In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of California adopted a new test to determine whether a worker performing services for a company is an employee or an independent contractor under California’s wage orders. The new three-factor test, known as the ABC test, will determine whether a company “employs” a worker under the wage orders,…
Prior to the recent tax law changes, taxpayers were allowed to deduct qualifying mortgage interest on loans up to $1 million, plus the interest on an additional $100,000 in home equity debt. The new tax law clearly limits the mortgage interest deduction to $750,000 worth of debt; however, treatment of home equity loan debt was…
HBLA’s Founding Partner, Ed Benoe, is among several Irvine residents being honored by Mayor Donald Wagner and the City of Irvine as a community leader who has helped shape the City. Having served twice as Chairman of the Irvine Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors and as past Chairman of the Irvine Public Schools Foundation, Benoe has…
What This Could Mean for Financial Markets The Trump administration’s recent flurry of trade moves is spiking uncertainty and confusion among financial markets. His imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminum as well as levies on Chinese imports have provoked immediate reactions. China, for example, claims that the United States’ actions are a violation of…
The new GOP tax law places high income and property tax states at a distinct disadvantage. Before the new tax bill, any and all state and local taxes (commonly referred to as SALT) could be taken as itemized deductions without limitations. SALT includes both income and property taxes, so states where both are high such…
Estate planning is never done. Just like a piece of real estate, it needs periodic maintenance and care to make sure it’s in good shape when you need it most. Provisions in the newly passed GOP tax plan mean it’s time to revisit a handful of key areas of your estate plan. Below we discuss…
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