In This Issue...

1. From the CSTC President
2. Practice Tips from Members
3. Registration is OPEN for the 2021 Fall Forum!
4. Is Your Firm's Website and Social Media ADA Compliant?
5. November Events
6. 2022 Running Start
7. Welcome New CSTC Members
8. Legislative Advocacy
9. News from the IRS
10. Join CSTC!

CSTC Member Benefits

CSTC members have access to benefits such as free payroll processing services for your tax practice, and the opportunity to earn new revenue through their flexible partnership options.

CSTC is pleased to include the VeriFyle ProTM premium secure online document and message sharing service at no cost to CSTC members!

Wolters Kluwer: Discounts on Tax, Accounting & Audit Resources, Software, Information & Services. 

 CSTC members receive the TaxBook WebLibrary at a special price

Other Member Benefits Include:

$ Savings on all Society Educational Events

$ Savings on Contact, Correspondence & Self Study Education

$ Savings with member specialty CSTC Connects (previouslyYellow Pages) list

$ Savings with E & O Insurance, plus specialty coverage relevant to your profession

$ Online CSTC Find-a-Tax Consultant search to help promote your business!

$ CSTC Member Listserv

Office Depot has partnered with us to provide exclusive savings in-store and online, plus fantastic additional benefits. This program is all about providing preferred pricing to our clubs, and the savings extend to almost every item.

Savings include 20% to 55% off item office supply core list, 20% to 55% off retail on cleaning  & break room items, 10% off branded; 20% off private brand  ink & toner core list, Average 10% off  retail on 200 technology core items, Free next-day shipping on orders of $50 or more, and SIGNIFICANT savings on copy & print. Become a CSTC member to sign up for our Office Depot Small Business Savings Program, administered by Excelerate America.

We are a professional full-service tax advisory firm in San Diego. Our goal is to provide a level of service for our clients that will exceed expectations in every possible way. We strive to offer a diverse level of services to meet the needs of the diverse community we have been working in for more than 30 years.

TaxMama's® EA Exam Course prepares tax professionals to do so much more than just pass the IRS' Special Enrollment Examination. This is an in-depth course that teaches tax law from the ground up. It explains how tax returns work, with examples of basic 1040s, Schedule Cs, 1065s, 1120s, and 1120Ss; you learn tax law, tax research, client representation for audits, appeals and collections. 

If you are interested in buying or selling a practice, contact us today! ATB is operated by Enrolled Agents ensuring a complete understanding of our profession. Please give us a call at (855) 428-2225 or visit us online at www.ATBCAL.com for more information and to view our current listings.
CA DRE 02002824

CSTC Mission Statement

CSTC advances professionalism within the tax industry by:

• Providing quality education

• Creating networking opportunities

• Advocating professional standards

From the President

Many of you received an email purportedly from me asking for gift cards for a donation to a veteran’s group. Several members immediately phoned or emailed to let us know about this bogus email, and our Executive Director got on it right away, sending out an email to all our members warning them about the email. And it worked! One member wrote:  I just saw an email from CSTC regards the scam.  I was about to send $50. I am glad you guys told us about this email.

However, I continued to receive calls and emails. Some people responded to the first email and then received a second email with instructions to buy gift cards from Target, take pictures of the codes on the cards and email them to a different email address. In some cases I was able to contact the member and stop them from sending the gift cards. I don’t know if any others sent the gift cards.

I would urge all of our members to be very careful about responding to emails, especially when there’s money involved. Here are some clues that indicate the email is a scam:

1. Check the return address. In this case, the email came from [email protected], which seems fairly reasonable. Other similar emails have come from addresses such as [email protected] or [email protected], which have no reference to CSTC at all. You may not know what CSTC’s web address is, but you can easily check by typing the name into your browser. Typing in thecstc.org gives the message that the site can’t be reached. Then you know the sender, and therefore the email, is not legitimate.
2. Phishing emails often have awkward wording and grammar errors. This email included “I have credence in you,” which is the wrong word, and “to aid combat the COVID-19 virus,” duplicate verbs.
3. Any email asking for gift cards is immediately suspect. Legitimate organizations will accept checks or credit cards. Whenever you see “gift cards,” it should be a huge red flag. It is a good practice to always make a phone call to confirm any email asking for money or gift cards before responding.
4. The email included my physical address (misspelled), but not my phone number or email address which is how I would generally sign an email. And it included my title. If I were writing to someone asking for a donation, I would surely sign my name.
5. And finally, I will never ask CSTC members for donations to anything outside of CSTC, no matter how worthy the cause seems to be. As President of CSTC, my duty is to further the goals of CSTC, which do not include charitable contributions to veterans. The mission statement of CSTC is to advance professionalism within the tax profession. This is our joint goal and one we are all striving for. But it will never involve gift cards or donations to an unrelated charity.

It is heart-warming to see that many of our members are caring and generous, and willing to support charitable causes. But how frustrating if that money goes to scammers instead of legitimate charities! So please be vigilant. And instruct your staff as well.

• Beware of emails asking for money or gift cards.
• Check the email address it was sent from.
• Call to confirm the request before responding.

Above all, stay vigilant!

Linda Dong
CSTC President

Practice Tips from Members

Each month in this column we share practices from our members that help their practices run smoothly. We hope that these tips will interest you, inspire you, and even revolutionize some aspect of your practice. And as you read and are inspired by other members’ tips, we hope you will also send in your own tips to help others. Let’s really be those who care to share.

Send your tips to [email protected].

Prepare for Natural Disasters
While not a member, the IRS has some helpful advice (IR 2021-174)

With the threat of hurricanes and wildfires in different parts of the country, the Internal Revenue Service is encouraging businesses to develop an emergency preparedness plan by taking the following steps:

1. Start secure – Keep critical original documents inside waterproof containers in a secure space. Make duplicates of important documents such as tax returns, titles and insurance policies to be kept with a trusted person outside your area.

2. Make copies – If original documents are available only on paper, use a scanner and save them on a USB flash drive, CD or in the cloud, which provide security and easy portability.

3. Document valuables – Take photographs and videos of the contents of your business, especially expensive and high- value items. Publication 584-B, Business, Casualty, Disaster, and Theft Workbook, has helpful charts to list your assets.

4. Employer fiduciary bonds – Employers using payroll service providers should check if their provider has a fiduciary bond in place to protect them in the event of a default by the provider. Employers are encouraged to create an Electronic Federal Tax Payment System account at EFTPS.gov to monitor their payroll tax deposits and receive email alerts.

5. Know where to go – Reconstructing records after a disaster may be required for tax purposes, getting federal assistance or insurance reimbursement. Businesses who have lost some or all of their records during a disaster should visit IRS' Reconstructing Records webpage.

Registration is OPEN for the 2021 Virtual Fall Forum

It’s Fall (Forum) Y’all!
Article by Shannon Hall, First Vice President of Education

This is my favorite time of year, and not just because the crispness of the fall air brings the promise of the end of the tax season…finally! Now we can look forward to some well-deserved relaxation without the looming of filing deadlines lurking like a scare actor at a Halloween haunt, waiting for the best opportunity to pounce!

As the days shorten and the temperature drops (kind of), we reach for pumpkin spice everything and shift our focus to the really important things in life: spending time with friends and family, reflecting on all of the things we have to be thankful for, and, perhaps most importantly, making sure we have all the education we need for next year!

I am so excited to be serving as the VP in charge of education for our Society this year, and I cannot wait to share some of the big plans we are working on to make this year one of the best yet!

We are happy to announce that our annual Fall Forum is returning this year after last year’s covid-related hiatus and we could not be more thrilled to be able to offer our very own Linda Dong and Ruth Godfrey’s Virtual Business Boot Camp for this year’s program. 

This fantastic six-session course covers everything you need to get started (or brush up on) preparing entity returns. The material will cover everything from basis to balance sheets and features hands-on exercises to give you the tools you need to prepare 1120, 1120S, and 1065 returns. 

Having taken this course myself, I can tell you it is not to be missed!

CLICK HERE to learn more and to register! 

Is Your Firm's Website and Social Media ADA Compliant?

While the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has existed since 1991, the past 5 years have seen an explosion of litigation surrounding the accessibility of websites. These lawsuits, which tend to be predatory in nature, can be complex given the unclear standards for website accessibility set forth by the Department of Justice. In addition to the lack of clear standards, there are divisions amongst the courts over issues related to the nexus between a business and having a physical location, or being purely e-Commerce. It is important for clients (accountants, lawyers, business owners, etc.) not only to understand their exposure in an ADA litigation, but also methods to mitigate their risks on an ongoing basis. This program will explore the current status of the law, WCAG, and what clients can do to minimize their exposure to future litigation. The Alameda County Bar Association has invited our CSTC members to join this lunch hour webinar.

Speakers: Michael Karlin and L. Scott Karlin of The Karlin Law Firm, LLP
Host: Alameda County Bar Association
Date: 1/18/2022
Time: 12-1:15pm

Keep an eye on your CSTC emails for more information about this webinar! 

Calendar of Events
November 2021

November 1, 2021

Topic: Corporations Class
Central Valley Chapter Two Day Hybrid Meeting
6 Federal Law hours (Topics covering existing tax law)
Click here to learn more and register

November 2, 2021

Topic: Corporations Class
Central Valley Chapter Two Day Hybrid Meeting
6 Federal Law hours (Topics covering existing tax law)
Click here to learn more and register

Topic: 2021 Federal Tax Update
East County San Diego Virtual Chapter Meeting
2 Federal Tax Update hours (Topics covering new tax law)
Click here to learn more and register

November 3, 2021

Topic: California Tax Update
Temecula Valley Virtual Chapter Meeting
2 California hours (Topics covering California law issues)
Click here to learn more and register

Topic: Estate Planning and the AB Trust
San Francisco Bay Chapter Virtual Meeting
2 Federal Law hours (Topics covering existing tax law)
Click here to learn more and register

November 4, 2021

Topic: Choosing or Changing A Business Entity
San Gabriel Valley Chapter In-Person Meeting
2 Federal Law hours (Topics covering existing tax law)
Click here to learn more and register

November 10, 2021

Topic: Ooops, Correcting 2020 Tax Reporting Errors and Biden Tax Proposals for Individual and Business
Orange County Chapter In-Person Meeting
1 Federal Law hours (Topics covering existing tax law)
1 Federal Tax Update hours (Topics covering new tax law)
Click here to learn more and register

November 15, 2021

Topic: Potential “Red Flag” Issues of Operating A Business (Sch. C) (Audit?), Potential Problem Audit Issues of A Rental Business (Sch. E), and A Potpourri of Other Issues
Orange County South Chapter In-Person Meeting
2 Federal Law hours (Topics covering existing tax law)
Click here to learn more and register

November 17, 2021

Topic: From Audits to Collections, and How to Resolve a Liability in Dispute
Inland Empire Chapter Virtual Meeting
2 Federal Law hours (Topics covering existing tax law)
Click here to learn more

Topic: TBA
Greater Long Beach Chapter In-Person Meeting
Hours TBA
Click here to learn more

Topic: The Taxman Always Rings Twice
San Jose Online Chapter Meeting
1 Federal Law hours (Topics covering existing tax law)
1 California hours (Topics covering California law issues)
Click here to learn more

November 23, 2021

Topic: Trucking
Central Valley Chapter Hybrid Meeting
6 Federal Tax law hours (Topics covering existing tax law)
Click here to learn more

Click here to view the CSTC calendar.

CSTC education is designed for CTEC preparers, Enrolled Agents, CPAs, and attorneys and to fit the needs of all – from new preparers to highly experienced tax professionals. With one of the most affordable price points for educating tax professionals, we encourage you to explore how the CSTC Academy should be a must-attend for 2021. This webinar series will take place every Wednesday starting July 14 through November 10, 2021 excluding September 15, October 13, November 3. 

We encourage you to explore our exceptional lineup of topics and speakers and give CSTC priority access to meeting your continuing education needs for 2021.

THANK YOU TO OUR 2021 WEDNESDAY WEBINAR SPONSORS

Schedule-at-a-Glance

Registration Information and Fees

 
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND REGISTER! 

CSTC’s 45th Annual Running Start Seminar
January 6, 7, and 8 2022

Hosted by the CSTC Region 4 Chapters:
San Diego, San Diego East County and San Diego North County 

Presented by Lisa Ihm and Ryan Reichert of Brass Tax Presentations 
(once again Lisa will graciously present her 2022 Update materials to our Members at the CSTC Running Start)

CLICK HERE to learn more and register!

Event Information:

Description:

Not just theory...Real-life application! All the latest news about how the CARES Act, the SECURE Act, the Disaster Act, and other recent legislation impact federal and CA tax returns, including new forms explained line-by-line.

Things you'll learn...

· Complete coverage of IRS & CA forms
· Latest news about the CARES Act, SECURE Act, Families First Relief Act, Disaster Act, and more...
· Reconciliation of advance payment (rebates) to stimulus credit 
· How does PPP discharge affect tax return? Are expenses paid with loan proceeds deductible?
· New forms with real-life examples to show you how to complete them
· Line-by-line calculations on new forms & worksheets
· CA adjustments calculated and illustrated on Form 540 Sch CA 
· Case studies – Client documents to completed tax return
· Court cases, revenue rulings, and more...
· Worksheets, flowcharts, and checklists to help you keep it all straight
· 400+ page manual mailed to you
· Free FAST FACTS reference card!
· NEW Free CA nonconformity reference card!
· Information you can use in the REAL WORLD!

Education materials and reporting provided by Brass Tax Presentations, LLC.

Pricing:

CLICK HERE to learn more and register!

Welcome New CSTC Members!

Please help us in joining our newest CSTC Members!

Sandra Adolphus
Orange County Chapter

Eduardo Alvarado
San Diego Chapter

Jose Alvarez
Greater Long Beach Chapter

Kapil Bhatnagar
San Jose Chapter

Bernice Brightbill
San Gabriel Valley Chapter

Reynita Cabatay
Orange County South Chapter

Shirma Corella
Orange County South Chapter

Scott Crowder
San Diego Chapter

Martha Del Toro
San Diego Chapter

Larry Gurewitz
Los Angeles Chapter

Tiffany Heritage
North Couty San Diego Chapter

Azucena M Hurtado
San Jose Chapter

Patrick Johnson
Los Angeles Chapter

Luis Lopez
Greater Long Beach Chapter, Los Angeles chapter

Marlene Marin
San Gabriel Valley Chapter

Maricarmen Martinez
San Diego Chapter

Megan Mckinney
Member-at-Large

Rachel Meserve
San Diego Chapter

Cuong Nguyen
San Diego Chapter

Thanh Nguyen
San Francisco Bay Chapter

Jorge Padilla
Orange County Chapter

Kathy Rodriguez
Central Valley Chapter

Connie Tritt
San Jose Chapter

Irene Valdez
Los Angeles Chapter

Robert Villalobos
Orange County Chapter

Olivia Williams
Sacramento Chapter

Gary Zweig
San Diego Chapter

Congratulations to our new CSTC members! 

Legislative Advocacy

CSTC has been the leading Association in supporting legislation to provide protection for our profession, to support our profession, and to enhance our profession. CSTC continuously leads our industry through legislative advocacy, educational opportunities, and professional inclusion.

CSTC works closely with a Legislative Consultant to keep an eye on important bills that would affect taxpayers and small business owners.

Please click here to view the bills that CSTC is currently monitoring.

Join the California Society of Tax Consultants!

Click here to fill out an online application.

CSTC advances professionalism within the tax industry by:

• Providing quality education
• Creating networking opportunities
• Advocating professional standards

California Society of Tax Consultants | PO Box 10, Manhattan Beach, CA 90267
Phone (949) 715-4192 | [email protected]