River Valley CPAs & Advisors

05/07/2026

Should Mom Put Her House in My Name?
We get this question all the time.
The honest answer?
Probably not.
On the surface, it sounds simple. But putting a house in your name while Mom is still living can create two big tax problems:
1️⃣ Gift Tax Filing Requirement
If the home is worth more than the annual limit ($19,000), a gift tax return is required.
2️⃣ You Lose the Step-Up in Basis (This is the big one)
This is where things can get expensive.
Let’s say Mom bought her home 50 years ago for $50,000.
•If she gifts it to you now and you later sell it for $250,000…
👉 You could owe tax on $200,000 of gain
•If you inherit it instead…
👉 Your cost basis becomes the value of the house at her date of death
👉 Sell it for $250,000 shortly after?
👉 Little to no taxable gain
That difference can mean thousands in taxes.
So what’s the alternative?
Many of our clients use something like a beneficiary deed, which allows the home to pass to you without giving up that step-up in basis. We often work with attorneys to get the best possible outcome for client's entire family.
The Bottom Line
A quick conversation on the front end can save:
✔️ Thousands in taxes
✔️ Unnecessary paperwork
✔️ A lot of headaches later
📞 If this is something you’re considering, let’s talk it through first.
Easy to reach. Easy to talk to.

04/30/2026

🚨 INCOMING IRS INSANITY 😵‍💫

We’ve been seeing a wave of IRS letters lately saying they couldn’t direct deposit a taxpayer’s refund due to incorrect bank information…

There’s just one problem.

👉 There was no refund.
👉 The taxpayer actually owed money.

Yes… really.

This is just a small glimpse into the kinds of issues we deal with behind the scenes. And as the IRS rolls out more technology and AI, we expect to see more situations like this.

If you receive a letter that doesn’t make sense, don’t panic.
There’s a good chance it’s an IRS error, not yours.

We make every effort to prevent our clients from ever hearing from the IRS, but sometimes, you just can't stop them all.

We think the IRS hates tree.

04/22/2026

“What do accountants do after April 15th?”

We get that question a lot 😄

The truth is… we don’t slow down. We shift gears!

Right after tax season, we’re already working on the next round of deadlines:

📅 April 30 – 1st Quarter Payroll Tax Reports Due
📅 May 1 – Arkansas Franchise Tax Reports Due

And that’s on top of:
• Ongoing payroll processing
• Bookkeeping deadlines
• Client questions and planning

There’s no “off-season” in accounting. Just a new set of priorities.

So if you need us after April 15th… we’re still here, still working, and still ready to help.

Easy to reach. Easy to talk to.

04/20/2026

🎉Congrats Jamie!🎉
You do not have to share!

04/15/2026

Thank you to our Tax Team for a successful tax season!
Thank you to Mandy, Ashley & Dana for all your hard work and overtime. It has not gone unnoticed.
We hope you all get rested up on your day off this Friday. You've earned it!

04/15/2026

🎉 We Have a Winner! 🎉

Thank you to everyone who liked, shared, and participated in our Tax Season Giveaway — we truly appreciate the support!

Congratulations to our winner:
🏆 Jamie Keeling 🏆

We hope you enjoy the gift basket and all the great local gift cards!

Thanks again to everyone who entered and helped us celebrate the end of another tax season. We’re grateful for this community.

🎉 TAX SEASON GIVEAWAY! 🎉
We’re celebrating this tax season with a BIG giveaway, and you could win!
One lucky winner will receive:
☕ $20 to Natural State Coffee Roasters
🍖 $40 to Ridgewood Brothers' BBQ
🏈 $50 to Feltners Athletes Corner
🍝 $40 to Pasta Grill
🍫 PLUS a gift basket packed with over $100 worth of snacks!
We love supporting local businesses and giving back to our community.
Here’s how to enter:
1️⃣ Like our page
2️⃣ Share this post
That’s it!
🏆 The winner will be announced on April 15th to celebrate the end of tax season!
Thank you for supporting local and being part of the River Valley community 💙

04/13/2026

We are closing in on the give away!

🎉 TAX SEASON GIVEAWAY! 🎉
We’re celebrating this tax season with a BIG giveaway, and you could win!
One lucky winner will receive:
☕ $20 to Natural State Coffee Roasters
🍖 $40 to Ridgewood Brothers' BBQ
🏈 $50 to Feltners Athletes Corner
🍝 $40 to Pasta Grill
🍫 PLUS a gift basket packed with over $100 worth of snacks!
We love supporting local businesses and giving back to our community.
Here’s how to enter:
1️⃣ Like our page
2️⃣ Share this post
That’s it!
🏆 The winner will be announced on April 15th to celebrate the end of tax season!
Thank you for supporting local and being part of the River Valley community 💙

04/09/2026

“And so it begins…” 😄

If this is your first time hearing about filing an extension, welcome to the club!

Extensions aren’t a bad thing. In fact, they’re a smart move.

Most CPAs (including us) extend their own returns. Why?

✔️ It gives more time to make sure everything is accurate
✔️ It allows us a glimpse into the next year to make the best depreciation decisions
✔️ It helps avoid rushing through something important
✔️ It gives us the opportunity to pay in with the extension if needed

What if you overpay?
You can get it back as a refund or apply it to next year in place of your first quarter estimate.

An extension isn’t falling behind
it’s making sure your return is done right.

Easy to reach. Easy to talk to.

04/07/2026

It’s That Time of Year.

The time when the strong separate from the weak…

Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic 😄

But it is the point in tax season where the coffee is strong, the days are long, and the deadlines are getting very real.

With just over a week left, we’re here working hard to get our clients across the finish line.

If you’ve been meaning to reach out… now’s the time.

Easy to reach. Easy to talk to.

04/05/2026