R&A CPAs blog
Business Fraud Case Study: How to Detect & Prevent Fraud
On June 25, 2025, Elizabeth Gutfahr, former Santa Cruz County Treasurer, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for embezzling and laundering approximately $38.7 million of public funds. Ms. Gutfahr,…
2025 End-of-Year Tax Planning is Crucial
Master 2025 tax planning with OBBBA strategies: charitable deductions, SALT caps, wash-sale rules & crypto tips. Minimize taxes before year-end.
Upcoming Changes to Tip and Overtime Income Tax and Reporting
In July 2025, H.R.1, The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law. This Act provides deductions for tips and overtime compensation for 2025 through 2028. As a result,…
Setting Your Children Up for Financial Success
Parenting can be a challenge. You know this if you have lived through the “terrible twos.” If you haven’t yet had that experience, the “terrible twos” is a colloquial term…
Stepped-Up Basis: How It Affects Inherited Assets
An asset’s basis is its original purchase price, which determines how much tax will be owed when the asset is sold. When an asset is inherited, the so-called stepped-up basis…
The Importance of Accurate Real Estate Valuation in Tax Reporting
Real estate valuations have garnered increased attention in tax reporting over the last several years, driven by fluctuations in property prices and heightened oversight around how those values are reported.…
Retirement Plan Catch-up Contributions
Super-Catch-up and Catch-up as Roth Requirements Beginning January 1, 2026, significant changes will be implemented regarding retirement plan catch-up contributions for certain individuals. Both individuals and retirement plan sponsors need…
Meet Chang Moo – Supervisor, Tax
Chang Moo is a Supervisor in our Tax department and has been a member of our team since 2017. Prior to joining R&A, he worked for Deloitte and RSM. His…
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Checking Your Federal Tax Withholding – Why, When, and How
If you are an employee, you know that various taxes are withheld from your paychecks. While you generally can’t change the amount of social security and Medicare taxes withheld, you can change the withholding amounts of federal and state income tax. In fact, the IRS encourages taxpayers to review their income tax withholding at least…
R&A Named a 2026 Top 500 US Accounting Firm
R&A is very pleased to share that we have been recognized as a Top 500 Firm in the US for 2026 by INSIDE Public Accounting based on US net revenue. INSIDE Public Accounting is a leader in practice management and CPA firm resources for the public accounting profession. Of this recognition, Phillip C. Dalrymple, CPA, CFE, and R&A Managing Partner said, “We are proud…
Trusts Can be Powerful Estate Planning Tools
You’ve probably had a check-up with your doctor or dentist in the last year as part of your routine practice of self-care. Preventive visits like this can detect and address potential health issues in their earliest and most treatable stages. We think of estate planning as preventive care for your life and loved ones. No…
Promises of Tax Settlements for “Pennies on the Dollar” are Often Too Good to be True
At R&A CPAs, we often find ourselves counselling individuals or businesses that are overwhelmed by large tax liabilities or mired in IRS bureaucracy. Like you, we see ads promising amazing “pennies on the dollar” settlement deals with the IRS touted by “professionals,” backed up by dramatic testimonials of success. These settlements refer to the IRS’s…
Meet Jorge Fuentes Quihui, Associate – Assurance
Meet Jorge Fuentes Quihui, Associate – Assurance
The IRS’ ‘Dirty Dozen’
The IRS’s annual “Dirty Dozen” list exposes the top 12 tax scams, fraud schemes, and aggressive avoidance tactics threatening taxpayers. Ranging from phishing scams and identity theft to abusive tax shelters and misleading social media advice, the list alerts both individuals and businesses to emerging threats, helping them safeguard their financial assets and maintain tax compliance.
IRS Announces New Automatic Exemption from Penalty Program
The IRS’s Automatic Exemption from Penalty (AEP) program simplifies tax relief by automatically waiving failure-to-file, failure-to-pay, and failure-to-deposit penalties for compliant taxpayers. Replacing the manual First Time Abate process, the automated system evaluates eligibility during return processing—waiving penalties for individuals and businesses with three years of clean compliance history—without requiring formal requests or phone calls.
Estate Planning is Changing: What Families Should Revisit Now
Shifting tax exemption thresholds, evolving retirement account rules, and changing family dynamics make static estate plans a risk. Families should revisit their plans now to update beneficiary designations, review trusts, refresh health care and financial powers of attorney, and adjust wealth transfer strategies to ensure their assets remain protected and align with their current intentions.