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News and Events
12/28/2011 Lougen Valenti Bookbinder & Weintraub Adds Employees
Amherst accounting firm Lougen, Valenti, Bookbinder & Weintraub LLP is pleased announce the additions of Randal (R.J.) Faustin and Jacqueline C. Shoen as staff accountants. Faustin and Shoen are both graduates of Niagara University; Faustin received his Masters of Business Administration in 2010 and Shoen received her masters of Business Administration in 2011.
12/16/2011 Lougen Valenti Bookbinder & Weintraub Names Keith Bookbinder Managing Partner
Lougen, Valenti, Bookbinder & Weintraub LLP (LVBW), a leading Buffalo area CPA firm, today announced that Keith R. Bookbinder has been named Managing Partner. Bookbinder, one of the originating partners of the firm, will be responsible for LVBW’s continued leadership in providing high-quality professional services for its clients and the growth of the company’s businesses.
Bookbinder says, “My goal is to continually improve quality service to clients. With our team-based approach, clients benefit from a wide scope of experience. That’s also why we’re focusing time and energy on developing future leaders in the firm. Our staff team is the greatest asset we have to make a positive impact on our clients’ business.”
Bookbinder, a graduate of State University of New York at Albany, was associated with the national accounting firm BDO Seidman for 20 years. In 2000, Bookbinder and fellow partners Marty C. Lougen Jr., Carolyn D. Valenti, and Dan B. Weintraub, purchased the local Buffalo BDO Seidman office. LVBW’s commitment to providing new ideas and innovative thinking take client relationships farther than traditional accounting, audit and tax services. The financial relationship is a natural foundation for a multitude of other business needs such as valuations, mergers and acquisitions, succession planning, estate and gift planning.
As members of the BDO Seidman Alliance, a national and international network of independently owned accounting and consulting offices, LVBW is able to serve clients with multi-state and international operations.
11/8/2011 Year End Tax Planning Ideas for Individuals and Business
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There are a number of year end tax strategies individuals and businesses can use to reduce their tax burden for 2011. Here is the lowdown on some of the best options. |
Year End Tax Savings Ideas for: |
11/4/2011 Lougen Valenti Bookbinder & Weintraub Announces Promotion
Lougen, Valenti, Bookbinder & Weintraub LLP is pleased to announce the Assurance Department promotion of Paul Kloosterman, CPA, promoted to Assurance Supervising Senior.
Kloosterman, a graduate of Niagara University, has been with the firm since 2007. He is responsible for the supervision and development of staff and senior accountants with audit, review and other assurance services.
06/24/2011 Lougen Valenti Bookbinder & Weintraub Announces Promotions
LVBW is pleased to announce the Assurance Department promotions of Steve Smyth, CPA, promoted to Senior Assurance Manager; and Kara Hegarty, CPA, promoted to Assurance Senior.
Smyth, a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo has been with the firm since 2000. He is responsible for audit, review and other assurance services as well as tax planning and general business advice for his clients.
Hegarty is a graduate of Niagara University. She started with the firm in 2009 as an intern. Her duties include coordinating audit team efforts to serve clients along with preparing and reviewing financial statements.
12/13/2010 2011 Standard Mileage Rates
The Internal Revenue Service issued the 2011 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.Beginning on Jan. 1, 2011, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car, van, pickup or panel truck will be:
- 51 cents per mile for business miles driven (up from 50 cents a mile in 2010)
- 19 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes (up from 16.5 cents in 2010)
- 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organization (unchanged from 2010)
8/13/2010 Business First: How to Select a CPA Firm
Consider this: When you choose an accountant for your business, you're basically choosing a financial partner who likely will be involved for a long time.
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7/20/2010 State Making Efforts to Enforce Sales Tax Compliance
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Keith Bookbinder, CPA, Partner poses question about sales tax compliance efforts. |
Keith Bookbinder, CPA, Partner, recently attended a lecture by the Bar Association of Erie County (BAEC) Headquarters. The lecture educated local attorneys, CPA's and high level government officials about widespread under reporting of sales tax by business and the efforts New York State is making to enforce payment of these taxes legally owed by the business.
7/9/2010 Business First: Small Business Turn to CPAs for Help with Lending Regs
7/6/2010 Closing Deadline Extended to Sept. 30 for Eligible Homebuyer Credit Purchase
Eligible taxpayers who contracted to buy a home, qualifying for the first-time homebuyer credit, before the end of April now have until Sept. 30, 2010 to close the deal, according to the Internal Revenue Service.
On July 2nd the President signed the Homebuyer Assistance and Improvement Act of 2010. This extended the closing deadline from June 30th to September 30th for any eligible homebuyer who entered into a binding purchase contract on or before April 30th to close on the purchase of the home on or befor June 30, 2010. The new law addresses concerns that many homebuyers might be unable to meet the original June 30 closing deadline.
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6/22/2010 Watch Our for IRS 401(k) Plan Questionnaires
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has begun sending out questionnaires and letters to 1,200 randomly selected 401(k) plan sponsors. Employee Plan Examinations previously conducted by the IRS indicate that 401(k) plans are by far the most non-compliant plan type in the retirement plan universe. These plans have a significant impact on the health of private retirement in America and make up over 60% of the retirement plan universe. It is important that they maintain the highest level of compliance possible: the Questionnaire is intended to assist the IRS in identifying compliance areas where additional education, guidance and enforcement are needed.
» Read More
6/8/2010 Timeline for Tax Changes in Health Care Reform
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the related Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act overhauls the U.S. health care system and affects nearly all taxpayers, many employers, and many elements of the health care industry. This massive overhaul contains a host of tax changes, many of which are both complex and novel. To compound the challenge, the tax changes go into effect over a number of years – ten if two retrocactvely effective tax changes are counted and nine if they are not. Below is a timeline of the tax changes and a concise summary of each new tax provision.
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4/22/2010 Health Care Tax Credit for Small Business
The new health care tax credit is specifically targeted to help small businesses and tax-exempt organizations that primarily employ low- and moderate-income workers. Find out if your business qualifies.
» Read More
3/19/2010 Tax Benefits For Employers Who Hire and Retain Unemployed Workers
Two new tax benefits are now available to employers hiring workers who were previously unemployed or only working part time. These provisions are part of the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act enacted into law March 18, 2010.
» Read More
2/5/2010 Business First: Roth IRA Asset Conversion Gives Taxpayers New Option
11/15/2009 Year End Tax Planning 2009
Tax Planning Letter for Businesses, December 2009
Tax Planning Letter for Individuals, December 2009
9/4/2010 Business First: CPAs heading back to class as new regulations kick in
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