Business News

Valencia resident Patricia McMillian has been named Wells Fargo community banking store manager for the newly built Newhall Plaza Wells Fargo banking branch.

In today’s economy, every businessperson is looking for ways to maintain business profits.  Ideas for increasing sales and cutting costs abound.  You’ve probably tried most of them.  But there’s one source of cost savings that is often overlooked and it can be surprisingly effective.

Many times in business, management allows a business to stay at the same level of performance because to change anything takes time, effort and work.  They may not want to put forth the effort.

Last month we discussed ways you can protect your own personally identifiable information (PII).  This month we will briefly cover how businesses who collect information about their customers can help safeguard this data to avoid costly data leaks, exposure or loss of data to a third party you may not know or trust.

“I want to be on top.”
We hear that comment a lot from our clients who want their website to be number one on google, yahoo or any other search engine result. 

Sometimes it’s difficult to find all of the necessary forms, tools and resources needed when you’re trying to turn your dreams of owning a business into a reality without any guidance from people who are in the know.  Never fear, the Small Business Development Center, funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration is here.  Last month, they held their official ribbon cutting at the Santa Clarita Chamber of Commerce offices where they are headquartered.

Whether your looking for a place to invest in real estate at affordable prices or a great place to relocate free from California’s crowds and high cost of living, Austin Texas may be just the answer.  This rapidly growing metropolis is the Capital of Texas and home to the University of Texas.  The 300 days of sunshine, gorgeous Hill Country, cosmopolitan flair and outdoor lifestyle combine with a thriving economy, vibrant job growth, and affordable housing to make Austin very attractive for immigration from other parts of the country.

California law requires that all motorists carry automobile liability insurance.  However, this law often gives motorists a false sense of security, resulting in motorists declining to carry uninsured motorist coverage, which could come back and haunt them when an accident occurs.  Here are some reasons why it is important to carry uninsured motorist coverage.

Although Roth individual retirement accounts (IRAs) offer some nice tax advantages, high earners have not been able to use them effectively due to tax law restrictions.  In 2010, this law will change.

USCIS a issued press release in which it announced a proposed 86 percent increase in fees for immigration and naturalization benefits, which is needed to improve customer service, strengthen the security of our immigration system and modernize its business structure for the 21st century. 

My seven-year-old daughter recently asked me to define the word irony and I had a pretty hard time coming up with a simple explanation.  I found it easier to give her some examples.  Alanis Morisette’s song was a big help.  But I recently realized that there was some irony in the names of the areas of the law in my law practice.  My practice largely consists of business litigation, a smaller facet of civil litigation and family law. 

We all like to think that we make rational and wise decisions when managing our money. But most of us are influenced far more by our emotions than our brains. Why do smart people make irrational investment decisions so commonly and so easily? The fascinating study of behavioral economics and decision science fills many books, but let’s look at a few of the ways in which investors’ minds play tricks on them.

The better the job, the more meetings it probably took to get it.  This month I’d like to talk about the level of effort it probably will require to identify and negotiate a super career opportunity.  We’d all love it to be as simple as just mailing a resume or application, having a quick interview and getting an offer. 

Cheri Fleming has a busy schedule, no doubt between owning the Valencia Acura car dealership and devoting countless hours to various community service obligations.  She gives to organizations like the Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Health Foundation where she is a director and past chairwoman and the Soroptimist International organization, as a leader, as well. 

Benjamin Franklin developed a list of virtues that he felt were necessary in his daily living.

He said “Lose no time, be always employed in something useful, cut off all unnecessary actions.”

A new law signed last December makes Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) more attractive to taxpayers.  The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 offers new ways to create an HSA and increases the amount you can contribute. 

 Selecting a financial advisor is one of the most important decisions you will make.  I encourage you to follow the five P’s in selecting an advisor for your investment goals.

Wills and trusts are legal documents which should be prepared only by a qualified lawyer.  However, many other professionals and business representatives may become involved in the estate planning process.