Client Newsletters

Please feel free to read our client newsletter. It is provided to keep you up to date on the latest tax and accounting news.

Monthly Client Newsletter | June 2011

L ast year brought volumes of new tax laws within the Banking Reform and Health Care Reform bills. Included here is a review of what is currently impacting all of us. This month's newsletter also includes some timely advice on borrowing money from your 401(k) and a thought or two about social networking.

Borrowing from your 401(k)...Good Idea?
Mortgage Reform...What's Next?
Health Care Reform...What's Currently in Place
Are We Becoming Social Networking's Zombies?

Borrowing from your 401(k)...Good Idea?

Most company 401(k) retirement savings programs allow qualified participants to borrow money from their account. Usually the amount is limited to a maximum of 50% of the account balance, requires timely repayment, and immediate repayment of outstanding loans should you leave your employer. So is borrowing money from your 401(k) retirement account a good idea? Why these loans are usually a bad idea In most cases, borrowing money from a 401(k) is a bad idea. Why?
	Opportunity cost. Your investments used for a loan from your 401(k) are no longer earning investment income. Instead it is usually earning a lower interest rate paid by you as you repay your loan.
	Tax implications. Your repayment of the loan is usually in "after-tax" dollars. If you are in the 25% federal tax bracket you need to pay $1,250 dollars pre-tax for every $1,000 you borrowed BEFORE applying the interest expense.
	Cash Flow. Often those taking out a loan are cash strapped. This loan too, must be repaid within 5 years unless used to buy a home. Have you done the math to ensure you will have cash available to make these new loan payments each month?
	Tax penalty. If you do not pay the loan back, you will often be subject to two more tax events. The first is income tax on the unpaid 401(k) loan amount as it is now deemed to be ordinary income. The second is a possible 10% tax penalty for unqualified early withdrawal. In other words, if you miss a payment or two, the tax implications could be huge.
	Immediate repayment. If you leave your employer, these loans are often immediately due in full within 60 days of leaving your employer. So if you lose your job or wish to change your job you need to be prepared to repay any 401(k) loan balances immediately.
401(k) Loans have Congressional Attention The increase in use of 401(k) loans and defaults on these loans has captured the attention of our legislators. There is a new bill introduced in the Senate this year called the "SEAL 401(k) Savings Act". If passed the act would:
	Limit the number of 401(k) loans a person may take from their plan
	Extend the period of loan repayment to reduce defaults
	Extend the grace period to repay loans should employment be terminated
	Ban the use of Debit Cards to access 401(k) balances
	Allow continued participation in 401(k) programs if locked out of the program due to hardship withdrawals.

While it is usually not advisable to take out a loan from your 401(k) program, sometimes your situation may merit this action. Please make sure you are taking this step with knowledge of the potential risks.

Are We Becoming Social Networking's Zombies?

Millions of children under the age of 13 have Facebook accounts. Professionals in many fields are being rained upon with emails from Linkedin updating them on who their business associates are adding to their personal contact list. Twitter messages are telling us when someone famous is getting a haircut. Your web browser is automatically updating you with the latest information from some blog via an RSS feed. While a very powerful set of tools, this social network explosion comes with a price.

You are the product

While most of these services are "free" to you, one has to remember that old saying, "there is no such thing as a free lunch". So what is the price you pay? You pay with your privacy. You become the product being sold by Facebook and Linkedin to advertisers. You provide enough traditionally private information for advertisers to sell you AND your friends their products and services.

Privacy and safety

Does the maker of Oreos know who your friends are? Do they know what you look like? What you like to eat? What music you listen to? Do they know your cell phone number or your address? These once private pieces of your life are now available to anyone willing to pay for it via Social Networking. While this information is the strength of this new technology, it is also the weakness of it if you lose control of your information or it falls into the wrong hands.

Scams and False IDs

One of the major problems with Social Networking is most consumers are using these tools with a presumed level of trust. Accounts are being opened up by minors who simply want to be connected with their friends. Most of us do not even read the terms of use prior to signing up for these services. What could go wrong? Here are some examples:

	Creating an imposter profile on Linkedin of someone well known and then using the profile to collect a list of prominent contacts.
	Someone accessing your cell phone numbers via Twitter and then being stalked by them.
	Having your MySpace or Facebook community breached by an unwanted visitor who uses a false name of someone you know.
	Losing a job because of inappropriate information about you available on a social network.
	Having your identity stolen or your reputation damaged by fraudulent use of the network.

What you can do

	Understand the price of privacy you are willing to pay for the Social Networking Service of your choice. Periodically review the "terms of use" to ensure the network has not changed their privacy policy.
	Be very selective about who is allowed into your community. It is easy to let someone in, it is difficult and often hurtful to keep someone out.
	Protect your kids. Social Networking is becoming a place of relentless cyber bullies and stalkers.
	Periodically conduct a find on yourself and your family via a web search engine. Know what information is on the internet about yourself.
	Understand "why" you are using the specific Social Network tool. If the purpose is unclear, then keep your information private.
	Understand how to get rid of information in your account prior to adding it. Often times your private information is stored indefinitely, even after you close your account.

The bottom line? Most social networking tools are successful because most of us are signing up for the new technology without understanding what the price is. We need to stop being social networking's zombies and treat this product like any other one we decide to purchase.