Esther Phahla

Is there a difference between Tax Preparation and Tax Planning? Yes, with tax preparation you are looking at history. Once December 31st of each year is over you can’t change history. Anything you could have taken advantage of to reduce your tax liability is over. All you can do is sit and wait for all […]

Esther Phahla, CPA, announced July 26, 2018 that she is now a Certified Tax Strategist. This is the highest-level designation that started out as one of just under 700 tax professionals who has completed the American Institute for Certified Tax Planners training academy leading to the Certified Tax Coach designation. You start out as a […]

Can you believe that we are halfway through the year already? This is a good time to make sure that you are making the best choices for your tax health. Here are some tips to help make tax time 2019 less stressful. Check Your Withholding: The best thing that you can do to decrease the […]

With the tax preparation season winding down, either you complied and filed by March 15 or April 17, 2018 or extended your tax returns until September or October 2018, regardless of your choice, the common question has been: “How will the new tax laws affect me?” The only way to find out is through Tax […]

An S corporation is a corporation that elects to pass its corporate income, losses, deductions and credits through to its shareholder(s). A shareholder of an S corporation reports the flow-through of income and losses on their personal tax returns and are assessed tax at their individual income tax rates. When a corporate officer performs services […]

It’s Official, Tax Reform is here! This is the first significant reform of the U.S. tax code since 1986. BUT WAIT! It’s easy to forget that we still have 2017 taxes to file, which are governed by the old rules. That’s tax preparation. While we are working on 2017 taxes, that’s an opportunity to have […]

Reaching and surpassing a 10-year milestone being a business owner is something to celebrate. I feel blessed, I have learned a lot and grew in the process. Especially starting out in a foreign country where you knew nobody and the laws are different. I am grateful for the opportunity I had working for other CPA […]

All corporations, limited-liability companies, limited partnerships, limited-liability partnerships and other business entities are legal entities which can only be dissolved through formal action, not by a letter or phone call. You remain liable for all taxes, assessments, fines, penalties and interest until you receive a certificate of dissolution from the Secretary of State. Here are […]

Under common-law rules, anyone who performs services for you is your employee if you can control what will be done and how it will be done. Therefore, an employer-employee relationship exists when the person for whom services are performed has the right to control and direct the individual who performs the services, not only as […]

On the other hand with tax planning you are taking a proactive approach. The focus is on the present and future. For example, receiving a huge refund year after year is a sign of no tax planning. No, it is not a savings account. Ask yourself, is it earning interest? As a taxpayer you could […]