Page 16 - Abacoa Community News - September '19

Page 16, Abacoa
Property Matters

Dear Friends, Sept. 30 is also the last day for Palm Beach County business • Must also verify each property has a valid TDT account
I want to remind you owners to renew their local business tax receipt without a penalty. and local Business Tax Receipt (BTR) before the property is
that two important payments There is usually no need to visit an office. Simply pay local advertised (use our online TDT Registry at www.pbctax.com/
are due Sept. 30 – the business tax online at www.pbctax.com. tdt to verify accounts).
second payment of our 2019 A reminder … any business selling merchandise or services • Must return TDT collected to the host for remittance to the
installment payment plan must have a local business tax receipt and pay business taxes. Tax Collector’s Office.
and local business tax receipt This includes one-person and home-based businesses. A new Hosts
renewals. Both may be paid application and fee is required for changes in location, ownership • Must obtain a TDT and BTR before renting property on a
securely online at www. or business name. Failure to pay your local business tax may lead short-term basis.
pbctax.com. to civil actions and penalties of up to $250. Don’t let this happen • Must file a monthly tax return and remit all taxes
Speaking of online to you! electronically to the Tax Collector’s Office.
security … my agency is For TDT support, visit www.pbctax.com/tdt or call our TDT
committed to helping you avoid Internet fraud, scams, New Short-Term Rental Hotline at (561) 355-3547.
phishing and cybercrime. Quickly find out if a website is
authentic using this free online tool: whois.icann.org. The Requirements Tax Collector’s Office Shines
website disinfoportal.org tracks false information circulating
on the Web. Browsing social media? Easily verify if a Twitter Palm Beach County’s tourism industry provides billions At Radiance Awards
account is a real person or a bot with Botcheck.me. of dollars in visitor spending and creates thousands of local
Finally, our offices are closed Monday, Sept. 2, for Labor jobs. Tourist Development Tax (TDT), also called “bed tax,” The Tax Collector’s Office was recently honored with
Day. I hope you enjoy the long holiday weekend. strengthens the local economy by supporting the county’s tourism two 2019 Radiance Awards, the highest possible achievement
Best regards, industry. in communications excellence, among state public relations
Anne M. Gannon, Anyone who offers accommodations for short-term rental professionals. The Public Relations Society of America Sunshine
Constitutional Tax Collector (six months or less) in Palm Beach County must collect and remit District recognized the agency at its annual awards ceremony in July.
The Tax Collector’s Office earned a Radiance Award for its
Property And Business 13 percent in total taxes from renters. Of these taxes, TDT is 6 2019 Tax Planner & Services Guide. This award recognized the
percent. It is an add-on tax and paid by the renter in addition to
Owners: Important Tax state sales tax. many design and readability improvements made to this popular
Palm Beach County’s amended tourist development

publication.
Payments Due ordinance provides new requirements for online hosting The agency took home a second Radiance Award for Tax
platforms and hosts offering short-term rentals. The requirements Talk with Anne Gannon. The monthly newsletter educates clients
Are you a Palm Beach County property owner participating include: about tax collector services, important tax deadlines and other
in our 2019 installment payment plan? The second quarterly Online Hosting Platforms agency news. The Tax Collector’s Office has earned multiple
payment is due Sept. 30. View and pay your installment bill at • Must provide all hosts with information on local local, state and national awards this year for communications
www.pbctax.com. requirements regulating short-term rentals. and marketing excellence.
Financial Focus

Estate Plans Can Help You charitable remainder trust, by contrast, can provide a stream of place, you should be able to face the future with greater clarity

Answer Questions About income for your family members for the term of the trust, before and confidence.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local
the remaining assets are transferred to one or more charitable
The Future organizations. Edward Jones financial advisor. Edward Jones, its employees
As you can see, careful estate planning can help you answer and financial advisors cannot provide tax or legal advice. You
By Sally Sima Stahl many of the questions that may be worrying you. Be aware, should consult your attorney or qualified tax advisor regarding
The word “estate” though, that certain aspects of estate planning, especially those your situation.
conjures images of great related to living trusts and charitable trusts, can be complex, so Call me for a free portfolio review at (561) 748-7600, Sally
wealth, which may be one you should consult your estate-planning attorney or qualified tax Sima Stahl, AAMS, 1851 W. Indiantown Road, Ste. 106, Jupiter,
of the reasons so many advisor about your situation. But once you’ve got your plans in FL 33458.
people don’t develop estate
plans – after all, they’re
not rich, so why make the
effort? In reality, though, When Kids Have Problems
if you have a family, you
can probably benefit from
estate planning, whatever your asset level. And you may well By Jim Forgan, Ph.D., I recently met with a mom who had a 9-year-old boy
find that a comprehensive estate plan can help you answer School Psychologist who had difficulty controlling his behavior. His dad was in
some questions you may find unsettling – or even worrisome. When in doubt let’s rule the picture, but not really involved. This boy had a history
Here are a few of these questions: it out. That’s the premise of hearing but not doing what he was told. At his home, his
• What will happen to my children? With luck, you (and behind testing your mom told him he could go fishing but not to go out of her
your co-parent, if you have one) will be alive and well at least child. Testing your child sight or else she would ground him. In his excitement of
until your children reach the age of majority (either 18 or 21, helps determine what is chasing fish he forgot what she said and went out of sight.
depending on where you live). Nonetheless, you don’t want occurring within him or her She called and called him but he didn’t respond so she was
to take any chances, so, as part of your estate plans, you may so you know how to best extremely worried. After searching for him and later finding
want to name a guardian to take care of your children if you deal with it. Do you need to him way down the shoreline she was relieved, but upset.
are not around. You also might want to name a conservator punish or give grace? Your She thought, “Why couldn’t he just listen?” Since this was
– sometimes called a “guardian of the estate” – to manage child’s behavior might be a repeated pattern of behavior for her son she brought him
any assets your minor children might inherit. frustrating you but there could be a hidden reason for the for testing. After testing she learned his memory problems
• Will there be a fight over my assets? Without a solid behavior. were due to a real disorder and not just willful misbehaving.
estate plan in place, your assets could be subject to the time- I believe you shouldn’t punish your child for something Through this process she learned some new skills that helped
consuming, expensive – and very public – probate process. he or she can’t control. Maybe what your child does is not her know how to best help her son.
During probate, your relatives and creditors can gain access within his or her control and if that’s the case then you can If you want to know what’s going on with your child,
to your records, and possibly even challenge your will. But approach it differently. When you have your child tested it contact us so we can help you help your child too. Call (561)
with proper planning, you can maintain your privacy. As one gives you insight to know what is going on with your child. 625-4125 or visit www.JimForgan.com.
possible element of an estate plan, a living trust allows your
property to avoid probate and pass quickly to the beneficiaries
you’ve named. Dyslexia, ADD/ADHD,
• Who will oversee my finances and my living situation
if I become incapacitated? You can build various forms
of protection into your estate planning, such as a durable Gifted Testing
power of attorney, which allows you to designate someone
to manage your financial affairs if you become physically
or mentally incapacitated. You could also create a medical NOW OFFERING: Dr. Jim Forgan & Associates
power of attorney, which allows someone to handle health • Jupiter & Stuart Offices
care decisions on your behalf if you become unable to do so Licensed School Psychologist
yourself. • Testing for Processing www.JimForgan.com
• Will I shortchange my family if I leave significant Problems, Anxiety,
assets to charities? Unless you have unlimited resources, Defiance (561) 625-4125
you’ll have to make some choices about charitable gifts and • Weekend and After
money for your family. But as part of your estate plans, you School Appointments
do have some appealing options. For example, you could
establish a charitable lead trust, which provides financial
support to your chosen charities for a period of time, with the “Helping Parents Help Children”
remaining assets eventually going to your family members. A