Looking back at the 2022 state legislative session, it’s hard not to be disappointed at the missed opportunities.Yes, lawmakers accomplished some things that are good for the economy, like shoring up the unemployment insurance trust fund, lowering the B&O tax threshold for the smallest of small businesses and passing a...

With Covid-19 vaccines widely dispensed and masking requirements mostly lifted, will “work from home” end?Will workers return to the office at pre-pandemic levels?Probably not! It is expensive to drive, and it is a waste of time and fuel to idle in traffic jams. Safety is another factor.Gas prices continue to...

Non-retirement investment accounts are often set up with wealth management firms.When the account is set up, there is an option to put a beneficiary designation on the account and oftentimes the account is then designated as a TOD (Transfer on Death) or a POD (Payable on Death) account.With this type...

How fortuitous that our annual focus on the hospitality industry coincides with the end of our state’s mask mandate.Washington Gov. Jay Inslee lifted the mandate on March 12, in tandem with Oregon and California.

Despite a mountain of money and bipartisan proposals to ease the state’s tax burden, legislators this year sidestepped their chance to provide Washington families and employers with meaningful, broad-based tax relief.Budget-writers in Olympia had a record budget surplus, providing the perfect opportunity to help ease the burden on employers and...

When St. Patrick’s Day rolls around on March 17, the Irish will have lots to celebrate. Ireland is still clean and green. And now, it is spending $15 million to bring visitors back. Irish tourism officials are targeting the 35 million people living in the U.S. with Irish heritage. They are...

In the old days, the decision to fund a retirement account with pre-tax dollars (traditional IRA) or fund it with after-tax dollars (Roth IRA) often hinged on when a person predicted his income would be highest and thus the tax savings greatest.So, if a person thought his or her income...

We were heartbroken to see 10 people lose their homes and at least seven businesses destroyed by a two-alarm fire in the heart of Kennewick’s historic downtown on Feb. 4.The two-story building that burned was at West Kennewick Avenue and North Cascade Street. Built in 1940, it contained a mix...

When the Legislature convened the 2022 session in January, lawmakers made long-term care their first order of business.It’s probably not a topic you thought about much until recently, but news that every employee in the state (except for some who were able to opt out – more about that in...

We aren’t too far into 2022, and it is already shaping up to be another challenging year for America’s 5.5 million family businesses dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.Rampant inflation, supply chain bottlenecks and acute worker shortages continue.Family businesses are vital to America. According to the Conway Center for Family Business,...