Life Insurance Trust could save heirs estate taxes
Few people realize that, even though they believe they have only a modest estate, they could be leaving their families to pay thousands of dollars in estate taxes when they die. A life insurance policy that is a part of the estate could be one reason for the higher tax liability. While a life insurance […]
It’s now easier to look to IRA for college expenses
Imagine buying a new car every year for four – or five or six – years. At a cost of nearly $25,000 per year, that’s exactly what it’s like paying for a child’s college education. According to Collegedata.com, the College Board reports that a moderate college budget for an in-state public college during the 2016-17 […]
Don’t fall for student tax scams
A warning from the IRS advises taxpayers of the latest tax scam and reminds them not to fall for these kinds of common theft attempts. Trying to collect money for an unpaid “Federal Student Tax” debt is the most recent twist on the old con of pretending to be the IRS in order to steal from […]
Building a Strong Relationship and a Strong Business
Challenge: Chris Giarla and his wife owned several McDonald’s restaurants, but they felt they weren’t getting the help they needed from their accounting firm to address their business needs and to help guide them through some complex issues they were facing at the time. “We weren’t happy,” says Chris. “We had five restaurants at the […]
Sparkmon’s 4th Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest
Happy Halloween! In celebration of this year’s “Day of Too Much Candy,” we held our 4th annual pumpkin carving contest. Competition was fierce, but only one can earn the #1 spot. And the winner is……Candy Corn! Have you carved an amazing pumpkin for this Halloween? We’d love to see, so share your photos on our […]
Join Sparkmon at the Baltimore Washington and Raleigh McDonald’s ROA 2016 Events
Be sure to swing by the Sparkmon & Associates booth and say “Hello!” during the upcoming Baltimore Washington and Raleigh McDonald’s ROA 2016 events. Several of our team members will be in attendance, including Carrie Smith and Amy Williams (Baltimore Washington event) and Richard Sparkmon, Emmitt White, Carolyn Allen, Tammy Howell and Kurt Kinoshita (Raleigh […]
The Right Support for Every Stage of Business
Challenge: When Terri Flagg became a McDonald’s owner/operator, she was familiar with several firms that serve these stores based on her experience with the McDonald’s corporation. After looking at what each firm offered, she decided to go with Sparkmon because of their vast experience. She also had a personal relationship with the firm, having worked […]
Join Sparkmon at the McDonald’s Atlanta ROA Event
Several of the Sparkmon team will be attending next week’s McDonald’s Atlanta ROA event, including Emmitt White, Richard Sparkmon, Heidi Pearson, Tamra Newman and Kristin Ward. This event is held annually and hosts the best and brightest in the McDonald’s Atlanta region, providing a venue where owner/operators can learn best practices and what is on […]
Braves Outing at Turner Field for Sparkmon Team Members
Recently, the firm went to Turner Field to watch the Braves. A family event for team members, we had a great time cheering on our hometown team and enjoying America’s favorite pastime! Save
Helping a Family Business Grow and Transition to the Next Generation
Challenge: Brian Fey and his brother represent the second generation of owners for their family’s Blackshear, Georgia-based group of McDonald’s stores, which was started by their father, Rick. Brian now serves as Organizational CEO and Rick is semi-retired, but while Rick was holding the reins, he decided his stores could benefit from the assistance of […]