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- Charity Rules Flip + SEC Goes Lighter
Charity Rules Flip + SEC Goes Lighter
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I share the 4-5 most important accounting that actually matter. I scroll so you don’t have to.
So grab your coffee, take a quick break, and lets catch up.
In this issue:
How to actually win with the new charity deduction rules
The SEC’s quiet move that could change public company audits
Why the Seahawks’ $8B sale proves trophies beat private equity
- Ledger Lowdown Team
WTF of the Day🤯
Charity Deductions Changed. Here’s the Play.
Starting 2026, if you take the standard deduction, you can write off up to $1,000 single or $2,000 married for cash donations. No itemizing. That’s easy money. If you usually give and move on, now you actually get a tax break.
High earners, it’s tighter. You only deduct donations above 0.5% of your income. Make $300k? First $1,500 gets you nothing. And top bracket folks get a slightly smaller tax benefit per dollar donated. Not huge, but it adds up.
What to do. Bunch donations into one year. Lower your AGI with retirement and HSA contributions. And if you fund K to 12 scholarships, there’s a credit up to $1,700 starting in 2027. Credit beats deduction. Plan now, not in April.
What’s poppin in accounting🍿
SEC Wants Fewer Reports, Friendlier Audits. Big Shift.
The SEC is floating a big one. Public companies might only report financials twice a year instead of quarterly. That idea is being pushed by President Trump and SEC Chair Paul Atkins. Less reporting. Less noise. Maybe less pressure on short term results.
They’re also reshaping the PCAOB. New leadership. More “industry friendly.” Inspections may focus more on overall quality systems instead of nitpicking individual audits. Some investor lawyers are already waving red flags. We’ve been down the loose oversight road before. It ended with Enron.
There’s talk of aligning more with international audit and accounting standards to cut costs and complexity. If rules get lighter, audit risk goes up. If you advise public companies, stay close to this.
Weekly Trend Chart 📊
Seahawks Win The Super Bowl. Now They’re For Sale.
Ten days after winning Super Bowl LX, the Seattle Seahawks are officially on the market. Timing? Immaculate.
The team just beat the New England Patriots 29 to 13 for their second title. Now the Paul Allen estate is cashing out. Forbes had them at $6.7B before the ring. One exec says this could hit $8B. That would crush the $6.05B sale of the Washington Commanders in 2023.
Paul Allen bought the team for $200M in the 90s. Now it’s potentially a 40x. Sports franchises aren’t hobbies anymore. They’re scarce, trophy assets for billionaires.
If you ever needed proof that elite teams are better than private equity, here it is. Win a ring. Add a few billion.
Meme of the Day😂
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