Proposed rules have consequences for wealth transfers
By John Ambrecht The IRS is changing estate and gift tax rules, possibly as soon as this month. If you currently have or think you will eventually have a total net estate worth more than $5.5 million for an individual or $10.9 million for a married couple, your taxes to transfer any business interests or Read More →
SOAR contributes to Ventura County economy
By Linda Parks The recent Pacific Coast Business Times article by Alex Kacik recapping Ventura County voters’ approval of SOAR, “SOAR Passage Will Stifle Economy,” presented a narrow and one-sided perspective of SOAR (Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources). However, readers of the article know there is more to the picture. Certainly voters, who have Read More →
New vision needed for Ventura County
You might call it the Ventura County conundrum. By many measures, Ventura County has recovered nicely from the recession with relatively low unemployment at 5.3 percent, steady job growth and a nascent boom in the travel and leisure sector. But a deeper dive shows some disturbing trends. Jobs have not recovered to their pre-recession peak, Read More →
To succeed, learn what motivates you
By Jim Cathcart People frequently tell me, “I don’t believe in motivation because it doesn’t last.” My smart-aleck response is, “Neither does eating, exercise, breathing, sleep or bathing but they are all still good for you.” Some people compare motivation to education and claim that education lasts and is, therefore, more substantial. The implied criticism Read More →
Fate of Dignity-Anthem gamble uncertain
By Stephanie Hoops Employers nationwide have been migrating toward self-funded health plans ever since the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 exempted them from state regulation, but it’s not clear whether that trend will continue in the wake of Donald Trump’s victorious presidential race. The Self-Insurance Institute of America is preparing blueprints for a Read More →
Judge’s block of federal overtime exemption rule great for California employers
It’s a rare event when a federal rule sets a higher pay standard than worker-friendly California. That’s part of the reason why I wondered whether a Department of Labor mandate to sharply raise the level for overtime exemption to $47,476 a year on Dec. 1 amounted to a war on small businesses. On Nov. 22, Read More →
Ventura County hospitals partner with CSUCI to train workforce
By Greg Barnes and Dawn Neuman Ever think about what happens to blood samples drawn during a hospital stay or doctor’s visit? They are delivered to a certified laboratory to be analyzed by a clinical laboratory scientist, who provides critical information for making health care decisions — like discovering warning signs of cancer, heart disease, Read More →
