Interviewing a Certified Public Accountant

When you are searching for an Encino CPA, make sure he has all of the qualifications necessary to possess this title. A Certified Public Accountant must pass a number of official exams as well as a specified number of continuing education courses yearly. Each state has its own requirements for licensure to be a Certified Public accountant, so make sure you are familiar with the laws in California and that the firm or individual you want to hire is up to date on these requirements.

When you interview an Encino CA CPA, feel free to ask detailed questions about her qualifications. This person will be working with some of the most private details of your life, so it is essential that he is qualified and that you feel comfortable with him. The accountant should have several years of experience in the area where you need some professional guidance. If she doesn’t provide professional references at the end of your interview, be sure to ask for them. You should plan to contact at least two or three of the CPA’s references to gain a good understanding of what it would be like to work with this person on your financial affairs.

Services Performed by CPA Firms in Encino CA

After you have interviewed several local accountants and chosen the one that is right for you, arrange a meeting to discuss the types of services you need. Services that an Encino CPA might perform for an individual client include income tax preparation, estate planning, guidance regarding personal investments and similar services. If you have been working with another CPA, be sure to bring all of your financial statements to your appointment with your new one. In the event that you have never worked with a CPA before, she should let you know at your first meeting the types of documents she will need from you in order to provide you with professional advice.

If you are a business owner, you can expect more in-depth services from the Encino CA CPA who you have chosen to assist with your company’s finances. Some of these may include business check writing services, bookkeeping, maintaining your business bank account, long-term financial planning, help with securing financing for a major purchase, payroll processing and more. If your company plans to acquire another company at some point, you need to have a good CPA firm in place first.

Bookkeeping is a task which most business owners will find to be quite monotonous. Not only is it boring, but the task of trying to keep up with all of the new laws and requirements can also be burdensome. The consequences that can result from a single mistake or overlooked items can also be severe. The task of handling the books is also one that can dramatically take time away from other areas of your business which could be more productive. Rather than spending time working on your books or researching to ensure you are keeping up with all of the various tax laws and requirements, you could be spending time promoting and growing your business.

The most common reason many business owners present for not outsourcing their accounting to CPA firms is the need to save money. In the end; however, attempting to handle your finances on your own is usually more expensive once penalties, errors and lost productivity are taken into account.

Business owners will also find that hiring professional accounting firms will also present them with a tremendous amount of peace of mind. Rather than worrying over whether the books are handled correctly and properly, you can spend your time on more pleasurable and profitable pursuits, with the certain knowledge that a professional is handling your books and taxes.

When interviewing and hiring accounting firms, it is important to carefully search for the best firm to handle your financial matters. You will likely find there to be numerous options; however, remember that not all firms are the same. First, it is important to seek out not just an accounting firm, but a firm that is staffed with certified CPAs. In addition, it is also important to find out how much experience the firm has before you consider hiring them. Ask specifically how long they have been in business. How many accountants and CPAs are on staff at the firm? Also, find out whether the firm has any specific experience in handling books and taxes for the industry or business niche in which you are involved. This can prove to be quite beneficial in providing you with the best services possible.

Finally, consider how comfortable you feel working with that firm. The final accounting firm you hire should be one you feel comfortable working with and trust implicitly. The right CPA firm can provide your business with many advantages. Taking the time to carefully choose the right firm can ensure you are able to reap the most benefits.

If you are in need of a home improvement project, consider an extension on your home. Extensions can be added to the exterior or the interior of your home and expand on space you already have but aren’t using. For example, loft spaces can be created out of rooms with cathedral ceilings, or a finished attic can act as an extra bedroom.

Sunrooms are a great addition to any home and they add both value and activity. Enjoy relaxation at its best and enhance the aesthetics of your home by choosing to build a sunroom. Let the sun shine through! A sunroom provides energy for your home and it is definitely a great home remodeling project.

You don’t need store bought artwork to spice up your walls; you can use something as conventional as a three dimensional tile. Use three dimensional tiles in two colors such as green and white and arrange them on the wall (rotating colors) behind your couch for an original kind of art.

Pay for contracting jobs after they are completed only. If you pay before the job is completed, there is nothing much you can do if the job isn’t completed properly or if it isn’t completed at all. On the other hand, withholding payment until the job is complete will motivate contractors to do it right and in a timely fashion.

Improvements to your home will not pay you back right away. Don’t make any upgrades or improvements to your home if you will be moving in less than three to five years. This is now the time frame that it takes in order to recoup the costs of the upgrades that you make.

The best home improvement you can do for the exterior of your home is to add a fresh coat of paint. Paint is the first barrier to protecting your home and is the one that affects the curb appeal of your property the most. The key to making this a successful home improvement is to choose your colors wisely.

When creating a budget for a home improvement project, make sure that you factor in “small” expenses like nails, tools, tape, and so forth. The cost of these surprises can really impact your overall budget and leave you scratching your head about how you spent so much. It’s better to plan for them ahead of time.

Replace old flooring. While installing new flooring can be quite expensive, it really is worth it in the long run. If you get rid of old carpet or linoleum, and replace it with hardwood floors or tile, you will have a fabulous new floor that is not only long lasting, but adds value to your home.

Look for the line of nails! If you need to snug up a protruding piece of paneling or drywall you can normally tell where to add a new nail or screw just by closely observing the surface of the panel. It was installed by nailing it to the underlying wall studs and evidence of those studs will likely still be visible.

Home improvement is often a daunting task. This is because of the time and the amounts of money required. However, it doesn’t have to be so bad. If you have several projects in your house, divide them up into several smaller DIY projects. For example you may want to redo the entire living room. Start simple, by just replacing the carpet, and before you know it, your living room will be like new.

If the purpose of your home improvement project is to help sell the house, you should keep in mind that simple cosmetic changes are often more effective than installing new complex systems. For example, while a floor heating system might be a very cool feature, a simple paint job is more effective. A paint job makes the house look fresh and attractive to all potential buyers, whereas a floor heating system is just a neat add-on and not a selling point.

When renovating your home, you should always stay close to the home’s original character. If your street is lined with Victorian-era tudors and you choose to turn your home into a glass-fronted homage to modern architecture, it will stick out uncomfortably and annoy your neighbors. Also, the more you differ from the home’s original structure, the higher the cost of the renovation and the less your chance of getting a return on investment.

Your ceramic tile can lose its luster after a while and appear grungy. Mixing a solution of water and vinegar can create a safe solution for most flooring. Grab a bucket, fill it with your solution and you can mop your floors with ease. This will get rid of the grime and dirt, making your floors look gleaming and new.

Give any room a new look easily by changing the window treatments. Curtains are inexpensive, and you can change the character of your room by choosing fabrics in the appropriate patterns. You can even customize the look by season by selecting fabrics in colors that reflect the seasons, such as light colors for spring and summer, and richer colors for autumn and winter.

Stairs can be a great addition to a home, but they can also be dangerous. Consider putting carpeting on your stairs to prevent any accidents. Going up and down the stairs in socks can be a neck-breaking accident if one slips on the wooden staircase. Try to look at different carpet or rug designs that may look good on your stairs.

Your home is one of your most valuable financial assets, and it is the place where you spend a majority of your time. So the next time you spot something that could use a little maintenance, you owe it to yourself, and to your wallet, to try your hand at fixing up your home!

CPA firms

Dealing with all matters accounting might be too challenging financially and in terms of personnel. Some companies, on the other hand, have resources to deal with most of the issues of accounting. However, service delivery to clients should be placed first before taking on too many accounting issues that can compromise the quality of service.
When it comes to quality, the reputation of the firm offering accounting services is important and so it is to the accounting profession itself. If clients lose faith in one firm because of poor service delivery, they might not have trust in other firms as well. This might have a negative impact on the profession as a whole. For this reason, there are strict rules and procedures governing the accounting profession to prevent any unqualified individuals and firms from joining the field and weed out those who bring disrepute to it. These rules are known as the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) which every accountant must be conversant with and must strictly adhere to or risk losing their license.

In addition, there are other rules for different associations of firms and their professionals which require certification in order to join. These memberships are highly competitive and reputable and the serve to enhance the image of the member firm. For example, HCVT is a member of Moore Stephens International, an association consisting of affiliated firms of CPA and those dealing with financial services.

Good accounting ensures that a business does not get on the wrong side of the law by conducting proper corporate tax planning. This can happen even when the said business has no ill intentions but does not have the time or the expertise to do things correctly. Thus, many businesses prefer to hire accounting firms in California, such as Holthouse Carlin & Van Trigt LLP (HCVT), who are specialists in tax compliance procedures in accordance with the established legislations. This ensures that their tax issues are handled professionally and securely to avoid problems with the authorities regarding the tax laws.

HCVT is one of the most reputable CPA firms in California and it has offices in many places within the state, such as Encino, Orange County, Westlake Village and West Los Angeles. Its offices are ultra-modern and offer the kind of assurance they wish to portray to their clients. When one pays them a visit, his problems might vanish for a moment as he is provided with ample parking and warm reception.

Before one states his problem, he is made to relax and assured that everything will be taken care of. Some of the clients do not need such a firm because they need solutions to problems, but they want to prevent any future problems from occurring.

HCVT’s team of tax professionals will do all the corporate tax planning on behalf of a company and advise it on the best strategy to adopt, such as maximizing on the tax advantages offered. Tax advantages are incentives meant to reward corporate entities and individuals who pay their taxes promptly and without any problems. They can range from tax reduction to provision of more time to pay in installments.

A business can take advantages of the tax incentives if it is aware of their existence and knows how to negotiate for them. HCVT has professionals specifically trained for such work who will do everything regarding tax for the company, so that they can concentrate on other matters pertaining to the core areas of the business.

Many CPA firms do not only hire accountants but have other related and supportive jobs as well. These firms hire various employees apart from those in accounting jobs. Employees such as office administrators, messengers, cleaners and security personnel ensure the firm runs smoothly. A firm such as HCVT offers more training to college graduates or entry level employees in a bid to make them more skillful and come on top of the competition.

There are many other careers that one can choose while working in these accounting firms. Some lawyers choose to work in these firms to give expert advice on legal issues to the firm and the clients. Some of them might be poor in accounting but they offer vital services that accountants might be lacking in skill.

Accounting firms might also hire lawyers to represent them or their clients in legal courtroom battles regarding financial matters. For instance, HCVT has many professionals working in different departments of the firm. When the firm is well managed, its professionals can concentrate more on the job for which they were hired – helping businesses and individuals make the right financial decisions.

For those who are looking for a job that pays well, a firm that deals with accounting issues can be a very good choice. A certified accountant can especially earn very well in such firms whether in an entry level position or high up in the ladder. If one gets promotion as a partner, the basic salary and its perks are very attractive.

However, some professionals in these firms earn more based on their skills, where they hail from and their areas of specialization. It also depends on the size of firm. HCVT is a fairly large firm, which can afford to pay its employees well. Whatever position one finds himself in, he can be sure to be amongst the best paid in the industry at this type of firm. There is also no job saturation at such a large firm as there are so many sections of accounting and other jobs one can opt to work.

In addition HCVT has many branches and offices within California where one can be posted and still work continuously. Unfortunately, not everyone can be hired at HCVT. Only the best in the industry can qualify for working at this prestigious firm and grow in their career. If one wishes to leave employment and venture on their own, they are free to do so. In fact this is good for the industry as it allows experienced people to be able to offer their specialist services on another capacity.

However, although venturing on a sole proprietorship can eventually lead to great financial rewards and career growth, being in a firm has other benefits. Large firms offer more opportunities for those who wish to be out travelling or sightseeing, while an individual private firm might not have the luxury. This is because of the financial implications and the limited manpower resources that small private firms have.
Therefore, while, established firms like HCVT can pay for the travel and accommodation expenses of their auditors who might need to go to an audit site far from the firm’s offices, other small firms cannot and may have only the business owner as the only accountant to do the job satisfactorily. There would be no one left at the office to run the day to day business.

All the same, like any other large firm, work at HCVT is twice challenging because of the high expectations and number of clients being handled at a certain given time. Employees and especially accountants are under pressure from all corners to deliver and one might feel a lot of pressure to handle. This is normal for every employee, but there are mechanisms put in place by the management to help ease the pressures of work for its employees. This stress can impact negatively on the overall performance of the employee and in extension, the entire firm.

Many firms such as HCVT recognize the dangers of their employees burning out from exhaustion and so they provide accountants various means of rest. Employees have their annual leave days as provided by law. There are also short vacations and days off on specific days for those who wish to take some time off. During weekends, a firm might offer to take some of its employees to retreats to relax alongside their colleagues. This strategy makes the employees take off the burden of work from their minds, as well as it creates bonding and team work among the employees.

Furthermore, a firm might offer to increase the pay of its best performing employees and those who bear most weight of their various departments. This increases their motivation and they feel that their hard work is not in vain. They will thus be less likely to take things lightly but will strive to perform even better.

On the other hand, stress can become a medical condition if it is not arrested in its early stages of development. Consequently, some firms have psychiatrists and counselors who provide a means through which workers can let off steam in a constructive and effective method. These services are usually fully paid for by the firm and the progress of the employee in question if keenly followed by the management.
In fact, in most big firms, the overall health condition of their employees is of paramount importance, not only because the government demand it, but because of its cost to the employer. The law requires the employer to pay its workers even when they are incapacitated by anything such as illness. The salary goes to the employee’s account while he is not doing any work. However, for the sake of being humane, employers are not supposed to look at it in terms of the amount of time not put to use but to take their employees as employee in need of compassion.

The corporate tax services season is normally a busy period, thus an accountant in a CPA firm may be called upon to extend their time at work. Sometimes one would have no time to rest on weekends as they would carry their work home or report to work. Fortunately, this overtime is guaranteed to bring in extra pay as required by law. In fact there are laws regulating the minimum wage of most employees which includes the overtime they put in.

An accounting firm, based on its own experiences, can advice another business how to structure their business to fit their objectives and business needs. For instance, a business might need to transform its operation style to suit its growing customer base and financial ability. It would be very difficult if that company lacks the necessary expertise to do so and thus they might consider hiring a company that deals with such kind of business restructuring. Firms such as HCVT will analyze the market for example the cpa firms in California and analyze the available opportunities and they can give relevant suggestions and put forward ideas.

Well-meaning businesses must strategize on the best techniques to deal with tax compliance issues to avoid rubbing the authorities the wrong way and give back to the society. Compliance to the general rules and principles of accounting is also vital for the continual survival of the business. Some people may start businesses without knowledge of rules of conducting their business.

The IRS confirms that majority of tax compliance breaches come from people who are ignorant and innocent of what the law requires of them. Only a few others deliberately evade paying of tax. These businesses are in dire need of firms, such as HCVT which offer advisory services on tax issues and other matters related to accounting.

Although the field of accounting might seem saturated for more firms to venture and succeed, they should enhance their competitive edge by analyzing the market more and try less saturated areas such as CPA tax planning for other businesses. Smart firms come up with new innovative ways to stay ahead. Some may be tempted to work on many sectors simultaneously while others focus on single areas. As long as the firm has the necessary manpower resources to handle a certain department, it can broaden its vision and act accordingly.

Some of the issues involved in accounting require plenty of experience to know how to handle specific cases. For this reason, clients will prefer a firm that has the necessary experience and the capacity to do a certain job. In many cases, they require personnel who know everything that is involved in their problem.

A firm such as HCVT, for example, has accumulated many years of experience to enable them offer sound advice, such as mergers, acquisitions and tax compliance issues after careful analysis of the business environment. They can do this to strengthen positions of businesses and even individuals. For example, employees can get advisory services regarding tax incentives, such as the 401 (k) plan offered by their employers.

This is one of the tax incentives offered to individuals to encourage them to save for their retirement. In this scheme, Americans have a retirement plan under the section 401 of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code offered to employees to save part of their salary for retirement savings and in return allow them not to pay tax until during withdrawal in retirement.

HCVT can also advice corporations on how to avoid double taxation for the so called C corporations. Double taxation comes about when a company is taxed separately from its investors on account of their dividend payments. This sort of information can help the companies to follow the rules and not fear IRS scrutiny. Investors therefore need to understand the best form of business entity they wish to adopt to ensure they have taken advantage of all the corporate tax planning they may be offered.
Corporate tax services exposure is one vital area of specialization for HCVT, which is always ready to give the exposure and more for any business that needs it. Due to the way they handle tax issues in a professional manner, HCVT is on the forefront of firms that provide these services. All its professionals are specially trained for any eventuality and can deal with the problems of individual companies as they come. No issue is too difficult for a firm that has handled it all regarding tax since HCVT has been around for a long time. To know more about HCVT and its services, more information can be accessed at http://www.hcvt.com.

Cleaning Tile Using Oxygen Bleach

Many homeowners have a positive experience cleaning their tiles with a mix of water and oxygen bleach. Oxygen bleach is a combination of hydrogen peroxide and soda ash. Oxygen bleach provides some of the cleaning power of chlorine bleach without the harmful chemicals and strong odors that come with using chlorine bleach. In addition, oxygen bleach will not destroy colored grout.

For general everyday mopping, homeowners can add one cup of oxygen bleach to one gallon of hot water. After applying the mixture with a mop, leave the solution on the floor for 30 minutes before mopping up with clean water. Always wear gloves when using oxygen bleach.

For grout that is especially dirty, apply the oxygen bleach solution and wait for 30 minutes. Keep applying new solution as the old solution evaporates or soaks into the tile. When 30 minutes have passed, scrub the grout with a nylon bristled brush, keeping the brush and grout moistened with oxygen bleach solution throughout the scrubbing process. Then, rinse the floor with clean water and repeat the process until the grout is clean.

Cleaning Grout Using Chlorine Bleach

This solution should only be used on white grout because bleach will destroy the coloring of tinted grout. Before working with bleach, homeowners should dress in old clothes because bleach may permanently harm colored clothing. Also, homeowners should make sure that their work area is well ventilated and that they wear protective gloves.

Mix 1/2 cup of chlorine bleach and one cup of baking soda in a small bucket. Mix the ingredients with a wooden paint stirrer to form a paste. Using a toothbrush, apply the paste to grout and scrub until the dirt is gone. The bleach paste may be left on the grout for 15 minutes and then removed with clean water.

Cleaning Grout with a Steam Cleaner

When neither oxygen bleach nor chlorine bleach does the job, homeowners can try a steam cleaning machine. Steam cleaning machines may be purchased or rented from a home improvement store. Choose a nylon bristled brush or a metal scrubbing brush for the steam cleaner depending on the durability of the tile floor.

Start by assembling the steam hose, steam nozzle, the extension tubes and the detail brush. Then, fill the reservoir with water according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When the water has heated to the appropriate temperature, clean the tile, moving the machine forward and not side-to-side. Any excess water or residue can be removed with a towel or with a mop.

Sealing Grout

Sealing your grout after a deep cleaning and then continuing to reseal it at least every three to five years will keep your grout looking as good as new. The North American Tile Cleaning Association recommends sealing shower grout every year because wet grout provides a perfect environment for mold and mildew growth. NATCA also recommends sealing your grout when the temperature is not too hot and avoiding sealing grout in direct sunlight.

Homeowners can apply grout sealant with either a roller wheel applicator or a brush tipped applicator. The brush tipped applicator works best for sealing vertical areas and for small joints. The roller wheel applicator bottle will store more sealant and will work well for applying sealant to a large area.

Apply a liberal amount of grout sealer to your grout and keep the area saturated with sealer throughout the process. Cover one small area at a time and don’t worry about sealer getting onto the tile; it is easy to clean up and wipe away. Use a wad of paper towels to wipe off the excess sealer after the sealer has been on the grout for at least 10 minutes. Check the tile at different angles to make sure that all sealer is cleaned up and that there is no remaining “sealer haze.” If sealer haze does remain, then simply apply sealer to hazy areas and wipe down with paper towels until the hazy areas are gone.

Hiring a Professional Tile Cleaner

Many homeowners do not have the time or the desire to do detailed work on their tile and grout. Fortunately, a reputable tile cleaning company can steam clean and seal grout to ensure a professional result. Homeowners may ultimately save money if do the job themselves, but they may not be as pleased with the results.

To choose the best tile cleaner, ask friends and family to provide referrals. Also, check websites like Angie’s List, Google Places and Yelp! to see what kind of reviews people have given related to the work of companies in the area. Checking with the Better Business Bureau will let homeowners know if the company has a complaint history and if they resolve their complaints to the customer’s satisfaction.

Tile cleaners should provide a written estimate for their work and should be able to explain every charge on the estimate in detail. Remember that the cheapest cleaner isn’t always the best cleaner; in many cases, homeowners get what they pay for. Cleaners should use professional-grade equipment and should be friendly and courteous at all times.

Deciding Whether or Not to Do It Yourself

Some homeowners find a great deal of pleasure in handling all of their maintenance tasks on their own. Other homeowners would prefer not to spend an entire weekend on their hands and knees both scrubbing and sealing grout. Steam cleaning machines are bulky and difficult to store, and operating the machine can be tricky for people who are inexperienced. Sealing grout is a lengthy task that may consume an entire day.

Tile cleaning Atlanta residents may choose to do themselves will save money. However, homeowners should consider the tradeoff between saving money and getting high-quality professional work. A beautiful tile floor is an investment that will last throughout the life of a home. Smart homeowners will treat that investment well by employing a top-notch tile cleaning company.

Unfortunately, getting one’s just compensation can be a real challenge – even if you or the party who is liable carry insurance. Too much of the time, an accident victim is forced to litigate in order to recover expenses that include medical treatment, rehabilitation costs and even lost wages.

In these cases, one needs the services of a qualified accident lawyer. Colorado is home to the O’Sullivan Law, one of the state’s leading and most experienced personal injury litigation firms. While the majority of the firm’s work deals with traffic and motor vehicle-related accidents (which make up the majority of all personal injury cases), Scott O’Sullivan also represents plaintiffs who have been injured by dangerous and defective products – including food poisoning.

One of the biggest barriers standing between an accident victim and just compensation is the insurance company. Most of the time, the adjuster will go to great lengths in order to minimize the amount the company will have to pay out in a claim. Amazingly, this can include going through a victim’s medical records, looking for pre-existing conditions that can be use to justify reducing – or even denying – an injury claim.

If the unthinkable happens, the first thing not to do is talk to anyone. The second thing not to do is sign any document that is presented to you until it has been examined by your accident lawyer. Colorado legal experts are trained to read the dense, and often difficult-to-understand language used in insurance documents, and are best able to explain the ramifications of what you are being asked to sign,

Once you have legal representation, your lawyer will make every attempt to secure a settlement without having to go before a judge and jury. This is considered to be the best outcome, and approximately 95% of injury lawsuits are resolved in this manner. If your case should wind up going to court however, you can count of your lawyer to fight for every cent to which you are entitled.

You may be looking at purchasing some new cabinets for your remodel of the kitchen, and your designer can help with this major purchase. Cabinetry is the basis for all of your storage needs in the new kitchen, so you will want to take ample time to decide where you need storage space, and what cabinetry combinations will work best to provide you with it. You will find a wide range of standard, semi-custom as well as custom cabinetry options for you to consider for your project. Your designer might also suggest custom hardware for your cabinet doors, to give a more personalized appearance to your new kitchen look.

The placement of the cabinetry is paramount in relation to large kitchen appliances and the flow of the room. To make the most of every inch, many homeowners choose to place cabinets above the countertops. These cabinets might be used for everyday storage of necessary kitchen items, or they might have glass-fronted doors or even have open cabinets with no doors. In these instances, the cabinets become premium storage spots that also serve as a decorative element in your kitchen.

There are many top lines of cabinets available at Kitchens By Wedgewood that you can use in your kitchen remodeling. Denver residents can leave a message on our website at www.wedgewoodcabinetry.com, visit our showrooms or call us at (303) 664-1400 to find out more about our cabinets and design services.

Best mutual funds may also hinge on fund management’s investment strategies. For example, equity mutual funds can be large cap vs. small cap or value vs. growth. While large-cap and value focused mutual funds tend to have more stable investment performance during troubled economic times, small-cap and growth oriented mutual funds often see relatively volatile investment performance under the same economic conditions. On the other hand, it would be small caps and growth funds that can quickly press ahead when the economy has finally turned its corner. Meanwhile, large caps and value funds may lag behind the general economic growth because of their less venturous investment approach.

best mutual funds

Finally, mutual fund performance comparison should also stress fund measurements within similar categories as opposed to across different classes so that the best funds can clearly emerge first from the same group. Simply put, it wouldn’t be fair to directly compare a domestic fund with an international fund because investment risks and returns are bound to be different between the fund classes. Historical average investment results are also important in mutual fund performance comparison, and that’s why more established funds tend to deliver more reliable performance than funds that are relatively new.

energy stocks

While the outlook for energy is certainly strong, investors should consider their approach to the energy sector carefully. Many small cap stocks experience massive price swings. Older investors should make sure that funds that are necessary for survival in the near- and mid-term are well protected.

Staying protected doesn’t mean avoiding the energy sector by any means. There are excellent opportunities, particularly among blue chip oil and gas producers, pipeline companies and master limited partnerships (MLPs) operating pipelines. In fact, older investors that need dividends for income actually should have some portion of their portfolio invested in MLPs, which often have yields of 6-10%. Most blue chip oil and gas producers are also in a strong position for growth and have strong yields. Conservative investors should seek pull-backs for entry points into blue-chip stocks.

There are other plays for blue-chip energy stocks besides oil and gas. One way to capitalize on rising energy prices is through utilities. While utilities typically experience close scrutiny from regulators, that scrutiny leads to better stability for investors. Many utility stocks have performed remarkably well in the last two years, and still offer significant dividend yields.

More adventurous investors are looking to start-up or exploration-level oil and gas companies. Success stories abound for companies working in the now-famous Bakken Formation of North Dakota, the Eagle Ford field of Texas and the Marcellus Shale in the Northeast. There are also several strong, small- to mid-level producers with diversified reserves that are growing rapidly.

Adventurous types are also turning to the alternative energy market. From solar stocks to biofuels to hydrogen fuel cells, there is no shortage of hopefuls looking to capitalize on new technologies. Solar stocks have experienced a precipitous decline recently, as many investors fear the consequences of disappearing subsidies for solar power in Europe. Is this a buying opportunity? No one seems to know.

In all likelihood, however, the outlook for energy prices and energy stocks is strong. Whether they play the game aggressively or conservatively, most investors will be happy they played the game.