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People who hire accountants for personal or business reasons usually do it for the same reasons: accounting and the myriad tax laws are not their bailiwick. Even if clients are interested in managing their finances on their own, chances are there simply is not time to learn everything a professional knows. Hiring an accountant is often a safer and simpler means to make sure … [Read more...] about Joe Taxpayer vs. The IRS: Why Joe Needs Professional Help

All across America, the healthcare industry is facing some of the toughest challenges in its history. Overcrowded emergency rooms, a lack of affordable healthcare, the high cost of technology and an influx of uninsured patients have many healthcare providers walking the tight rope of meeting ethical obligations while still making a profit. Here in Nevada, the challenges are … [Read more...] about Healthcare Checkup: Managing Nevada’s Medical Challenges

There’s been a lot of talk lately about California’s Proposition 13 and the taxpayers’ revolt that caused its passage. The Nevada Policy Research Institute recently brought Jon Coupal, executive director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, to Nevada to provide some background on how Proposition 13 came about, and some advice on how to draft our own version of tax … [Read more...] about United We Stand: Business and Homeowners Must Fight Together

Have you ever tried selling a minority share of your privately held business? Did it feel like you were selling beachfront property on the moon? There is an easier, more profitable way for you to liquefy your assets and diversify your stock. As a successful business owner, you may know one of the most difficult endeavors is to convert the company’s equity into cash. You may … [Read more...] about Employee Stock Ownership Plans: An Alternative Way to Sell Your Business

No doubt about it, visitor volume is up. Nevada topped 50.5 million visitors in 2004, an all-time record – and they all brought money. Tourism is Nevada’s No. 1 industry, contributing more than $40 billion to the state’s economy, including $10 billion in gross gaming revenue. "A gradual climb" is probably the best way to describe post 9/11 tourism in Nevada. With a few ups … [Read more...] about Nevada’s Door “Wide Open”: Tourism Picture Bright

One of the most controversial bills to pass through Congress of late is the bankruptcy reform legislation President Bush recently signed.The new law will make it more difficult for individuals to qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and avoid their debts. What does this mean? Individuals normally file either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Chapter 7 allows a person to keep … [Read more...] about The New Bankruptcy Law: What’s It All About?

Most everyone around the world knows Nevada. Whether it is the brilliant sparkle of the Las Vegas Strip, the blue waters of Lake Tahoe or the endless beauty of our wide-open spaces, Nevada has a remarkable global reputation. But where will our next generation find new visitors? How will the growth of our super-charged tourism economy be fueled in the future? I can answer … [Read more...] about International Outreach: Bringing Countries and Cultures Closer

Nevada’s streetscapes and yards are changing. Once embellished with greenbelts, trees and shrubs, they now boast different types of ground cover, multiple plant groupings, varying elevations and even streams. The concept behind the new look is water conservation. Increasing numbers of residential and commercial property owners are choosing water-smart, or water-efficient, … [Read more...] about Water-Smart Landscaping Makes Cents: Dealing with Nevada’s Drought

It’s a real-life game of "cops and robbers," and the rules change faster than they’re written. While the storied "stick-ups" of old-West bank robberies exist in modified form even today, the bank vault no longer represents the ultimate treasure trove. Crooks have more "career options" than ever before. There are fraudulent checks to pass, "phishing" schemes to devise and … [Read more...] about Banking on Security: Preventing Assault Beyond the Vault

When Terry Wright came to Las Vegas in 1976 to manage a national title company, he quickly found that the planning and decision processes of the title business were usually reserved for administrators at out-of-state corporate headquarters. With this in mind, Wright decided to follow his heart and founded his own firm – Nevada Title Company. The business has since become one of … [Read more...] about Nevada Title Company: Local Firm Succeeds in Competitive Industry

In Northern Nevada, retail is climbing toward the mountains, with a retail lifestyle center proposed at the base of Mt. Rose Highway. In Southern Nevada, it’s climbing toward the sky, with several proposed multi-story retail projects and residential high-rise buildings with retail components on the ground floors. Land in Nevada’s metro areas is scarce, precious and going … [Read more...] about Nevada’s Retail Market: Challenges Lead to Creative Solutions

Family and Child Treatment (FACT) is a nonprofit United Way agency dedicated to helping children, adults and families overcome and heal the traumas of abuse, neglect and violence. The organization was formed by the merger of two United Way counseling programs – one dealing with treatment of child sexual abuse and the other dedicated to family counseling. FACT has provided … [Read more...] about Family and Child Treatment: Helping Heal the Hurt

For Nevada executives wanting to boost their earning potential, advance their careers or switch fields, additional education – particularly an advanced degree – may be just the ticket. "A degree adds an additional element of capability and opportunity for success," said Dr. Keith Evans, the director of Regis University’s Las Vegas campus. But with executives working long … [Read more...] about From Boardroom to Classroom: Executives Go Back to School

It’s a typical tax accountant’s experience: on a weekly basis we are asked for advice on how to reduce taxes. My first question is, "Did you consider the tax exposure prior to the transaction?" Many times the answer is no. Proper knowledge and utilization of tax strategies is the best way to reduce or eliminate tax exposure. Here are some of my favorite tax myths: Tax Myth: … [Read more...] about Common Tax Myths: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

One of the most important issues for business – particularly small business – is the affordability of healthcare insurance and the ability for Nevadans to obtain quality medical services. In a recent study, healthcare insurance was identified as the number one issue facing most businesses. Members of both the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce are … [Read more...] about Nevada’s Chambers of Commerce: Fighting for Affordable Healthcare Coverage for All Nevadans