Daily Investment Tips

In 2010 GE had $150 billion of revenue, and $12 billion of net profit. But in 2010, this massive and wildly profitable company paid Zero in U.S. income taxes, says the New York Times.

How General Electric Pays Zero Taxes and how you too can lower your taxes.

According to the NY Times article, GE aggressively lobbys for tax breaks and engages in innovative accounting that enables it to concentrate its profits offshore.

If you want to lower your taxes like GE you need to fiercely start lobbying your member of congress to make a case for lower taxes. If need be threaten him or her with refusing to vote for him/her next time. A more crazy idea is join the tea party movement.

Next, talk to your accountant and attorney about setting up an offshore trust fund that is designed to minimize your taxes. It might be expensive but if you have built a substantial fortune it might be worth it.

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Accountant, Accounting, Crazy Idea, General Electric, Income Taxes, Lower Taxes, Member Of Congress, Net Profit, New York Times, Ny Times Article, Offshore Trust, Profitable Company, Profits, Substantial Fortune, Tax Breaks, Tea Party, Trust Fund

Credit protection is essential in any form of financial planning. If you wind up on the wrong side of a damage awards you creditors naturally will want to seize your assets. As a business man, a tax deferred retirement plan may be your most valuable asset or among the most valuable.

Under ERISA, which is Federal law, defined contribution and defined benefit plans are protected from creditors in bankruptcy actions. Almost all US states extend this protection to their own courts in civil actions.

In one case, a California physician who operated his practice as a corporation filed for bankruptcy. The physician had accumulated nearly $2 million in a retirment plan. California like many other states exempts assets in a retirement plan from liquadation.

The physician’s creditors challenged the $ 2 million exemption on the grounds that it was unfair. The court agreed with the creditors that the exemption was unfair but the court found it was powerless to ignore the exemption. As a result the physician eliminated all of his debts and walked away from bankruptcy with $ 2 million. Had he withdrawn that $ 2 million from the corporation and invested it in a personal portfolio outside of a retirement plan, he would have lost the $ 2 million.

A word of note not all retirement plans are protected from creditors. A retirement plan is not protected under ERISA if it covers only owners and spouses. You need other participating employees.

Participants should include you, your secretary, accountant, even your janitor and almost everyone working for you.

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Accountant, Bankruptcy, Benefit Plans, Business Man, California Physician, Carlifornia, Civil Actions, Creditors, Damage Awards, Debts, Erisa, Financial Planning, Janitor, Participants, Personal Portfolio, Protect Assets, Retirement Assets, Retirement Plan, Retirement Plans, Tax Deferred, Wrong Side