• Home
  • Meet the Team
  • Services
  • Resources
    • Recent Articles
    • Weekly Tax Brief
    • Reminders & Updates
    • Links & Publications
    • Portal Information
  • Testimonials
  • Contact Us
    • Employment Opportunities
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

We have moved!  Please visit us at our new location at 134 Sipe Avenue, Hummelstown, PA 17036.

 Client Portal
Request a Portal
 | FAQ's

We have moved!  Please visit us at our new location at 134 Sipe Avenue, Hummelstown, PA 17036.
  

Request a Portal | FAQ's
Pay Now
Slide background
Slide background
Slide background
Slide background

We're a Firm with a Unique Personality

We are a reflection of our history. Our firm was founded in 1976 by Brion R. Smoker, who was then joined in 1986 by the late Kevin L. Smith.

Brion and Kevin built a firm focused on providing clients with a higher level of commitment, strong relationships, and quality service. 

That drive and energy has continued and allowed us to serve clients for over 40 years.  Today, we are a full service accounting firm providing cost effective services to businesses and individual clients not only in Central Pennsylvania, but across all borders.

Smoker Smith and Associates, P.C. is a proud member of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA), American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and INPACT International.  Our professionals are active and contributing members of various local and regional professional and communication organizations.

Our heritage has helped us grow into a highly respected firm, one that provides a full range of integrated services. Our heritage continues to guide and sustain us as we work every day to embody our promise of “A Higher Level of Commitment.”

John Peters, President - ACCUWRITE Forms & Systems Inc.

Jori and the Smoker Smith team have been a very valued partner of ACCUWRITE Print + Promo for over 30 years. Jori's expertise on taxes and planning have been invaluable to us for decades. Her recommendations have been spot on and I would personally recommend her and SSA to anyone, large or small. If Jori says she can handle a client and their needs - she can. And beyond her expertise and advise, her availability and personal service is absolutely the best!

- John Peters, President - ACCUWRITE Forms & Systems Inc.

David L. Morgan, DDS, Owner– Dental Associates of Hershey

As our practice has evolved and grown, the expertise of Smoker, Smith and particularly Jori Culp and Brion Smoker has been invaluable. My questions are always addressed promptly and anything I need to change is brought to my attention rather than me needing to inquire about it. Personalized service with top notch expertise.

- David L. Morgan, DDS, Owner - Dental Associates of Hershey

Norman Twain - Norman Twain Productions

I first met Smoker, Smith and Associates, specifically Jori Culp and Dave Reinhart, as a recommendation for somebody in Pennsylvania to do a state incentives certification on a film I was doing. They couldn't have been more precise or more efficient in the work they did for my company, and since that time, not only have we become friends, but have had an excellent working relationship with regard to all of my production companies, tax needs and on various LLCs. We have also been extremely happy in my wife's and my own personal income taxes as well. Additionally, they now represent my daughter and son-in-law as their tax representative. What could be more of a recommendation than entrusting ones daughter to them!

- Norman Twain - Norman Twain Productions

> See all testimonials....



Reminders & Updates

Reminders & Updates

2025 Standard Mileage Rates

Purpose Rates per Mile
   Business 70 cents
   Medical/Moving 21 cents
   Charitable 14 cents

 

2024 Standard Mileage Rates

Purpose Rates per Mile
   Business 67 cents
   Medical/Moving 21 cents
   Charitable 14 cents

 

Check It Out!

Check out the article in PICPA CPA Now by Greg Kashella, published November 2021, Enhanced Financial Statement Disclosures for Small Businesses.

https://www.picpa.org/articles/cpa-now-blog/cpa-now/2021/11/19/financial-statement-disclosure-enhancements-for-small-businesses 

Check out the article in the Central Penn Business Journal, Women Who Lead, March 2019 article featuring our partner Jori Culp

Tax-Related Identity Theft

The IRS combats tax-related identity theft with aggressive strategies of prevention, detection and victim assistance. To find out more about tax-related identity theft call our office or visit https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/identity-protection for information and guidance.

Remember that the IRS will never contact you by electronic means. This includes emails, phone calls, text messages, or social media channels. If you are ever in doubt whether contact by someone claiming to be from the IRS is legitimate, call our office first for verification.

 

 

Weekly Tax Brief

The advantages of a living trust for your estate plan

Do you believe you don’t need to worry about estate planning because of the current federal estate tax exemption ($13.99 million per individual or $27.98 million for married couples in 2025)? Well, think again. Even with this substantial exemption, creating a living trust can offer significant benefits, especially if your goal is to avoid probate and maintain privacy.

Here are some answers to questions you may have about this estate planning tool.

What’s a living trust?

A living trust — also known as a revocable trust, grantor trust or family trust — is a legal entity that holds ownership of your assets during your lifetime and distributes them according to your instructions after your death. Unlike a will, a living trust allows your estate to bypass probate, which is the often lengthy and public court process of settling an estate.

How does a living trust work?

You begin by creating a trust document and transferring ownership of specific assets to the trust. These may include:

  • Your primary residence,
  • Vacation properties, and
  • Valuable personal items like antiques.

You’ll name a trustee to manage and distribute the assets after your death. You can serve as the trustee while you’re alive and legally competent. After that, you may appoint a successor trustee — such as a trusted family member, friend, attorney, CPA or financial institution.

Because a living trust is revocable, you can amend or cancel it at any time during your lifetime.

What are the tax implications?

For federal income tax purposes, the IRS doesn’t treat the living trust as separate from you while you’re alive. You’ll continue to report all income and deductions from the trust’s assets on your personal tax return.

However, under state law, the trust is recognized as a separate entity. When structured properly, this allows your estate to bypass probate, helping to ensure a more private and efficient distribution of your assets.

Upon your death, assets in the trust are generally included in your estate for federal estate tax purposes. However, any assets passed to a surviving spouse who’s a U.S. citizen qualify for the unlimited marital deduction, which exempts them from estate tax.

It’s also important to note that the current high federal estate tax exemption is set to expire at the end of 2025, unless Congress extends it. Under “The One, Big, Beautiful Bill,” which recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives, the federal gift and estate tax exemption would be increased to $15 million per individual in 2026. This amount would be permanent but annually adjusted for inflation. The bill is now being considered by the Senate. Keep in mind that the pending legislation could change.

Are there any common pitfalls to avoid?

While a living trust is a powerful tool, it’s only effective when properly executed. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

  • Outdated beneficiary designations. The beneficiaries named on retirement accounts, life insurance policies and brokerage accounts override your trust. Make sure your designations align with your overall estate plan.
  • Jointly owned property. Real estate held as “joint tenants with right of survivorship” automatically passes to the surviving co-owner, regardless of what your trust says.
  • Failing to transfer assets. Simply creating a trust isn’t enough. You must formally transfer ownership of assets to the trust. Failing to do so means those assets may still be subject to probate.

When is more planning needed?

Although a living trust helps avoid probate, it doesn’t reduce estate or inheritance taxes. If your assets exceed the current exemption or if state estate taxes apply, additional strategies (such as irrevocable trusts, charitable giving or gifting) may be necessary.

Not a one-size-fits-all solution

A living trust is an estate planning tool that can simplify the transfer of your assets, protect your privacy and avoid probate. However, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. To make the most of your estate plan and stay ahead of changing tax laws, consult with us or an estate planning attorney.

© 2025

Physical Address: 134 Sipe Avenue Hummelstown, PA 17036
Mailing Address: PO Box 770 Hershey, PA 17033
Phone: (717) 533-5154  •  Fax:  (717) 533-1442  •  info@smokersmith.com

Home | About Us | Meet the Team | Services | Resources | Contact Us | Disclaimer | Privacy Notice

 

© 2024 Smoker Smith & Associates P.C.   |   Website design by Afire Creative Group, Inc.  |   Website developed and hosted by Afake Productions, LLC | Staff