Stanaland, Dodson & Associates LLP

10/29/2026

🏦 Interest Rates Affect More Than Mortgages

When mortgage rates change, they often reflect broader movements in interest rates across the economy.

Higher or lower borrowing costs can affect:
✔️ Commercial real estate
✔️ Equipment financing
✔️ Business expansion
✔️ Cash flow planning

Business decisions don't happen in a vacuum. Understanding the broader financial environment can help you make more informed choices.

sdallp.com

10/27/2026

𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐧’𝐭 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠.

When businesses think about recordkeeping, they often think about preparing the tax return.

But good records can matter much more than that.

One growing example is 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲—items such as uncashed checks, customer credits, rebates, unidentified payments, and other amounts that may eventually need to be reported to a state.

During an audit, inadequate records can make it harder to establish who owned the property and which state is entitled to it. In some cases, states may use estimation methods when sufficient historical records are unavailable, potentially increasing a company’s exposure.

The lesson extends well beyond unclaimed property:

𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐰.

Good financial records help businesses prepare returns, respond to audits, support transactions, substantiate decisions, and understand what actually happened.

Recordkeeping may not be exciting—but it is part of protecting your business.

Stanaland Dodson & Associates, LLP
Beyond the Bottom Line
336-765-2817 | SDALLP.com

A trusted CPA in Winston Salem, North Carolina offers accounting and consulting services. Contact for tax planning and preparation services.

10/22/2026

𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬? 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐓𝐚𝐱𝐞𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐈𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥.

When business owners think about selling, the first question is usually, “What is my business worth?”

An equally important question is: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝?

In some business acquisitions, the difference between a stock sale and an asset sale can create very different tax consequences for the buyer and seller. Certain elections, including a Section 338(h)(10) election for qualifying transactions, can sometimes help bridge that gap—but only when they are considered early enough in the process.

Once the purchase price, letter of intent, and deal structure are largely settled, some planning opportunities may be harder to capture.

If selling your business could be in your future—even a few years from now—the tax conversation should start well before closing.

Stanaland Dodson & Associates, LLP
Beyond the Bottom Line
336-765-2817 | SDALLP.com

A trusted CPA in Winston Salem, North Carolina offers accounting and consulting services. Contact for tax planning and preparation services.

10/20/2026

❤️ 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲? 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐈𝐑𝐀 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝐁𝐞 𝐚 𝐓𝐚𝐱-𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞

If you're age 𝟕𝟎½ 𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫, a 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐐𝐂𝐃) allows you to make a charitable gift directly from your IRA to an eligible charity.

And if you're 𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝟕𝟑 𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 (𝐑𝐌𝐃𝐬), a QCD can be especially useful.

For example, if your RMD is $𝟓𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 and you direct $𝟏𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐈𝐑𝐀 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, that $10,000 can count toward satisfying your RMD—and generally isn't included in your taxable income.

One important detail: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐑𝐀 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 to qualify as a QCD.

If charitable giving is already part of your plans, a QCD may be worth discussing with your CPA before year-end.

𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞.

10/15/2026

💰 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐌𝐃 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞

If you're age 𝟕𝟑 𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫, don't overlook your 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐑𝐌𝐃).

Missing an RMD can result in a penalty based on the amount that should have been withdrawn.

For example, if your required distribution was $𝟓𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 and you only withdrew $𝟑𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎, the remaining $𝟐𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 could trigger a penalty.

The good news? If you act promptly, the penalty may be reduced, and in some cases, the IRS may waive it for a reasonable first-time error.

The best strategy is simple: plan ahead and review your RMDs before year-end.

𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞.

10/13/2026

❤️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠—𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫.

If you make charitable donations throughout the year, don't wait until tax season to organize your records.

Here are a few reminders:
✔️ Keep receipts or bank records for all cash donations.
✔️ Donations of $250 or more require a written acknowledgment from the charitable organization.
✔️ For non-cash donations, keep a description of the items donated and their estimated fair market value.
✔️ Contributions to individuals or personal fundraising campaigns generally are not tax deductible.

📌 For 2026: Even taxpayers who don't itemize may be eligible to deduct up to $1,000 in qualifying cash contributions ($2,000 for married couples filing jointly) made to eligible charitable organizations.

A few minutes spent organizing your charitable records today can make tax time much easier tomorrow.

𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞.

sdallp.com

10/08/2026

Fourth Quarter Question with Tiffany Dodson, Enrolled Agent.

10/06/2026

📈 Good Business Habits Pay Off
Tiffany Dodson, Enrolled Agent, shares tips from over 30 years of business experience.

10/01/2026

📈 Are More Investors Paying the 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax?

The answer is yes.

The 𝟑.𝟖% 𝐍𝐞𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 (𝐍𝐈𝐈) 𝐓𝐚𝐱 applies to certain investment income, including dividends, capital gains, interest, annuities, and some passive activity income.

The income thresholds are:
• $200,000 for single filers
• $250,000 for married couples filing jointly
• $125,000 for married filing separately

📌 One important detail: These thresholds have not been adjusted for inflation since the tax was introduced in 2013. As incomes and investment gains have grown, more taxpayers are finding themselves subject to the surtax.

If you've had significant investment income, a large stock sale, or the sale of real estate, it may be worth considering the potential impact of the NII tax as part of your overall tax planning.

sdallp.com

09/29/2026

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝐁𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐱 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭 — 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫

The federal estate and gift tax exemption is $𝟏𝟓 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, so it’s easy to assume estate tax planning doesn’t apply to your family.
But when one spouse dies, any unused portion of their exemption may be transferred to the surviving spouse through a 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Why consider it when your estate is well below $15 million? A business can grow, investments and real estate can appreciate, inheritances can increase wealth, and tax laws can change.

𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜. An estate tax return generally must be filed to preserve the unused exemption—even when no estate tax is currently due.

When a spouse dies, don’t dismiss an estate tax return simply because the estate is below today's exemption. Preserving portability today could provide valuable flexibility tomorrow.

𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞.