Invest in PPE from Vietnam Via Exclusive Opportunity with Peter J. Burns III

Veteran entrepreneur Peter J. Burns III is turning a unique relationship with the Vietnam-based HI-TEK company into an opportunity for investors to help ship Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from Vietnam to the United States.

For four decades, Peter J. Burns III, now based in Southern California, has started up, expanded or partnered with more than 150 businesses all over the globe. The serial entrepreneur has worked with HI-TEK in a variety of business capacities in the past, especially in the travel industry.

“We’ve had a great, exclusive relationship with Thomas Johnson of HI-TEK, and this business opportunity with PPE is an extension of that,” Burns says.

Johnson is chairman and CEO of HI-TEK, a company he co-founded 25 years ago. He has actively provided technical guidance for online search technology, internet advertising, social networking, tracking and optimizing performance metrics, blockchain technology and e-commerce for the global travel and tourism market.

Recently, the HI-TEK software development team and their strategic global technology partners have produced numerous proprietary e-commerce and mobile travel booking applications that accept digital Travel tokens (HI-TEKCOIN) as a form of crypto payment.

HI-TEK and PPE

For decades, HI-TEK has been an authorized business partner with a unique relationship to the Vietnamese government. The company developed the first internet (.vn) domain registration platform in 2003, online travel booking engine in 2005, and secured visa registration software in 2018.

The company has been recognized by the Vietnam government for significant contributions to the country’s economy.

Working closely with the Vietnamese Ministry of Trade, HI-TEK has produced an online database of all Vietnamese businesses. That allows for direct access to major manufacturers, factories, and business owners.

HI-TEK has worked with the Vietnam government to create partnerships with PPE glove factories and to ensure reliable delivery of quality Nitrile glove products to clients worldwide.

Johnson’s company arranged a meeting between the Ministry of Trade and the top five glove manufacturers, and the result was production of extra PPE to support the high demand in the United States’ hospitals and medical clinics.

Vietnam, incidentally, has been a COVID-19 success story, having recorded relatively few cases and zero deaths, according to a BBC report.

HI-TEK and Peter J. Burns III

Peter J. Burns III is combining his exclusive relationship with HI-TEK and Burns Funding, his “customized-funding-solutions” company that offers primary credit lines, bridge loans and shelf corporations.

“This is an amazing opportunity that is available because of the relationship I have with Thomas Johnson,” Burns says. “HI-TEK has a direct pipeline to manufacturing in Vietnam. And Vietnam has been working for years to be an alternative to China. Vietnam also has better quality that China and is less expensive.”

Several VA hospitals in the United States and many doctors’ offices and nursing homes have already received these highly needed nitrile gloves. This is a unique opportunity to successfully invest in PPE while providing life-saving equipment to our frontline healthcare professionals.

For more information or to see if you’re qualified to acquire a loan from Burns Funding and participate in this Global PPE Distribution Network, go to burnsfunding.com or send an email here.

Climate Change May Boost Shark Attacks, But Peter J. Burns III has a Safety Plan

According to researchers, climate change is a major force in creating more interactions between humans and sharks—but entrepreneur Peter J. Burns III says he’s got a creative and effective idea to keep beaches safer for people who want to recreate in oceans and coastal areas.

Read on to hear more about Peter J. Burns III’s science-based Orca Project.

Climate change is heating waters along the equator, pushing aquatic creatures poleward, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). As sharks seek cooler waters they increasingly come into contact with surfers and beachgoers. They’re flocking to subtropical coastlines in record numbers.

Having evolved in isolation from humans, sharks don’t normally see them as food or pose a threat, according to this Wired video called “How Researchers Keep Humans Safe From Shark Attacks.”

Changes in habitat have been shown to provoke changes in behavior—and one bite provokes significant response in the media. Peter J. Burns III’s Orca Project aims to help curb that response—and more importantly, to keep coastal regions safe for swimmers.

What is the Orca Project?

When shark attacks occur or sharks are sighted in local waters, both tourists as well as locals are scared away from the beach. In coastal towns, beach tourism is a key component of the economy. If the amount of foot traffic is affected coastal businesses and communities suffer.

If sharks are a detriment to life, limb and local tourism, turns out killer whales can be the savior. Yes, Orcas. They don’t attack humans in the wild—but they do find sharks to be delicious.

No, you can’t hire an Orca to guard your beach.

However, a startling trend has been observed in which numerous mutilated carcasses of great white sharks have been washing up on the shores of beaches of South Africa. After observing the size of the bite marks on the shark, scientists have determined that the predator responsible for preying on the great whites is the Orca.

Other scientific studies have pointed to the notion that the sight or sound of Orcas in the area sends sharks scurrying away—sometimes for up to a year.

Peter J. Burns III believes that local beach communities could alleviate shark problems by synthesizing the smell or sound of Orcas and “broadcasting” it in ocean waters. This would theoretically create a natural “shark repellent” that could divert sharks away for months.

To that end, Peter J. Burns III has been actively reaching out to the Orca Conservatory to get them involved in this project.

“We can learn a lot from researching Orcas, who are not known to harm people and are in need of conservation,” Burns says. “When orcas enter an area, sharks will leave and do not return for months. Additional focused research efforts into the biological manner by which Orcas frighten sharks can help save human lives. Once we know more about the sounds, pheromones, and other signals which orcas give, we can use that information to protect people.”

Significant Numbers of Shark Attacks

Serial entrepreneur Peter J. Burns III would fit right in on the TV show Shark Tank. Over the course of a 40-year career, he’s started more than 150 businesses. However, the Southern California resident is the first to admit that hanging out in the ocean with real sharks is not his ideal place to be.

He’s not alone. And like a true entrepreneur, Peter J. Burns III wants to turn his distaste for shark-infested shorelines into a business opportunity. Hence, his drive to create interest in The Orca Project.

In recorded history, United States beaches have been the scene of 1,441 shark attacks—more than any country in the world. Now, a gruesome shark death (like in the Jaws movies) isn’t exactly common, but there definitely are places where you should be on guard.

One great source of information is the International Shark Attach File, the world’s only comprehensive, scientifically documented database of more than 6,000 investigations. The ISAF is housed at the Florida Museum of Natural History.

The file being maintained in Florida is fitting. The state’s Volusia County has been dubbed the shark bite capital of the world. Since 1882, Volusia has recorded 303 shark attacks. The region had the highest number of annual shark-bite incidents in 2016-18.

Other spots you’ll want to avoid if you don’t like your odds in the water against sharks include: New South Wales (Australia), the Eastern Cape of South Africa, Maui, Pernambuco (Brazil), Reunion Island (Western Indian Ocean) and Charleston, South Carolina.

Don’t look for Peter J. Burns III out in the water in any of those spots. But do take a look at his Orca Project plan to combat against shark-infested waters. And for more information about The Orca Project, reach out to Peter J. Burns III on his website.

Peter J. Burns III

Peter J. Burns III Welcomes Millennial to Become Entrepreneurs

Essentially, all businesses are about 80 percent the same, according to serial entrepreneur Peter J. Burns III. To that regard, he’s willing to work on a wide variety of projects with other would-be entrepreneurs—including millennials—as long he deems future partners to be “best in class.”

He says it really doesn’t matter what the industry may be. “If there is a profit in it, the project interests me and I am impressed with the candidate—I’ll take the shot,” says Burns, who is based in Southern California and has helped create more than 150 businesses in a four-decade-plus career.

A Unique Start-Up Method

Peter J. Burns III has identified a unique solution for savvy millennials who see the benefit of being their own bosses (and setting up the proper paperwork to do this) rather than serve as employees: Make yourself a small company.

It’s a scenario he envisions for sharp young people who want to work in his world.

Rather than hire a person as an employee, Peter J. Burns III says there are multiple benefits to an individual incorporating themselves. What’s involved? An individual gets the necessary EIN number, bank account, and business license to establish a consulting business in their specialty field.

“The consulting business would then contract with the small business/person for this service,” Burns says.

“No catches, no hoops to jump through,” Burns says. “It would function as any other business-to-business interaction would, and nobody is faced with the difficult task of categorizing a worker as an independent contractor or full-timer.”

It’s a completely legal process and within all IRS rules, regulations and guidelines.

The Benefits of Creating Your Own Business

The primary benefit is that it is a simple transaction between business to newly created business. There’s no red tape of reporting and withholding taxes, or with social security and healthcare. It streamlines the relationship between the employer and employee into a very efficient business model.

This model is an example for a would-be millennial entrepreneur to start up a business and pay themselves for work. It’s a simple exchange of services for money for an actual service performed.

“You agree on a payment amount, service is rendered, you pay it and it’s a straight deal,” Burns says. “I don’t see the negatives in this…except the IRS can’t grab a bunch of money from people and there’s no way to actually screw the individual or the company if you use my process. I can’t see any negatives, honestly.”

Peter J. Burns III and young entrepreneurs

Why help out future small business owners?

“I’ve had a good life and I’m happy to help others get on a good career path,” Burns says. “It’s from the Bible, and I believe John F. Kennedy also said something like this in a speech—and it’s very true: ‘To whom much is given. Much will be required.’”

Burns believes the small business population in the United States needs help.

“Nobody’s helping us so we’ve got to help ourselves,” he says. “When you involve government with capitalism, it’s a cluster. It always has been and it always will be. I’m just another entrepreneur out there just trying to help my fellow entrepreneurs. I am not a lawyer. I am not an accountant. I’m just a fellow businessman who may have come up with a way to save a lot of time and trouble, and not to mention money, for my fellow entrepreneurs.

Interested in hearing more about working with Peter J. Burns III and discovering your inner entrepreneur? Reach out today!

Amid the Coronavirus Economy, Peter J. Burns III Invests in Cannabis Church

Veteran entrepreneur Peter J. Burns III is moving forward with a major investment in Agora Temple, a religious institution that provides cannabis as a sacrament to parishioners. In an economy struggling to adjust to hardships presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the investment is hailed as a bold and strategic move.

Agora Temple is a 501(C)(3) charitable organization based in the Melrose section of Los Angeles.

“Agora Temple will be the model for other places of worship as we expand in California and beyond,” says Peter J. Burns III, who is based in Southern California. “We not only have an exemplary leadership team at the existing location, but we also have the right people in place for expansion, especially from an operational, legal and regulatory standpoint.”

Peter J. Burns III will have a seat on the board of directors at Agora Temple. He says his company’s decision was bolstered by a plethora of legal decisions in the state that recognize that freedom of religion is protected by the First Amendment, which prohibits laws impeding the free exercise of religion among U.S. citizens.

The model is also supported by the fact that there’s a long, rich history of cannabis and religion dating back 7,000 years. And, that the Catholic Church has long used wine as a sacrament, even selling wine that has been “ordained” to its membership.

“The underlying mission of promoting spiritual growth by using cannabis as a sacrament must be ingrained in the Temple’s philosophy as well as its practice,” Burns says. “There are many existing religious institutions in California that have mishandled this. We are prepared to help them, as well as to establish new Temples.”

Burns adds that he is also impressed by the charitable mission of Agora Temple, which has been working with various charities in Southern California for more than a year. ‘We will enhance those efforts,” he says.

How Does a Cannabis Church Operate?

In California, and states all over the country, cannabis churches are becoming part of the landscape. People don’t technically pay for marijuana at these church services. Instead, they tithe (donate money) to the church in exchange for cannabis.

There are legal issues. But proponents argue that many people truly believe that cannabis has a history and a proper place in being delivered as sacrament. Members of cannabis churches believe they are involved in religious efforts that help them connect to a higher power.

And there are medical studies. Some research points to the benefits of cannabis for many maladies, such traumatic brain injuries and persistent anxiety. Other studies show a rise in cannabis use among all segments of the population. Taken together, it’s easy to conclude that in the not-so-distant future the use of cannabis will be widespread and legal in every state in the country.

Recognizing this, Peter J. Burns III has embarked on a crusade to reduce pain and suffering in the United States by making cannabis available as a sacrament.

This movement is not new. In California, there are dozens of independently owned cannabis churches. Peter J. Burns III’s goal is to create hundreds of these places of worship and reflection, in California and nationwide.

“This fits into my philosophy as an entrepreneur of doing well by doing good,” Burns says. “We are spreading peace, love, and a sense of togetherness by promoting the spiritual use of cannabis as sacrament.”

The beauty of a cannabis church services is that topics anyone can relate to are explored, including love, self-awareness and empathy. Everyone’s opinion and perspectives are respected, and no one is told what to believe. The idea is that everyone participating is given the opportunity to learn more about themselves by learning more about the experiences and contexts of others.

Agora Temple is funded through donations, or tithing. Some of these donations are presented in furtherance of charities. Other gifts are made in exchange for sacramental cannabis.

Agora accepts responsibility for being a spiritual oasis. It has embraced charity work and adheres to the regulations of being constructed as a non-profit, or 501(c)(3). These principles are critical to a long-term future, as well as an ability to ease pain and suffering for all Americans.

There are opportunities for investors to participate in this worthwhile cause. Even as the country embraces a new, post-coronavirus economy. For more information, reach out to Peter J. Burns III: (peterjburns3@gmail.com).

Peter J. Burns III

As COVID-19 Threatens Economy, Peter J. Burns III Says a Simple IRS Procedure Could Send Billions Back to Business Owners

While the coronavirus crisis is threatening to wipe out many businesses—and maybe even send the economy into a recession—entrepreneur Peter J. Burns III says there’s a widely underutilized method for increasing tax savings that could greatly boost stimulus efforts.

That method is known as cost segregation. It’s a 100-percent legal process guided by IRS methodology. The IRS publishes guidelines for a cost segregation study on its website.

“We’re looking at an unprecedented devaluation of companies and their properties,” says Peter J. Burns III, a serial entrepreneur who has spent the last 40-plus years helping create more than 150 companies in both conventional and nontraditional markets.

He says cost segregation is a way for companies to get money back in taxes that they’ve already overpaid. Burns believes this process is a quicker and more efficient way to stimulate the economy than relying on aid packages from the federal government.

“Even if companies have already paid their taxes this year, they can do amended returns and get back money they’ve already overspent,” Peter J. Burns III says. “This process is a much quicker way to try to avoid what is looking like an inevitable depression.”

What is Cost Segregation?

Cost segregation is a method of reclassifying components and improvements of commercial and residential real estate. Using Internal Revenue Service guidelines, cost segregation results in reduced tax liabilities and increased cash flow—for both owners and lessees.

To initiate cost segregation, a third-party-certified study identifies, values and separates depreciable personal property. A certified analyst will appraise non-structural items (things like carpet, wall coverings, etc.) and adjust the scheduled depreciation.

The result? Acceleration of depreciation can lead to huge tax savings in the early years of the life cycle of a real estate property. This allows a property owner to catch up on savings that result from the depreciation adjustment.

It’s relatively simple. Under standard, straight-line depreciation, the default tax life on a commercial building is 39 years. Cost segregation professionals seek to identify the multiple pieces of personal property that can be placed on shorter—five-, seven- or 15-year—depreciation terms.

According to studies commissioned by Peter J. Burns III, doing a third-party-certified study for cost segregation usually result in 6 percent of the value of a building coming back in tax benefits. In one study, an $8-million rental villa returned $625,000 to the owner after cost segregation.

Cost segregation is a 100-percent legal process guided by IRS methodology. IRS guidelines allow this technique to be applied to newly built and existing buildings. However, the building must have been placed in service after 1987.

The number of years owned by the current owner, prior renovations, and future renovation plans are some of the considerations used to determine whether a cost segregation study makes economic sense.

The technique has been widely used since 1997 as a result of two landmark tax court cases in which both Walgreens and Hospital Corp. of America prevailed against the IRS. Traditionally, engineering departments in Big Four CPA firms have used cost segregation with their large clients.

The modern application of cost segregation can be traced to those 1997 court cases—but it was Peter J. Burns III, who was serving as an adjunct faculty member at the Barrett Honor College at Arizona State University, who first tied the practice to other business ventures in 2005.

Cost Segregation is a Simple Process

It’s estimated there are 91 million buildings eligible for a cost segregation study. Yet, only five percent have undergone the process. According to Peter J. Burns III, that means there’s potentially as much as $500 billion on the table to help out struggling businesses.

That’s roughly equivalent to the stimulus plan approved by the federal government.

Cost segregation is actually a simple transaction. If you’d like to find out more about this innovative process that could help rescue American businesses, reach out to Peter J. Burns III, who can help match prospective donors with qualified cost segregation professionals.

Peter J. Burns III

Stay Sharp and Creative While in Self Quarantine, Says Peter J. Burns III

A positive outlook on life—despite the gloom and doom brought by the COVID-19 crisis—will always pay dividends, according to serial entrepreneur Peter J. Burns III.

He has a singular message that applies to your personal and professional lives: “Don’t whine about what is missing. Embrace what you have in front of you and just live your life. As the old saying goes about the calamity facing us now—this, too, shall pass.”

On the business front, Peter J. Burns III has kept moving forward during the coronavirus pandemic. He closed a significant transaction—acquisition of control of the board of the country’s first and best-run Cannabis Church.

The Agora Temple is located on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. This unique vertical is a religious institution that serves cannabis as a sacrament (more on this later). The church also is a significant force in bringing large charitable bequests to many underserved communities.

“Making a large investment in a completely new field appears counterintuitive to common sense, especially during one of the most fearsome economic downturns in America’s history,” Peter J. Burns III says. “But for me, it’s par for the course.”

On the personal side. Burns—who has had a hand in building 150 companies over an illustrious, 40-year career—says he’s using time during self-quarantine that’d he’d normally devote to finding new business ventures to enjoy his surroundings.

Based in Southern California, Peter J. Burns III is safely and responsibly—per social distancing guidelines—taking work-break walks in the gorgeous community of Del Mar. Before the coronavirus pandemic, he similarly discovered the beauty of La Jolla, Ocean Beach, Solana Beach, Encinitas and Cardiff-by-the-Sea.

“I’m lucky to live in an area that has extensive natural beauty and miles and mines of beach communities with amazing coastlines,” he says. “I’m really appreciating that right now.”

A Few Notes on the Cannabis Church

Cannabis churches are not new, but they are still in the fledgling stage. Agora Temple is a 501(C)(3) charitable organization based in the Melrose section of Los Angeles.

“Agora Temple will be the model for other places of worship as we expand in California and beyond,” Peter J. Burns III says. “We have an exemplary leadership team at the existing location, and we also have the right people in place for expansion, especially from an operational, legal and regulatory standpoint.”

Peter J. Burns III will have a seat on the board of directors at Agora Temple. He says his company’s decision was bolstered by a plethora of legal decisions in the state that recognize that freedom of religion is protected by the First Amendment, which prohibits laws impeding the free exercise of religion among U.S. citizens.

The model is also supported by the fact that there’s a long, rich history of cannabis and religion dating back 7,000 years. And, that the Catholic Church has long used wine as a sacrament, even selling wine that has been “ordained” to its membership.

“The underlying mission of promoting spiritual growth by using cannabis as a sacrament must be ingrained in the Temple’s philosophy as well as its practice,” Burns says. “There are many existing religious institutions in California that have mishandled this. We are prepared to help them, as well as to establish new Temples.”

Burns adds that he is also impressed by the charitable mission of Agora Temple, which has been working with various charities in Southern California for more than a year. ‘We will enhance those efforts,” he says.

Always Moving Forward

In good business climates, as well as the dismal one we are now in, Peter J. Burns III will continue to embrace what he has on his plate. Yes, this, too shall pass. And he’ll continue to create start-ups and look for savvy business partners.

There are always opportunities for investors—even as the country embraces a new, post-coronavirus economy. For more information, reach out to Peter J. Burns III: (peterjburns3@gmail.com).

Entrepreneur Peter J. Burns III Doesn’t Believe in Millennial Stereotypes

Despite the media stereotypes, serial entrepreneur Peter J. Burns III, has had plenty of success hiring millennials.

“I’m here to tell you that there really are exceptions to the way millennials are typecast,” the Southern California businessman says. “I’m a lifelong entrepreneur and I start new ventures faster than some people can put on their shoes. And I’ve found great hires who are young people.”

Over the last dozen years or more, Peter J. Burns III has been active in the “entrepreneurial education” space. He’s taught courses as an adjunct at the Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University. He moved that program to Grand Canyon University and started GCU’s first accredited College of Entrepreneurship.

Several years ago, Peter J. Burns III also had a stint as a Visiting Entrepreneurship Educator at two top universities in Ethiopia.

“The sheer brilliance and earnest enthusiasm of some of the young men and women I’ve taught represent some of the most satisfying times of my four-decade career in entrepreneurship,” Burns says.

After relocating from the East Coast to La Jolla, I started no less than five new ventures, he says, “and I’ve actively sought the help of millennials as my interns in each new venture.”

Yes, there have been some missteps along the way. The recruitment process has included some people who could have starred in this YouTube video that mocks millennials. Nonetheless, Burns says he’s gotten adept at “picking winners and placing bets on them.”

Debunking Millennial Stereotypes

Do people of any race, political group or country all act the same way? Nope. Think about it. History books and media stereotypes might have you believe that all young people in the 1950s were greasers, or every child of the ’60s was a hippie. It definitely wasn’t the case.

Not so long ago, Time Magazine published an article called Millennials The Me Me Me Generation. The basic claim in the article was that millennials were narcissistic. Part of the cause: parental adulation and an excess of participation trophies.

While partly true, isn’t there a segment of narcissists that makes up every generation? Yes. It’s also true that Baby Boomers were originally dubbed “The Me Generation.” Why? Narcissistic tendencies.

Debunking stereotype, Peter J. Burns III says not all millennials are entitled, hold progressive values, espouse socialism, are unsatisfied with their work, or are always switching jobs.

Peter J. Burns III with young entrepreneurs

Interviewing Millennials at Peter J. Burns III

“The millennial vertical may appear to be spoiled and entitled—but the truth is they never stood a chance,” Burns says. “Their parents sacrificed everything to give their millennial children the best education. And everybody fell for the falsehood that an expensive education ensured success in the business world.”

Burns says he found that the average educational debt of millennials he has interviewed was $50,000—and some young people he’s interviewed had $100,000 hanging over their heads as they entered the real world.

“Employers really don’t care where you went to school, what your GPA was or how many extracurricular activities you stacked your resume with,” Burns believes. “All the prospective employer wants to know is can you efficiently do the job offered—and do it for the benefit of the business.”

Burns says he looks for young people who didn’t have a lot of support getting to where they are.

“I prefer self-starters who worked during their school years and didn’t leech off their parents and go into spiraling student loan debt,” he says. “I absolutely love would-be entrepreneurs with the dream to ‘hire themselves.’ I’ll often do whatever I can to mentor them to do just that.”

The door is open at Peter J. Burns III. “I want to find would-be success stories out there, and I will give them a shot.”

Are you a millennial looking to connect? Reach out today on Burns’ main website.

How Harvard Business School’s OPM Program Helped Shape the Career of Peter J. Burns III

Peter J. Burns III is a serial entrepreneur who specializes in starting up niche market replicable business enterprises. An innovative businessman, he creates and implements many new concepts from the ground up. Critical to his success: Participation in the Harvard Business School’s Owner/President Management (OPM) program.

What is Harvard’s OPM program? It’s designed for business owners and founders who have at least 10 years of operating existence, serve as a chief executive or a C-level exec, and are actively involved in a business or hold a significant equity stake in one.

The Harvard curriculum helps entrepreneurs who are already building, leading and growing successful businesses focus on leadership and personal growth. It spurs individuals to develop a broader global perspective, gain a deeper understanding of operations and glean greater insight into operational excellence.

Celebrity students who have enrolled include actors Katie Holmes, Tyra Banks and Channing Tatum and rapper LL Cool J.

Peter J. Burns III was the perfect candidate—and to date was one of the youngest people accepted into this prestigious program.

The Harvard Background of Peter J. Burns III

Burns entered Harvard’s OPM program in 1986 at the age of 29. Yes, by that age he’d already had 10 years of experience running a successful company.

His official career as an entrepreneur started when he created a company that imported mopeds (motorized bicycles) to the United States from Europe. That was on Nantucket Island in 1977. At the time, it was one of the most successful recreational rental companies of its kind in the world.

The moped rental company had $3 million in annual sales—netting over half of that amount.

Burns wrote the business plan for that company while he was enrolled as a first-year student at the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, while he was enrolled in a 4-year Army ROTC scholarship.

When Burns was selected from among worldwide applicants to be in the Harvard Business School’s OPM program, he recalls being 20-plus years younger than most of his classmates.

“I was classmates with such business giants as Peter Norton (Norton Antivirus,) the owners of the revered Donegal Mills Plantation and the fifth generation of the venerable Gieves & Hawks,” Burns says. “I was with the titans of the entrepreneurial world and was blessed to be among them as ‘The Kid’ of the bunch.”

Peter J. Burns III, Serial Entrepreneur

Since his college years, and early business success, serial entrepreneurship and the establishment of unique businesses has been a major part of Burn’s life. Over the span of four decades in business, Burns has started, operated, sold, and/or expanded more than 150 businesses.

Some of those businesses and operations include:

•Creation of the first “Dolphin Tour” business, using jet boats on guided tours through wild dolphin habitats (Water Tours 1995).

•Establishment of the first integrated media rich commercial email marketing business (Cybertising 2000).

•Inventing the “Insert-A-Zine” niche-publishing concept (NightLife Magazine! 2001).

•Pioneering the expanded market for Cost Segregation Studies, introducing a Patent Pending for unique applications (CSS 2008).

•Expanding to the massive commercialization of cost segregation (HL Cost Seg 2016).

•Co-founding the first financing organization for “Creatives,” i.e., singers, film producers, artists (FundingWagon.com, 2013).

• Founding Ethiopian Capital Partners as a bi-lateral platform of commerce between the U.S. and Ethiopia (Expatrepreneur.us 2013).

• Co-founding Luxury Travel Product Placement company that acquired empty time in luxury villas in exchange for luxury products and remarked to Closed User Groups at 40 percent less than the villa owner could rent out own villa. (HL Villas 2016).

• Co-founding Avia Travel Services by assembling a partnership with an expansive travel booking engine, joining it with an airline ticketing entity and creating a “one-stop-shop” for the corporate group and employee travel at significantly discounted rates. (Avia 2017).

And many more…

Opportunities with Peter J. Burns III

Growing up as a young entrepreneur, experiencing the ups and downs of starting businesses, and having decades of experience, Burns developed a passion for mentoring. He combined his passion for starting new enterprises with his affinity for offering guidance to aspiring and existing entrepreneurs by creating Burn$ Funding.

Burns$ Funding uses unique and innovative methods (involving the use of bridge loans and shelf corporations to repair credit and gain access to funding) to provide aspiring entrepreneurs and existing business owners with access to capital to fund their own business ventures.

Interested in hearing more about business opportunities? Check out the Peter J. Burns III website and read more about this Harvard trained and real-world-seasoned entrepreneur.

4 Things To Know About Saving Money at Tax Time With a Cost Segregation Study-Peter J. Burns III

Property owners who utilize Peter J. Burns III’s innovative process for doing “cost segregation” at tax time are eligible for big-time savings. It’s estimated there are 91 million buildings qualified for a cost segregation study. That means that as much as $500 billion of potential savings are on the table, according to Peter J. Burns III.

Obviously, cost segregation—which is a little-know process that’s guided by Internal Revenue Service guidelines—is underutilized. Is it for you? Can you save money by doing a cost segregation study? Let’s look at the definition of the process and delve into how it works.

What is Cost Segregation?

Under United States tax laws and accounting rules, cost segregation is the process of identifying personal property assets that are grouped with real property assets, and separating out personal assets for tax reporting purposes.  

In other words, cost segregation is a tax savings tool that allows businesses and individuals to increase cash flow by accelerating deductions and deferring federal and state income taxes.

What is a Cost Segregation Study?

To initiate a cost segregation study, a certified third-party identifies, values and separates depreciable personal property. A certified analyst will appraise non-structural items (things like carpet, wall coverings, etc.) and adjust the scheduled depreciation.

The result? Acceleration of depreciation can lead to huge tax savings in the early years of the life cycle of a real estate property. This allows a property owner to catch up on savings that result from the depreciation adjustment.

It’s relatively simple. Under standard, straight-line depreciation, the default tax life on a commercial building is 39 years. Cost segregation professionals seek to identify the multiple pieces of personal property that can be placed on shorter—five-, seven- or 15-year—depreciation terms.

According to studies commissioned by Peter J. Burns III, doing a third-party-certified study for cost segregation typically results in 6 percent of the value of a building coming back in tax benefits. In one study, an $8-million rental villa returned $625,000 to the owner after cost segregation.

When Should A Cost Seg Study Be Done?

Real estate that qualifies includes properties like large homes, villas or hotels that you anticipate holding for at least a few years and were purchased, constructed or remodeled after Jan. 1, 1987.

It’s best to have a study completed the year the building or improvements are placed in service. However, IRS Revenue Procedures allow taxpayers to “catch up” on the depreciation that was not claimed when the property was placed in service, without amending prior years’ tax returns.

In addition, the IRS allows for the “catch up” period all in the first year—rather than over four years, when the Revenue Procedure 99-49 was first introduced.

Should You Use an Expert to Conduct a Study?

Absolutely. A cost segregation study must be performed by a trained Cost Segregation specialist – not a Certified Public Accountant. 

At HL Cost Seg, our certified cost segregation study professionals have the expertise in tax law, cases, and rulings on cost segregation. Other specialties include real estate development and construction experience—to maximize your tax savings. Our company will work with your advisors to help you take advantage of this extremely viable tax savings solution.

Peter J. Burns III’s HL Cost Seg is a subsidiary of HL Villas and operates in conjunction with the financing arm of the business. The company has partnered with the leading cost segregation company in the industry, Cost Segregation Initiatives, LLC.

Some villa and hotel owners are eligible for a free Cost Segregation Study!

Cost Segregation Initiatives, LLC performs just one function…cost segregation. CPAs are on staff but this is not a CPA firm. (Note: Unlike some competitors, the company is not out to poach business from CPAs. We’ll work in conjunction with CPAs, not against them.)

Cost Segregation Initiatives, LLC was established to provide comprehensive, professional cost segregation studies to our clients. The team has more than 15 years of cost segregation experience and more than 35 years of tax preparation and planning experience.

Drop us a line at this link to find out how cost segregation can save you money at tax time!

Peter J. Burns III

Cost Segregation: What It Is How Peter J. Burns III Can Save You Money at Tax Time

Entrepreneur Peter J. Burns III didn’t invent cost segregation—but the Southern California-based entrepreneur has innovated this process, which can save property owners thousands of dollars at tax time.

Burns has also identified a simple way that cost segregation can be used to boost the often-unenviable task of charitable fundraising. In fact, cost segregation is a win-win for both donors and charitable organizations looking to raise money.

But first, what is cost segregation? It’s a method of reclassifying components and improvements of commercial and residential real estate. Using Internal Revenue Service guidelines, cost segregation results in reduced tax liabilities and increased cash flow—for both owners and lessees.

To initiate cost segregation, a third-party-certified study identifies, values and separates depreciable personal property. A certified analyst will appraise non-structural items (things like carpet, wall coverings, etc.) and adjust the scheduled depreciation.

The result? Acceleration of depreciation can lead to huge tax savings in the early years of the life cycle of a real estate property. This allows a property owner to catch up on savings that result from the depreciation adjustment.

It’s relatively simple. Under standard, straight-line depreciation, the default tax life on a commercial building is 39 years. Cost segregation professionals seek to identify the multiple pieces of personal property that can be placed on shorter—five-, seven- or 15-year—depreciation terms.

According to studies commissioned by Peter J. Burns III, doing a third-party-certified study for cost segregation usually result in 6 percent of the value of a building coming back in tax benefits. In one study, an $8-million rental villa returned $625,000 to the owner after cost segregation.

Cost segregation is a 100-percent legal process guided by IRS methodology. The IRS publishes guidelines for a cost segregation study on its website.

IRS guidelines allow this technique to be applied to newly built and existing buildings. However, the building must have been placed in service after 1987. The number of years owned by the current owner, prior renovations, and future renovation plans are some of the considerations used to determine whether a cost segregation study makes economic sense.

The technique has been widely used since 1997 as a result of two landmark tax court cases in which both Walgreens and Hospital Corp. of America prevailed against the IRS. Traditionally, engineering departments in Big Four CPA firms have used cost segregation with their large clients.

The modern application of cost segregation can be traced to those 1997 court cases—but it was Peter J. Burns III, who was serving as an adjunct faculty member at the Barrett Honor College at Arizona State University, who first tied the practice to other business ventures in 2005.

Using Cost Segregation for Innovative Charitable Fundraising

Seeking charitable donations for even the worthiest organizations is often an uphill battle. Nobody likes to be in the position of holding out their hand for money.

Tradition techniques include cold calling and letter-writing campaigns that detail why donations are important for the worthwhile mission of the charitable organization. Whatever method you use to seek funding, it’s often a tough sell with your donation base.

However, what if you can guide wealthy patrons into a simple way to create huge tax savings on their real estate properties? It’s logical that they can, in turn, donate a substantial percentage of those savings to your charitable organization.

It’s estimated there are 91 million buildings eligible for a cost segregation study. Yet, only five percent have undergone the process. According to Peter J. Burns III, that means that as much as $500 billion of potential funding for charitable organizations is still on the table.

It’s actually a simple transaction! Charities offer to commission a cost segregation study for donors—in return for a sizable portion of the resulting tax savings. This allows wealthy donors who own property to generate funds for the charity of their choice at no out-of-pocket expense.

 If you’d like to find out more about this innovative process to do charitable fundraising, reach out to Peter J. Burns III, who can help match prospective donors with qualified cost segregation professionals.

Peter J. Burns III