Ask your Accountant: Family Gifts

Ask your Accountant: Family Gifts

Taxes on Gifts from Parents My parents gave me a gift of $100,000. How do I pay the taxes due? The good news is that you don’t owe any taxes on gifts that you receive. Gifts are not considered income for either federal or New Jersey income tax purposes. However, if...
Estate Planning Is As Important As Ever

Estate Planning Is As Important As Ever

By Arthur M. Brown, JD, LLM, CPA Levine, Staller, Sklar, Chan & Brown, P.A. Many of our clients associate estate planning with tax planning. While estate planning is often driven by a desire to minimize estate tax, tax savings is only one aspect to consider....
To pre-pay or not to pre-pay?

To pre-pay or not to pre-pay?

To pre-pay or not to pre-pay? That was the question that was the topic of many discussions relating to taxes at the end of 2017.  However, it only scratches the surface of the issues resulting from the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Act).  Most, if not all,...
Canceled Debt – Is it Taxable or Not?

Canceled Debt – Is it Taxable or Not?

Canceled Debt – Is It Taxable or Not? If you borrow money and are legally obligated to repay a fixed or determinable amount at a future date, you have a debt. You may be personally liable for a debt or may own a property that is subject to a debt. If your debt is...