Anderson & Jahde

Blended families have become normal, with second and subsequent marriages often making up the modern American family.  They may have children from a prior marriage and children together.  Estate planning complications for these families can result in inheritance errors.   This can harm family relationships, and, in a worst-case scenario, end in costly litigation that can, and should, be avoided with careful planning up front. If you are bringing both assets and children into a new marriage, you may want some, […]

There are two phases to a tax case: the first part is when the IRS conducts an examination to determine how much you owe (“examination”) and the second part is when the IRS tries to collect from you (“collection”).  Of course, if you filed your tax return and did not pay all that was shown as due, the IRS will seek to collect the balance even if there was no examination. How long to examine? The general rule is the

Owning rental property used to be an endeavor of the wealthy.  But in the new sharing economy, legions of people have become mini-entrepreneurs.  Thanks to Airbnb and other sharing sites, anyone can easily offer up a couch, a spare room or the entire house for a short-term rental (usually defined as fewer than 30 days).  However, there’s more to renting out your extra space than simply pocketing the cash.  If you’re thinking of becoming a landlord in your own home,

Taxpayers are barraged by television and radio advertisers claiming they can settle IRS debts for mere pennies on the dollar. These ads leave you believing that IRS will let anyone off on their tax debts for less than what is due and owing. Not so! We have had many clients over the years that have fallen for these pitch men, only to have $5,000.00 to $10,000.00 taken from them with absolutely no resolution to their tax problems. BE VERY CAREFUL!

Small businesses are the backbone of Colorado’s economy— 98% of all businesses in the state have fewer than 100 employees. Because Colorado’s Constitution allows “Home Rule” jurisdictions to enact their own sales and use tax ordinances inconsistent from Colorado’s sales and use tax laws, businesses often have great difficulty wending their way through the variations between Colorado’s tax laws and those of a Home Rule jurisdiction such as Denver. Failure to plan for, and accurately comply with, myriad conflicting state,

Clients often ask if there is a way they can financially provide for their children without making that money available for their child’s spouse to take in a divorce. Gifting property to the child outright without any legal protections is just asking for trouble.  The two best alternatives are a premarital agreement, and a discretionary, asset protection trust.

The IRS recently announced it will test an expansion of its Streamlined Installment Agreement Program for Taxpayers who owe less than $100,000. In all Streamlined Installment Agreements, the dollar threshold is based on the “Unpaid Balance of Assessments,” which often may be less than the amount the Taxpayer actually owes. For example, when a Taxpayer files a tax return, the IRS will usually assess the amount of tax, plus any interest and penalties accrued to the date of assessment.  Generally,

Today, the world-wide-library puts information at our fingertips in a moment.  Access to an unlimited amount of information is quite alluring.  When it comes to Estate planning, several web services claim that consumers can complete a will or a trust online in minutes.  Are these claims correct and what happens when problems arise? Online Estate planning seems like an enticing bargain at the outset.  But it may be pennywise and pound foolish.  They offer legal documents at a cheap price,

Beware of IRS Impersonators A lot of honest taxpayers are being robbed by tricky IRS impersonation scams. These people are not real IRS employees, just thieves. If you are contacted by someone claiming to be an IRS employee, here are a few things to keep in mind: If you receive an automated message or a live call, stating that “IRS is filing a lawsuit against you,” and you need to send money right away to prevent it, you can be

The IRS frequently disallows deductions for activities it believes are “not engaged in for profit.” “Hobby Losses”, as the IRS calls them, often involve expenses for horse or dog breeding activities, small scale farming, small livestock operations, airplanes, etc. Because these businesses often grow out of hobbies, they tend to be started without adequate business planning and advice. For some, a business plan and other business like activities established at the outset of the business can make the difference between