The early months after losing a spouse come with more financial to-dos than anyone can process at once. Here's what actually needs attention now, and what can wait.

You've probably heard it on Instagram: form an LLC and suddenly everything becomes deductible. Here's what the rule actually says, and where that advice falls apart.

Many widows and widowers are caught off guard by a higher tax bill the year after losing a spouse. Katherine Leonard, CPA, CFP®, explains why this happens and what to do about it.

If your income has grown but your investing approach hasn't changed with it, you may be paying more in tax than you need to. Here's what to look at first.

Not sure if your financial advisor has your best interest at heart or just a product to sell? Katherine Leonard, CPA, CFP®, breaks down the real questions to ask before you trust someone with your money.

Inheriting money is rarely simple, especially when grief and financial decisions collide. Here's where to start.

An extension buys you more than time to file. Here's how to actually use the next few months before October 15.

Katherine Leonard, CPA and CFP in Newport Beach, helped a client going through divorce figure out what her settlement was really worth, and what to do with her financial life after.

Filing a tax extension isn't just about meeting the October deadline. Learn to use your nearly completed tax return to identify Roth conversion opportunities, adjust estimated tax payments, and make smarter financial decisions before year-end.

Business owners and real estate investors often treat an LLC and insurance as interchangeable. They're not. Here's what each actually protects, where the gaps show up, and how to layer them correctly, with real client examples from Newport Beach and Corona del Mar.

Most clients set up a trust and an LLC separately and never go back to check that the two fit together. Here's why the trust should generally hold the LLC's membership interest, not the reverse, and why getting the sequencing right takes an estate planning attorney and a CPA working in coordination.

The LLC formed years ago, back when the business was small, often can't contain the risk of what's since been built. Here's how to know when it's time to restructure, and how that decision connects to your estate plan.

Selling your California home? Untracked renovation costs can mean paying tax on gains you didn't actually make. Katherine Leonard, CPA CFP® explains why tracking your basis is crucial.

Every California LLC owner knows about the $800. Few realize there's a second, much larger fee hiding behind it, and that it's based on revenue, not profit. Here's the real math once a business crosses seven figures.

Forming an LLC feels like the finish line, but it's usually just the starting point. Here's what a California LLC actually shields you from, and the everyday habits that quietly void that protection.

Most generic advice on forming an LLC is written for a business with nothing to protect. Here's how the decision actually plays out for an established Orange County business owner, and why the LLC and the S corp election aren't the same decision.

If you earn a high income in California, you already know that you cannot contribute directly to a Roth IRA. The income limit phases out well below what most high earners in Newport Beach and coastal Orange County make in a given year.

Almost every parent with significant assets asks this quietly: will this inheritance help my children or work against everything we tried to teach them? Here is how to structure it well.

Every major financial decision has tax consequences.

Changing jobs, exercising stock options, retiring, selling a business, purchasing a home, or converting to a Roth IRA all affect more than one part of your financial life. Coordinating taxes, investments, and financial planning before making these decisions can help avoid costly surprises and create better long-term outcomes.