The noun
ところ (sometimes shortened to
とこ) is often used to describe the ‘place’ or ‘situation’ in which something happens. The primary determining factor for the nuance of
ところ, is the tense of the verb it follows. When it is in the non-past form,
ところ means ‘about to (A)’, or ‘on the verge of (A)’.
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彼（かれ）は手紙（てがみ）を書（か）いてるところだ。
He is writing a letter.
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今（いま）から友達（ともだち）と会（あ）うところです。
I'm on my way to meet my friend.
When the kanji form of 所（ところ） is used, it is often referring to an actual physical location, rather than a situation/standpoint. However, this is something that native speakers will sometimes mistake. Therefore, seeing the kanji form, and the hiragana form, are both relatively common.
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いまの所（ところ）...
This current place…
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いまのところ...
This current situation…