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Rodman & Rodman Appoints Jeff Biesadecki, CPA as Tax Supervisor

Jeff Biesadecki, CPA
Jeff Biesadecki, CPA

Rodman & Rodman, P.C. a full service CPA firm based in Newton, MA serving small and medium-sized companies, has recently named Jeff Biesadecki, a Certified Public Accountant, as Tax Supervisor.

In his new role, Mr. Biesadecki will oversee the accounting staff who are responsible for tax preparation and tax planning for individuals and entities.

Prior to Rodman & Rodman, Mr. Biesadecki was a Senior Tax Accountant at Newburg & Company in Waltham, MA. For two years previous to that, he was a Tax Accountant at McSoley McCoy & Company in South Burlington, VT, where he is licensed and is a member of the Vermont Society of Certified Public Accountants (VTCPA).

Mr. Biesadecki holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Rhode Island. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Taxation at Bentley University in Waltham, MA.

A native of Seymour, CT, Mr. Biesadecki resides in Stow, MA.

Rodman & Rodman has been honored as one of 2014 Accounting Today’s Best Accounting Firms to Work for. It is the fourth year that the firm received this distinction.

About Rodman & Rodman P.C.

Founded in 1961 and listed in the Boston Business Journal’s “Top 50 Firms,” Rodman & Rodman, P.C. provides accounting, tax and business services to small and medium-sized companies. The Rodman & Rodman “Green Team” is a specialized green energy and clean technology accounting and tax services practice within Rodman & Rodman, P.C. that serves renewable energy clients throughout the U.S.  The company is Green Business Certified. For more information, email info@rodmancpa.com, visit their website at www.rodmancpa.com or contact (617) 965-5959.

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How to reduce the biggest tax bill of your life

Paul Dion PHOTOMILLBURY, MA and NEWPORT, RI…

Selling your home or business represents two of the largest monetary transactions most people will be a part of. It also represents their largest capital gains bill they will ever pay as well. Or will it?

“The top rate on capital gains is up to 20 percent; the new “net investment income tax” is 3.8 percent, and state taxes can eat up 13.3 percent more. Depending on where you live, that means the government confiscates up to a third or more of your hard-earned gain,” said Paul Dion, a CPA with offices in Millbury, MA and Newport, RI. “Charitable trusts avoid tax on that gain, but that means giving away the principal or the income from the proceeds. Section 1031 exchanges defer tax on real estate gains, but that forces you to re-invest the proceeds into a ‘like-kind’ property and impose tight deadlines for identifying and closing on a replacement.”

Dion recommends a little-known strategy to cut the effective cost of selling your asset valued at $500,000 or more to as little as 6.5 percent. It’s a monetized installment sale, and it uses a third- party dealer in capital assets to defer receiving sale proceeds (and the tax on those proceeds) for up to 30 years. It’s based on tax code rules dating back to 1913 and supported by a 2012 IRS memorandum.

While deferring tax is great, how does that help you if you want the proceeds from your sale now?  With this strategy, a third-party financial institution can lend you a non-taxable amount equal to 95 percent of the sale price (93.5 percent after loan-related costs). You can re-invest those proceeds or spend them however you like.

At the end of the installment period, the dealer will pay you the agreed selling price that will provide you the money to repay the loan, and you’ll pay the tax with significantly discounted dollars.

“The beauty of this strategy is that it offers significant estate-tax advantages,” said Dion.

How? The seller transfers the asset to the dealer in exchange for lump sum payment of the purchase price payable in 30 years. The dealer simultaneously transfers asset to the buyer in exchange for agreed-upon price. Then, the third-party lender extends nontaxable cash equal to 93.5 percent of sale amount to seller. After 30 years, the dealer pays the agreed sale price, the seller uses that money to repay the loan, and the seller pays tax with discounted dollars.

Adds Dion, “While this strategy may seem fairly straightforward, for most if will require the assistance of a tax professional.”

For more information on this strategy, please contact Paul Dion CPA at (508) 853-3292. You can also visit www.pauldioncpa.com.

ABOUT PAUL DION, CPA

Beyond simple “bean counting”, Paul Dion, CPA and associates work side by side and speak in common English to help clients fully understand their tax situation and take proactive steps to pay the least amount of tax legally allowed while minimizing the risk of an audit.  Clients save money and sleep well as night.

Business services include small business accounting, payroll, cash flow management, strategic business planning, new business formation, internet controls, QuickBooks, part-time CFO, bank financing, succession planning and non-profit organization direction.

For more information or a complimentary consultation, please visit www.PaulDionCPA.com or contact Paul Dion CPA, via Info@PaulDionCPA.com or (508) 853-3292 in Massachusetts; 401-490-3193 in Rhode Island.  Offices are conveniently located at 22 West Street, #6, (Felter’s Mill), Millbury, MA  01527 and 580 Thames Street, Newport, Rhode Island.

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How about a do-over?

The past four weeks have challenged even the heartiest New Englanders. We thank those of you who made it out to our scheduled meetings. But in true Patriots fashion, we’re on to March–except for those of you who are attending this week’s My Pinnacle Network-Bourne meeting.

Here’s a list of our upcoming meetings in March. As true New Englanders know, it can still snow in March. So, please remember to check your e-mail prior to leaving for a meeting and check your local newscast to see if the public schools in your MPN town are open.

My Pinnacle Network – Braintree 1st Tuesday, Tuesday, March 3, from 8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m. at 25 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA 02184.

My Pinnacle Network – Westborough, Tuesday, March 3, from 8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m at 1900 West Park Drive, Suite 230, Westborough, MA 01581.

My Pinnacle Network – Mansfield, Wednesday, March 4, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., 20 Cabot Blvd., Suite 300, Mansfield, MA 02048.

My Pinnacle Network – Marshfield, Thursday, March 5, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., 165 Enterprise Drive, Marshfield, MA 02050.

My Pinnacle Network – Plymouth, Thursday, March 12, from 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. at 134 Court Street (Plymouth Chamber of Commerce), Plymouth, MA 02360.

My Pinnacle Network – Newton, Thursday, March 12, 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. at 29 Crafts Street (Aflac offices), Newton, MA 02458.

My Pinnacle Network – Braintree Third Thursday, Thursday, March 19, from 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. at 25 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA 02184.

My Pinnacle Network – Bourne, Thursday, March 26, from 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m., 550 MacArthur Blvd. (Route 28), Bourne, MA 02532.

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Rodman & Rodman CPAs to Showcase Firm’s Renewable Energy Practice at PV America

Steve Rodman, CPA, MST
Steve Rodman, CPA, MST

Rodman & Rodman, P.C. a full service CPA firm with a Renewable Energy and Cleantech specialty practice serving “green” clients throughout the U.S., is set to engage PV America expo attendees, March 9-10, 2015 at The Westin Boston Waterfront in Boston.

Rodman & Rodman’s “Green Team” provides solar energy producers and other businesses that pursue energy efficiency initiatives, with expert counsel and services in renewable energy tax accounting and business strategy.  The firm’s president, Steve Rodman CPA MST along with partners Kathy Parker CPA MST and Thomas Astore CPA JD, and Green Team marketing director, Katherine Bautze will be on hand at booth number 205 to speak with attendees.

“The success of the solar industry is driven largely by its ability to take advantage of federal, state and local tax incentives,” said Rodman. “Our experienced Green Team CPAs are domain experts in renewable energy finances, tax credits, accounting services, and business strategies for cleantech companies involved in solar, wind, biomass, waste-to-energy, and energy efficiency projects.“

Rodman & Rodman provides companies with a sustainable financial roadmap through expert partnership/corporate structuring for optimal tax benefit; grant qualification assistance and auditing; ongoing advisory services for federal, state and local tax incentives; and specialized strategic financial planning and management.

Rodman & Rodman is a charter member of the newly formed Mass Solar Coalition, which is an alliance of solar and clean energy organizations, businesses and solar and environmental advocates that share the goal of advancing solar energy in Massachusetts. They are members of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA), as well as members of New England Clean Energy Council (NECEC).

Most recently, Kathy Parker, CPA, MST served as a panelist at the 8th Annual Massachusetts Energy Summit.

To learn more about Rodman & Rodman, visit www.rodmancpa.com. For more information about PV America, visit www.pvamericaexpo.com.

About Rodman & Rodman P.C.

Founded in 1961 and listed in the Boston Business Journal’s “Top 50 Firms,” Rodman & Rodman, P.C. provides accounting, tax and business services to small and medium-sized companies. The Rodman & Rodman “Green Team” is a specialized green energy and clean technology accounting and tax services practice within Rodman & Rodman, P.C. that serves renewable energy clients throughout the U.S.  The company is Green Business Certified. For more information, email info@rodmancpa.com, visit their website at www.rodmancpa.com, email info@rodmancpa.com, or call (617) 965-5959.

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David Godfrey joins South Coast Improvement

photo of David Godfrey
David Godfrey

MARION, MA…

South Coast Improvement Company (SCI), a design-build general contractor serving New England and the Mid-Atlantic states, recently announced the hiring of David Godfrey as a senior project manager. Working out of its corporate headquarters in Marion, Mass., Godfrey will work as project manager on several current South Coast Improvement projects while enhancing the company’s presence in the areas of retail, restaurant and corporate construction.

“It’s not every day you can bring a project manager of David Godfrey’s stature into your organization,” said Tom Quinlan, president of South Coast Improvement, Inc. “David has a strong track record of coordinating multiple projects and teams simultaneously, coupled with the skills to effectively manage staff of all levels and diverse backgrounds as he constantly strives to raise the level of customer service provided to each and every client.”

After graduating from Winthorp University, Godrey began his career working for a major retailer as a construction manager before forming his own tenant improvement and renovation construction company in 1994.  The company specialized in the buildout of retail, medical and corporate interiors on a national basis and successfully completed more than 500 projects ranging in value from $100,000 to $1,000,000 on time and within budget throughout the U.S.

“I’ve been fortunate in my career to have the opportunity to work with some truly great clients on some very exciting projects,” said Godfrey. “I’m looking forward to this next chapter with South Coast Improvement. When it comes to managing construction, our core values mirror each other and South Coast Improvement’s track record in the educational, institutional and hospitality industries speaks for itself.”

David is married and resides with his wife and three children in Bristol, RI.

For more information South Coast Improvement, please call 508-748-6545 or visit www.southcoastimprovement.com.

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Carbon monoxide a risk with secondary heat sources

John V. Carvalho, President & CEO, Apollo Safety
John V. Carvalho, President & CEO, Apollo Safety

FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS…

Things like kerosene heaters, gas-fueled generators and other backup heat sources can be huge difference makers during the inclement currently weather underway in the northeast. Unfortunately for many consumers, these backup plans come with a number of carbon monoxide risks if not used properly.

“When there’s a nor’easter, it’s cold, snowing and you’ve lost power, all you’re thinking about is staying warm without thought of the possible dangers,” said John Carvalho, president of Apollo Safety, Inc., a veteran-owned, Fall River, Mass.-based company specializing in safety products and services. “Sadly, you hear of a number of tragedies nationwide about people getting sick or worse from carbon monoxide caused by generators and backup heat sources.”

When using a generator, Carvalho cautions consumers to use outdoors only in a completely open and dry area, positioned away from vents, windows and doors to prevent carbon monoxide from entering the home. He also advises plugging appliances directly into the generator. For providing power to items within the home, use a heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cord.

The cold winter weather also prompts homeowners, apartment dwellers and even workers at some places of business to seek out secondary heat sources. Carvalho notes that some of these can also produce carbon monoxide and be risky to those nearby. Specifically, he cites kerosene heaters as an effective secondary heat source that comes with potential risk.

“When using a kerosene heater you do need to provide it with adequate fresh air. You want to avoid closing yourself up in a single room with a Kerosene heater, keep adjacent rooms, and doors open,” said Carvalho. “If your house is very air tight –most newer homes are–you need to crack open a window, maybe leave a flue open on your fire place if you have one, this creates a natural draw, continuously circulating fresh air.”

Adds Carvalho, “The law in Massachusetts says you need to have carbon monoxide detectors on floors where there’s a bedroom. This will not protect you if you’re not on a floor with a detector. And if you’re in a place of business where detectors are not required, you need to be even more careful that the room where you are using your heater has a flow of fresh air.”

Apollo Safety’s offerings include a wide variety of portable and stationary gas detection systems suitable for large universities, including name brands like Industrial Scientific, RAE Systems by Honeywell, RKI Instruments, and GMI. Apollo Safety also offers portable gas monitors for rental at weekly or monthly rates. Rental equipment is calibrated to NIST standards.

For more information on Apollo Safety products and services, please call 800-813-5408 or visit www.apollosafety.com.

About Apollo Safety

Apollo Safety has been serving the safety industry since 1995 and is an efficient, trusted company that minimized potential liability for its customers while ensuring a safer public.   Apollo Safety specializes in gas detection products and services for portable and stationary systems. That includes gas detector sales and support for most major brands of gas detection , manufacturers. Apollo Safety also provides service in a “state of the art” in-house service center, as well as offering on-site support with factory-trained technicians for both portable and stationary gas detection systems.

Veteran-owned, Apollo Safety, Inc. is trusted by facilities managers, building owners, landlords, universities, hotels, institutions, and government operations. Apollo Safety is a member of the National Safety Council, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Association (RIAFC) and the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts (FCAM).

Apollo Safety’s corporate headquarters is located at 57 Walnut Street in Fall River, Massachusetts—the company also has an office in Boston, MA. For more information on Apollo Safety products and services, please call 800-813-5408 or visit www.apollosafety.com.

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Paul Dion CPA opens Newport, Rhode Island office

Paul Dion CPA
Paul Dion CPA

DATELINE: NEWPORT, RI and MILLBURY, MA…

Millbury, MA-based CPA Paul C. Dion recently opened a Newport, Rhode Island office located at 580 Thames Street. The new office opened for business on January 1, 2015.

“Even though our primary office is based in Millbury, Massachusetts, it is close enough to Rhode Island that we have worked with a number of Ocean State businesses over the years,” said Dion, who also owns a home in Middletown, Rhode Island. “With the growth of our Rhode Island book of business, plus me living there most of the time, it just made sense to open a formal office here.”

For more than 20 years, Paul Dion CPA has provided tax preparation and tax planning services to both individuals and small to mid-size business—a client list totaling more than 800. He also has more than 25 years experience managing financial operations of several multimillion dollar companies ranging from $5 million to $100 million in sales.

During the course of his career, Dion has identified profit improvements and cost savings totaling more than $4 million. Firms Paul Dion CPA has worked with over the years include paper makers, high tech electronics, capital equipment manufacturers, and consulting firms providing services to the pharmaceutical industry. Dion has also authored three books—The Ten Most Expensive Tax Mistakes…that cost Real Estate Agents Thousands, The Ten Most Expensive Tax Mistakes…that cost Dentists Thousands and The Ten Most Expensive Tax Mistakes…that cost Chiropractors Thousands.

Dion received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from Northeastern University and an MBA from Babson College. He is a veteran of the US Army and has been awarded a Bronze star for Valor, Purple Heart and a second Bronze star for Meritorious Service.

For more information on Paul Dion CPA, visit www.pauldioncpa.com. For a free consultation, please call Paul Dion at (401) 490-3193.

ABOUT PAUL DION, CPA

Beyond simple “bean counting”, Paul Dion, CPA and associates work side by side and speak in common English to help clients fully understand their tax situation and take proactive steps to pay the least amount of tax legally allowed while minimizing the risk of an audit.  Clients save money and sleep well as night.

Business services include small business accounting, payroll, cash flow management, strategic business planning, new business formation, internet controls, QuickBooks, part-time CFO, bank financing, succession planning and non-profit organization direction.

For more information or a complimentary consultation, please visit www.PaulDionCPA.com or contact Paul Dion CPA, via Info@PaulDionCPA.com or (508) 853-3292 in Massachusetts; 401-490-3193 in Rhode Island.  Offices are conveniently located at 22 West Street, #6, (Felter’s Mill), Millbury, MA  01527 and 580 Thames Street, Newport, Rhode Island.

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Rodman & Rodman CPAs Offer Primer on New QuickBooks Online Features

Leah Shanahan, CPA, Manager and one of four Advanced QuickBooks Pro Advisers
Leah Shanahan, CPA, Manager and one of four Advanced QuickBooks Pro Advisers

Rodman & Rodman, P.C. a full service CPA firm in Newton, MA catering to small and medium-sized companies, offers a quick primer on the latest features in QuickBooks Online.

“The new features in QuickBooks Online look and feel different, so it’s a matter of learning where the tools are located,” explained Leah Shanahan, CPA, Manager and one of four Advanced QuickBooks Pro Advisers at Rodman & Rodman.

She continued, “The new features work best with Google Chrome or Firefox. You may use Internet Explorer, but the new features are not supported by it.”

Ms. Shanahan outlined the new features:

Users are now able to have the Profit & Loss and the Balance sheet open at the same time. The Multi-tab/Multi-window feature allows users to click on the Menu bar, open a link in a new tab or window and also drag to a second screen. Simply clicking and holding the Back key enables access to previous Window History.

The new Toolbar offers a magnifying glass as the traditional “find” feature; the plus sign as the “create” option for the creation of invoices, bills, checks; as well as a timer which allows you one- click access to recently edited transactions.

The Gear Toolbar, found at the top right of the screen, will get you to all core accounting preferences and settings such as lists, users, settings, reconciling transactions and more.

Rodman & Rodman has been a member of the QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program since 1999. Having provided hundreds of small to mid-size companies with training and consulting, Rodman & Rodman’s QuickBooks team provides superior services and expertise to meet the accounting software installation, setup, and training needs of businesses.

For questions or to learn more about QuickBooks, visit www.rodmancpa.com

About Rodman & Rodman P.C.

Founded in 1961 and listed in the Boston Business Journal’s “Top 50 Firms,” Rodman & Rodman, P.C. provides accounting, tax and business services to small and medium-sized companies. Rodman & Rodman has been named one of the “Best Accounting Firms to Work For” in Accounting Today. The Rodman & Rodman “Green Team” is a specialized green energy and clean technology accounting and tax services practice within Rodman & Rodman, P.C. that serves renewable energy clients throughout the U.S.  The company is Green Business Certified. For more information, email info@rodmancpa.com, visit their website at www.rodmancpa.com or contact (617) 965-5959.

 

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Tim Flynn of Winters Home Services Becomes Boston Power Player

Tim Flynn and the Winters team
Tim Flynn and the Winters team

Tim Flynn, Master Plumber and owner of Winters Home Services, an award-winning provider of plumbing, heating, cooling, and home monitoring services to residents throughout the greater Boston area, has become a Boston Power Player expert contributor.

As a Boston Power Player, Flynn joins the ranks of fellow business professionals in helping Boston residents meet their real estate goals.

With 20 years in the business and 60,000 happy customers, Flynn helps home sellers (and buyers) maneuver the complex heating, cooling and plumbing issues that can arise in a home’s sale or purchase. Flynn’s company also provides state-of-the-art CarePlus Home Monitoring, which enables homeowners to monitor and access their home’s most important systems – from water sensors and home energy meters, carbon monoxide detectors and thermostats to lights, door locks and more – through any Smart device. Essentially, Winters Home Monitoring provides home automation and monitoring to ensure the optimal operation and safety of home systems and the maximum in energy savings, backed by “first-in-line” service and accountability that only a local company can provide.

“A house is one of the largest investments we make. Buyers are looking for homes with energy efficient systems that are in tip-top shape and sellers are aware of this.  But equally as important, and a tremendous selling point, is home monitoring technology, which provides significant value and should be incorporated,” explained Tim Flynn, owner of Winters Home Services. “Homeowners are looking for safety and greater peace of mind, which is exactly what home monitoring provides.”

Flynn discusses Home Monitoring with Chris Devin of Real Estate Talk-Boston on Boston.com, in a video entitled “The Ultimate 21st Century Solution To Leaving Your Home in the Winter”. The video is an overview of Winters Home Monitoring technology and service program that keeps homeowners and their families safe while providing peace of mind. Click link to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIwS_IR-028

To learn more about Tim Flynn and Winters Home Services, visit wintershomeservices.com.

About Winters Home Services

Founded in 1994, Winters Home Services is an award-winning service company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, specializing in plumbing, heating, cooling, and home monitoring services. Offering the first-to-market CarePlus Home Monitoring Program and lifetime guarantees on many of their services, the company focuses on high quality workmanship and consistent world-class customer service. Winters Home Services promises to fulfill the needs of every customer with a sense of urgency, ensuring comfort, safety and well-being.

Winters Home Services is one of the largest residential plumbing companies in the greater Boston-area with a large fleet on the road and a full staff of licensed and insured plumbers and technicians.  Dedicated to supporting the community, Winters is a sponsor of the Duckling Day Parade annual Mother’s Day event and a partner of the Friends of the Public Garden, a non-profit organization that works to protect and improve Boston’s first public parks: the Boston Common, Public Garden, and Commonwealth Avenue Mall. The company is an ongoing supporter of events at Club Café.

For more information, call 866-482-7586 or visit wintershomeservices.com.

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