSA of this plan by submitting the appropriate form within 12 months of applying for benefits. And third, you must pay back all the money you’ve received to date. The good news is that you can reapply later and enjoy a higher benefit as if you were drawing it for the first time.

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