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Say it with me: four more weeks. Four more weeks until this crazy election cycle is behind us and we can all return to normal here in Southern California.Except, well, if it isn't. With the way that 2020 has been going, we might as well emotionally prepare for that...

It doesn't take a genius to look around and predict that economic catastrophes are still coming.Yelp recently issued a report which revealed that as of August 31, there were 163,735 businesses who indicated on Yelp that they had closed -- a 23% increase since...

Like many things political, one of the best ways to look at the tempest of the day is analytical bemusement. This is (always) especially true when it comes to tax issues.And I might have a take today that could surprise you. I am not interested in getting into...

With the passing of Justice Ginsburg 45 days before the election, we have officially entered the political crazy season.This -- on top of so much conflict surrounding public health measures. It is also in addition to all of the conversation around racial pain, the...

Floating under the radar during so much NOISE the past couple weeks ... the CDC announced a halt to evictions for renters, and that starts THIS WEEK.I have some guidance today for you about what that means (and what it doesn't), but a couple other things first, before...

Everything about this year since March has just felt a little ... off. And I mean aside from all of the cultural and political turmoil we're living through.The seasonality of everything feels different too. Pro sports are out of sync, "back to school" season surely...

Even as a Southern California tax professional, when I get a letter from the IRS addressed to my business (or, worse, to my home), I share with you that feeling of initial trepidation: what fresh hell will I now have to deal with?More often than not, it's something...

Finally, the IRS issued guidance on Friday evening about payroll tax deferrals.And, as we've been communicating ... this may not be a very helpful program for most Southern California taxpayers. In fact, it's actually up to employers (not employees) whether or not to...

Still no guidance from the IRS about the payroll tax "holiday" (deferral), so it's extremely unlikely that your Southern California employer will be ready -- simply because the major payroll companies (Paychex, ADP, Gusto, and many others) don't have the answers to...

Summer is nearing an end, but this has been no ordinary summer.Everywhere, parents are scrambling in the most unusual "back to school" season in memory. Fall sports are in limbo, and others (MLB, NHL, NBA) are operating in a weird Twilight Zone mode. Urban centers are...

Right now we're living through an age in which media trust has been thoroughly decimated. "Expert" authority itself is being questioned (in many cases, rightly), and misinformation is rampant.That's perhaps one of the reasons I've received so many visits to this...

Right now, it's almost impossible to escape the conflict, the noise, and the shaming over various cultural decisions we're having to make. Lockdowns, schooling, more economic stimulus, elections, vaccines -- it's all enough to drive you crazy if you pay close...