Meara Welch Browne, P.C. - Certified Public Accountants

The Perils of Flying Solo in Buying or Selling a Business: The business owner considering a sale or acquisition must weigh the pros and cons of using outside m&a help to manage the deal. ...more...
Fraud on the Rise?
By: , CPA, ABV, CFE, CFF, Meara, King & Co. Certified Public Accountants: Over the last 10 years our firm has typically been engaged in one to two fraud engagements per year. Since the reinstitution of the business cycle beginning in 2001 and this little recession we have run into, we have been averaging approximately one fraud engagement per month instead of one per year. We suspect this is a significant change in the financial landscape. ...more...
The Award for Outstanding Achievement by an IRS Employee in 2001 Goes to...: It's unfortunate that the media doesn't give awards to IRS personnel for outstanding achievements. After all, if awards are going to be handed out in categories like "Best Classical Crossover Album," why shouldn't IRS personnel who have done something equally important also be recognized? ...more...
Do You Want to Be a CPA?: John Meara recently participated in the Prairie Elementary 4th Grade Career Day April 20, 2001, sponsored by American Careers for Kids (ACK). Volunteers spoke to different classes about their particular career field and gave a summary of their work experiences relating to their profession. Several fathers and mothers in different professions participated. ...more...
When a Repeal Does Not Mean Forever
By: , Resnick Associates, , Resnick Associates: The word “repeal” means to revoke or rescind, especially by an official or formal act. However, U.S. politicians have creatively, but not surprisingly, given a whole new meaning to the word “repeal.” ...more...
Real Estate and the U.S. Economy
By: Kevin K. Nunnink, Integra Nunnink & Associates: The more things change, the more they remain the same. Reflecting on the 1990s, Integra Realty Resources (IRR) notes the general real estate market has experienced five years of recovery and approximately four years of expansion. While the general economy has harvested the fruits of expansion, the real estate community reaped the benefits of the growth. However, the early returns in excess of 20 percent were misleading in that they were largely fueled by the recovery as opposed to the demand for real estate. ...more...
A Picture Is Worth ~~A Thousand Words~~ a Million Dollars
By: Bernard J. Rhodes, Lathrop & Gage L.C.: If famed golfer Tiger Woods has his way, a picture (of him) will no longer be worth a mere thousand words; it may be worth millions in lawsuit damages. In a case that seeks to stretch the limits of the so-called "right of publicity," Woods has sued a Tuscaloosa, Alabama, artist who sold paintings of Woods winning the Masters Golf Tournament at Augusta two years ago. ...more...
Living Trusts with Estate Tax Planning
By: John C. Davis, Stinson, Mag & Fizzell, P.C.: Everyone, not just the wealthy, should consider estate planning. Arranging for property to transfer at your death to the beneficiaries you select with as little difficulty or delay for them is worthwhile and important. ...more...
Time to Address Year 2000 Problems Is Now
By: James L. Moeller, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal: These Y2K problems may seriously impact companies even if their own computers work flawlessly. If a Y2K disruption immobilizes a key supplier, a business may be as adversely affected as if its own computer systems had malfunctioned. ...more...
Charitable Remainder Trust: A Blessed Way to Give
By: Christopher J. Anderson, Armstrong, Teasdale, Schflay & Davis: A well-known expert in the charitable field once remarked that there are blessed and then there are more blessed ways to give to charity. A charitable remainder trust (or CRT) is one of the more blessed ways to give. ...more...
Why an IRA Is Like a Fine Cabernet
By: , Lews, Rice & Fingersh, Kansas City, MO: For many of us, our qualified plan account or IRA (we will lump these together and refer to each of them as an "IRA") is our most valuable asset. If we want to be sensible about our planning, we should devote more attention to it than any other asset. The reality is that very few people give it the attention it deserves until they reach age 70. ...more...
Wealth Preservation Through Effective Business Succession Planning
By: Myron E. Sildon Esq., Sildon & Evans: Family businesses are often the most valuable, and least liquid, assets in the owners' estate. In fact, without proper planning, it would be almost impossible to pay the estate taxes, which can be as much as 55 percent, imposed on the estate of the family business owner. ...more...
The Helming National Consumption Tax (NCT) Proposal
By:: This NCT plan and proposal has been thoroughly researched. It has been crafted by Bill Helming over the past 14 years with input and help from a lot of people, including John Meara and Sheldon Stahl. ...more...

Meara Welch Browne, P.C. | 800 West 47th Street, Suite 430 | Kansas City, MO 64112-1246 | 816-561-1400 | 816-561-6296 fax