• “FAR MORE INVASIVE” TAX AUDITS OF PARTNERSHIPS & SMALL BUSINESSES ARE ON THE WAY. An IRS Commissioner has confirmed that agents of the Small Business/Self-Employed Division are currently undergoing “en masse training… to put the right tools into examiner’s hands, so they are more capable and better at selecting and looking at flow- throughs and particularly partnerships.” DCG have decades of experience in proactive structuring of recordkeeping processes to support aggressive tax-minimization strategies while minimizing risk for tax audit, along with effective handling in the event of random tax audit selection. Time for a quick review of your process & procedures? [CFO.COM – Nov 6, 13]
  • ‘SELF-TRACKING’ is among the newest trending obsession, focusing on measuring personal performance/behavior in areas of exercise, internet usage, sleep habits, calorie intake and so forth. Keeping track of oneself with wristlets or bands (some considered to be jewelry or ‘bling’) satisfies a “passion for self-quantification” but for many has become obsessive- compulsive in dimension. The question becomes whether our growing obsession with self-knowledge through numbers is “obscuring the deeper meaning of our lives? …Whether not knowing, not keeping track, not making endless lists, not charting sleep or graphing activities ultimately may prove to be the saner way to live… recognizing that those things which bring satisfaction – loving, giving, allowing our mental fields to lie fallow – are unquantifiable, which is what gives them special status in the well-lived life.” [TIME – Oct 28, 13]
  • “CREATING STRATEGY IN TODAY’S ENVIRONMENT of complexity, ever-changing priorities, and conflicting agendas is a daunting task… Sometimes powerful strategies come from luck, good timing, or a stroke of inspiration… but mostly from core building blocks.” The absolute start-point is consensus among key decision makers on essential direction and criteria for decision making; otherwise, strategic plans have little chance for effective execution. Then, key ‘building blocks’ for making strategic choices and “carry-thru to operational reality” are: (1) framing the right questions; (2) diagnosing where and why the business makes money; (3) forecasting the future opportunities & threats to be planned for; (4) searching for potential pathways to winning; (5) selecting integrated strategy; (6) commitment to driving the changes; and, (7) most important of all, disciplined follow-thru – particularly upper-management buy-in, appropriate scale for the company’s size and goals, regular monitoring, and holding employees accountable. “Improving strategic planning capabilities” ranked highest priority in a recent 220-company survey, as “organizations continue to face tremendous change and cost pressures, struggling to know whether or not they are prepared to adjust and manage sufficiently the impact of various upcoming changes.” DCG expertise in facilitating this process among the often conflicting personal objectives of often dysfunctional execs, Boards & families is among our core strengths! Let us help protect your future. [McKINSEY QTRLY – Oct,13 and CGMA MAGAZINE – Oct 28,13]
  • “A COLLEGE DEGREE NOT ONLY INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF MARRIAGE, IT ALSO LOWERS THE RISK OF DIVORCE” according to Bureau of Labor Statistics analysis of 2012 Census data. The survey found that divorces within fifteen years were up to 80% greater when the worker didn’t complete high school, and 60% even with a high-school diploma. Key factors appear to be that: (1) the well-educated tend to be more mature, financially stable, and marry at later ages; and (2) arguments over money are a strong predictor of divorce, as median income for workers even with a high school diploma is 116% lower than for college grads. Based on people currently 50 to 55 years old, some 80% of marriages among college- educated Americans were still intact after ten years, and 75% after 15 years. [BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK – Nov 4, 13]
  • IF YOU’RE A HORSE PERSON, THIS IS A TRULY INCREDIBLE – ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE – PERFORMANCE! LORENZO INTERNATIONAL HORSE SHOW – YouTube
  • THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK: “Generally speaking, you aren’t learning much if your lips are moving. Never miss a good chance to shut up.” The legal age for marriage in Iran is now 15 for boys, after which polygamy allows them up to four wives. Girls can be as young as 13 (up from 9, before the Revolution) but thereafter cannot attend school.