Brown CPA Group, Ltd. - Planning Tools Should I refinance my mortgage? How much do I need to save for my child's college education? As accounting professionals, these are some of the questions that are posed to us on a daily basis. Because no two Brown CPA Group, Ltd., clients define success in exactly the same way, we provide this collection of planning tools, articles and calculators to assist you with some of the day-to-day questions and concerns that may arise. As you scroll down this page, you will find information and guidance in the following categories: Business Owner Education planning Estate Planning Government Benefits Investment Planning Personal Finance Protection Planning Retirement Planning Special Situations Tax Planning While these financial tools are not a substitute for financial advice from a qualified professional, they can be used as a starting point in your decision making process. At Brown CPA Group, Ltd., you define success. We help you achieve it.

Business Owner   Articles     Benefits and retirement plans       Benefit plans for small businesses       Disability income insurance for the self-employed       Group health insurance: a valued employee benefit       Group term life insurance       Health insurance for the self-employed       Key employee life and disability insurance       Life insurance for the self-employed       Offering group disability insurance       Retirement plans for small businesses       Split dollar insurance plans       Understanding individual 401(k) plans       What employers need to know about workers' compensation insurance     Insuring a business       Business automobile insurance basics       Business interruption insurance       Business liability insurance basics       Business overhead expense insurance       Commercial general liability       Do you need crime insurance?       Income tax tips: business insurance       Insurance tips for business travelers       Insuring your home business       Professional liability coverage       Properly insuring your business       Should you self-insure your business?       Understanding your business owners policy       Why insure your business?     Starting a business       Advantages and disadvantages of self-employment       Choosing an entity for your business       Funding a business       Hiring your first employee       Qualifying for the home office deduction       Record keeping for your own business       Starting or buying a business       Tax planning for the self-employed     Transferring or selling a business       Funding a buy-sell agreement with disability insurance       Funding a buy-sell agreement with life insurance       Transferring your family business   Decision Tools     Benefits and retirement plans       401(k) plans       Building a retirement plan for your business       Comparison of types of educational assistance       Individual 401(k) Illustration     Business planning basics       2003 numbers       Net worth calculator     Choosing an entity       Choosing a business entity       Comparison of LLCs, LLPs, and professional corporations       How C Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, and Limited Liability Partnerships Protect Personal Assets     Insurance planning       Business life insurance needs       Number of policies needed with a cross purchase plan     Tax planning       Accelerating deductions/postponing income       Accelerating income/postponing deductions     Transferring or selling a business       Business succession planning alternatives       Business succession strategy analyzer       Buy-sell agreement analyzer       Buy-sell planning questionnaire       How cross purchase plans work       How entity purchase plans work       Planning for succession of a business interest   FAQs     Advertising a business       How can I get free publicity for my business?       How do I know where to advertise my business?       What is the best form of advertising?     Employee benefits and other issues       How can I boost the morale of my employees without incurring huge expenses?       How can I find good employees for my business?       What are health reimbursement arrangements?       What are incentive stock options (ISOs)?       What benefits should I offer to my employees?     Home-based businesses       Can I deduct home office expenses?       If I work at home occasionally, am I entitled to a home office deduction?     Incorporating a business       Can I change my business from a C corporation to an S corporation?       Can I change my business from an S corporation to a C corporation?       Should I incorporate my business?     Insurance coverage       A cell phone and laptop computer owned by my company were inside my briefcase when it was stolen. Will my company's insurance cover the loss?       Can I get disability insurance if I'm self-employed?       I drive my own car on company business. Whose insurance will pay for damages if I get into an accident?       I own a business. Are there any creative ways I can use life insurance in my business?       I use my laptop computer for my home business. Is it covered under my homeowners policy?       I'm an independent contractor. Where can I get health and disability insurance?       I'm thinking about opening a day-care business in my home. Does this raise any insurance issues?       What is errors and omissions insurance?       What is stop-loss insurance?       What kind of insurance coverage do I need for my small business?     Noncompetition agreements       I am buying a business. Can I make the seller sign a noncompetition agreement?       My employer wants me to sign a noncompetition agreement. What is it? Is it legally binding?       Why does the buyer of my business want me to sign a noncompetition agreement?     Partnerships       How does a limited partnership work?     Raising capital       Can I borrow money from my wholly owned business?       How can I raise capital for my business?     Starting a business       Don't most small businesses fail?       How do I find good advisors such as lawyers and accountants to help with my business?       Is buying a franchise a good way to get into business?       Should I buy an existing business or start from scratch?       Should I buy or lease assets for my business?       What are the stages of business development?       What should I look for in a business location?     Transferring or selling a business       Can I transfer my business through my will?       How can I keep my business in the family?       What are some financing options for selling my business?       What is a buy-sell agreement?       What is a family limited partnership, and will it help reduce estate taxes?     Valuing a business       How can I determine what my business is worth for estate and gift tax purposes?   Education Planning   Articles     529 plans       529 plans and financial aid eligibility       529 plans vs. other college savings options       529 plans: The ins and outs of contributions and withdrawals       Choosing a state savings plan       Estate planning and 529 plans       Income tax planning and 529 plans       Making changes to your 529 account       Opening a 529 account       The ABCs of 529 plans     Education planning basics       ABCs of financial aid       Can I afford to send my child to college?       Education tax credits       Finding money to pay college bills out of pocket       Going back to school as an adult       Health insurance for college students       Helping your child make the transition from high school to college       How student loans impact your credit       Research tips when choosing a college       Saving for retirement and a child's education at the same time       Sticker shock--creative ways to lower the cost of college       Student loan basics       The best ways to save for college       The college application process   Decision Tools     529 plans       529 plans vs. Coverdell education savings accounts       529 plans: advisor-sold state savings plans       529 plans: direct-sold state savings plans       529 plans: prepaid tuition plans       State savings plan nonqualified withdrawals calculator       State savings plans vs. prepaid tuition plans     Determining how much to save for college       College savings analyzer       Finding the funds to pay for a college education       Higher education figures at-a-glance     Evaluating college savings options       Advantages and disadvantages of 529 plans       Advantages and disadvantages of Coverdell education savings accounts       Advantages and disadvantages of custodial accounts for college savings       Advantages and disadvantages of U.S. savings bonds for college savings       College funding options analyzer       College savings vehicles compared     Financial aid       College application and financial aid calendar       Comparison of federal higher education loans       Financial aid calendar     Tax issues       Comparison of education tax credits and deductions       Qualified education expenses defined       Summary of tax-advantaged college savings options   FAQs     529 plan basics       Do 529 plans include both state savings plans and prepaid tuition plans?       How long have 529 plans been around?       How many states currently have 529 plans?       What can you tell me about employer-sponsored 529 plans?       What is the Independent 529 Plan?       What's the difference between state savings plans and prepaid tuition plans?       Who can legally offer 529 plans?       Why are these plans referred to as "529" plans?     529 plan expenses and fees       Do 529 plan expenses vary among states?       What expenses and fees are generally associated with 529 plans?     529 plans and financial aid       How will my 529 account be treated for financial aid purposes?       I opened a state savings plan account for my grandchild many years ago, and he's now filling out financial aid applications. Do his parents need to list the value of the account in their assets, or does my grandchild list the value of the account as his asset?     529 plans vs. other ways to save for college       How does a 529 plan compare with a Coverdell education savings account?       How does a 529 plan compare with an UGMA/UTMA custodial account in my child's name?       How does a 529 plan compare with investing in a mutual fund in my name?       How does a 529 plan compare with using U.S. savings bonds for college expenses?     529 plans: Changing plans (rollover)       Can I move funds from my Coverdell education savings account to a 529 plan?       Can I roll over my existing 529 account to another state's 529 plan without penalty?       Does it make sense to cash in my prepaid tuition plan and contribute the money to a state savings plan instead?     529 plans: Choosing or changing a beneficiary or account owner       Can a 529 account have more than one beneficiary?       Can I change the beneficiary of a 529 account?       Can I open a 529 account and name myself as beneficiary?       Is there an age limit on who can be a beneficiary of a 529 plan?       Under what circumstances can the account owner of a 529 plan be changed?       Who can be a beneficiary of a 529 plan?     529 plans: Death of account owner or beneficiary       If I am the account owner when I die, will the value of my 529 account be included in my estate?       What happens if I open a 529 account for my child and then I die--who would control the account?       What happens if the beneficiary of the 529 account dies?     529 plans: Making contributions       Can contributions to a 529 plan be directly debited from my checking account?       Can I contribute my own stocks and bonds to the 529 account I've set up for my child?       Can I make contributions to a 529 account and a Coverdell education savings account in the same year for the same beneficiary?       Can I transfer my child's UGMA/UTMA custodial account to a 529 plan?       How much can I invest in a 529 plan?       How often can I make contributions to my child's 529 account?       I'm putting money into a 529 plan for my grandchild. But are the 529 assets subject to Medicaid spend-down requirements?       Should I invest a lump sum, or is there a way to use dollar cost averaging when investing in a state savings plan?     529 plans: Tax issues       Can I deduct my contributions to my 529 account?       Can I use 529 funds to pay my child's college expenses in the same year I take either the Hope credit or the Lifetime Learning credit?       How does the annual gift tax exclusion apply to contributions to a 529 plan?       I intend to make tuition payments directly to my grandchild's college, and I know this will reduce my estate. But would it be better to contribute to a 529 plan instead?       I know that qualified withdrawals from state savings plans are now exempt from federal income tax. But what about state taxes?       I opened a 529 plan and my child is the beneficiary. If my mother makes a contribution to the plan, is that considered a gift to me or to my child?       I opened a state savings plan sponsored by a different state than my own. Will I get that state's tax benefits?       I'd like to make a lump-sum contribution to my grandchild's 529 account. Will I owe gift tax?       If I cash in Series EE U.S. savings bonds I purchased 10 years ago and contribute the proceeds to a 529 plan, can I still avoid paying tax on the proceeds?       The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 contains sunset provisions. Should I be worried about this?       Will I be penalized if the money in my 529 plan isn't used for college expenses?       Will I pay income tax when the money in my 529 plan is withdrawn to pay for college expenses?       Will the value of my 529 account be included in my estate or my beneficiary's estate?     Applying to college       How many colleges should my child apply to?       When are college applications due?     Borrowing against your 529 account       Can I use the money in my 529 account as security if I apply for a loan?       I know I can borrow against my 401(k), but can I borrow against the value of my 529 account?     Choosing a 529 plan       Can I invest in any state's 529 plan, or am I limited to my own state's plan?       How do I know whether to choose a state savings plan or a prepaid tuition plan?       I've decided on a state savings plan, but how do I go about choosing one?     College costs       Are there any ways to lower the cost of college?       What expenses are included in the annual cost of college?       What is the college inflation rate?     College students and insurance       My child is heading off to college this fall. What insurance issues does this raise?     Education tax credits       Now that my child is in college, am I entitled to any education tax credits?       What are the Hope credit and the Lifetime Learning credit?     Financial aid       Are any financial aid programs tailored especially to parents of post-secondary students?       Are there any assets that are not counted for financial aid purposes?       Can an UGMA/UTMA account reduce my child's financial aid for college?       Can anyone get a Pell Grant?       Can we negotiate our child's financial aid award?       Do colleges offer financial aid?       How can my child find scholarships for college?       How do I apply for financial aid?       How do I know if I'm eligible for federal financial aid?       How does the federal financial aid process work?       Is there anything I can do now so that my child can obtain more financial aid later?       What are the major federal financial aid loan programs?       What happens if our child's college does not give us all the financial aid we need?       What is a Stafford Loan?     Opening a 529 account       Are there rules on who can open a 529 account?       Can a non-U.S. citizen open a 529 account?       Can I open a 529 account for a nonrelative?       Can I open a 529 account in anticipation of my future grandchild?       Can I open a 529 plan with a lump sum?