It’s not uncommon for employees to grumble about having to attend too many meetings. Sometimes they have a point; an excessive number of meetings can become a problem at some companies. However, there’s one kind of meeting that business owners and their leadership teams should never scrimp on: strategic planning.

If your investments have fluctuated wildly this year, you may have already recognized some significant gains and losses. But nothing is decided tax-wise until year end when the final results of your trades will reveal your 2023 tax situation. Here’s what you need to know to avoid tax surprises.

In December 2022, President Biden signed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) 2.0 Act. Among other things, the sweeping new law made some significant changes to so-called catch-up contributions, with implications for both employers and employees.

The estate and gift tax exemption amount is scheduled to be cut drastically in 2026 when the related Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provisions expire (unless Congress acts to extend them). Making tax-free gifts before then can cut the size of your taxable estate and may be one way to address this potential threat.

When many business owners see the term “financial reporting,” they immediately think of their year-end financial statements. And, indeed, properly prepared financial statements generated at least once a year are critical. But engaging in other types of financial reporting more frequently may help your company stay better attuned to the nuances of running a business in today’s inflationary and competitive environment.

As summer slips away and fall shuffles forth, business owners and their leadership teams might want to take a look at the overall marketing strategy they’ve pursued this year. How’s yours doing? It may not be entirely too late to make some adjustments to ensure your sales numbers wind up where you want them.

If you’re selling your principal residence, or you already sold your home in 2023, some or all of the profit may be tax-free. It depends on the amount of profit and your income. Take a look at the basic rules.

If your employer provides life insurance, you probably find it to be a desirable fringe benefit. However, if group term life insurance is part of your benefits package, and the coverage is higher than $50,000, there may be undesirable income tax implications.