You’ve probably heard more than one pithy statement about planning: The 17th century Spanish writer Cervantes stated, “To be prepared is half the victory.” Winston Churchill declared, “He who fails to plan is planning to fail.” Management expert and author Lester R. Bittel wrote, “Good plans shape good decisions.”…

Do you remember the headlines? A little over two years ago, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced a $5.25 million settlement with GreatBanc Trust Co., resolving allegations that GreatBanc had violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act in its management of the Sierra Aluminum Co. Employee Stock Ownership P…

Southard Financial wants you to know what’s at stake. On August 2, the IRS proposed sweeping new changes in the treatment of valuation discounts — discounts that are used to reduce burdensome estate and gift taxes by transferring valuable property into special entities such as family-owned partnerships or corporation…

“Individuals and organizations that are good, react quickly to change. Individuals and organizations that are great create change.” — Robert Kriegel Sacred Cows Make the Best Burgers At Southard Financial, we get it. Your company is constantly dealing with change — in the industry, in the marketplace, within your…

It’s time to shake things up (a bit). As part of our revamped website, this blog is a special space — a sort of town commons, if you like — where we can all discuss topics of interest to our clients and our team. We hope you’ll join us, by reading, commenting, and sharing posts you like so that others can join in the c…