November 2018 | Decker, Farrell & McCoy, LLP

Employees vs. Independent Contractors

The California Supreme Court ruled on a wage order case on April 30, 2018 in the matter of Dynamex Operations West, Inc. v. Superior Court of Los Angeles. The Court ultimately rejected the Borello test to determine whether workers should be classified as either employees or independent contractors for the purpose of the wage order. The Court embraces the standard presuming that all workers are employees instead of contractors. Additionally, the Court has adopted a new A-B-C Test. Employers must satisfy all three criteria to classify a worker as an [...]

Amaris Collins2018-11-30T12:11:34-08:00November 30th, 2018|

IRS Releases New Projected 2019 Tax Rates, Brackets and More

Bloomberg recently released projected tax rates, brackets and other numbers that apply to the 2019 tax year (the IRS will release the official numbers later this year). Note, these are NOT the numbers that apply to the 2018 taxes you file in 2019, but to the income and activity that occurs during the 2019 tax year that starts January 1, 2019.A big part of the IRS’s consideration in formulating 2019 numbers is the inflation index. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) replaced the normal Consumer Price Index with chained CPI. [...]

Service2Client2018-11-01T12:00:07-08:00November 1st, 2018|

Top 5 Latest Tech Advances That Help Heal Our World

As much as we lament how fast things change in the tech world, there is an upside when it comes to treating diseases and chronic conditions. Here are some of the coolest new devices showing how impressive it can be when technology and medicine intersect.Getting a Foothold on Diabetes. The body’s extremities are most vulnerable to the effects of diabetes – especially the feet. If improperly treated, peripheral nerves and blood vessels can become damaged, causing ulcers, which can become infected and sometimes result in amputations, if not death. Siren© [...]

Service2Client2018-11-01T12:00:06-08:00November 1st, 2018|

Beware: Malware Installed in Fake Software Updates

In our current environment of hacks, breaches and viruses, it’s standard operating procedure to install all software updates as soon as you receive them. Unfortunately, this practice has created a new opportunity for scammers to sneak in malware.Recent cases have involved fake Flash updates. When prompted to update to a new version of Flash, a cryptocurrency miner called XMRig also is installed. Unlike other types of malware, this strategy actually installs the new Flash update so the user might not detect unusual activity. Meanwhile, XMRig works undetected in the background [...]

Service2Client2018-11-01T12:00:05-08:00November 1st, 2018|

How Will the Markets be Impacted by Trade in 2019?

With talks of changing existing trade deals by then candidate Donald Trump now a reality with President Trump, America has taken a different path for international trade. Seeing mixed results during negotiations, global and domestic stock markets have been shaken and are subject to ongoing volatility. Today, foreign trade talks are in flux, and it’s unknown how different deals will affect the stock market in 2019.Impact for U.S. Automakers’ Trade with South KoreaIn the five years since the Korea Free Trade Agreement has been in effect, the Office of the [...]

Service2Client2018-11-01T12:00:04-08:00November 1st, 2018|

How to Create an Effective Landing Page

When it comes to online advertising, there are many ways to reach new and existing customers for new product or service offerings. One approach is to create a landing page that emphasizes a unique or significant product launch. According to Forbes and Wordstream, the right type of landing page can increase leads by as much as 220 percent more compared to above-the-fold calls to action. Since this type of marketing is so effective, what are some attributes of an effective landing page?Why the Need for Landing PagesLanding pages are not [...]

Service2Client2018-11-01T12:00:03-08:00November 1st, 2018|

Advantages of Single Premium Whole Life Policy

A Single Premium Whole Life (SPWL) insurance policy works just like it sounds – you purchase the contract with one premium upfront. For folks who haven’t carried life insurance since the kids moved out of the house and their term life policy ended, SPWL offers some flexible financial planning options.First of all, rather than taking a sizeable chunk of savings to purchase a policy, it’s a good option if you come into a windfall, such as an inheritance. This way you can take a lump sum and convert it into [...]

Service2Client2018-11-01T12:00:02-08:00November 1st, 2018|

Protecting Water, Music and Intellectual Property

America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (S. 3021) – This bill authorizes water pollution control activities as well as conservation and development of water and related resources to facilitate improvements to the rivers and harbors of the United States. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) on June 7 and signed into law by the President on Oct. 23.Orrin G. Hatch-Bob Goodlatte Music Modernization Act (H.R. 1551) – This bill was introduced by Rep. Tom Rice (R-SC) on March 15, 2017 and signed into law by the President [...]

Service2Client2018-11-01T12:00:01-08:00November 1st, 2018|