Sat.Dec 12, 2020 - Fri.Dec 18, 2020

article thumbnail

Managing More with Less

TaxConnex

With nearly 50 million Americans losing their jobs earlier this year and 11 million still unemployed nearly 10 months after the pandemic began, the reality of being forced to do more with less is being felt in every corner of almost every company, including the finance department. Hiring freezes and budget restrictions have left many finance teams struggling to keep up.

Tax 205
article thumbnail

Is Your Business Vulnerable to Identity Theft?

RogerRossmeisl

According to data company Dun & Bradstreet, business identity theft increased more than 250% in the first half of 2020. You can thank the pandemic — and the government’s release of relief and recovery funds to qualified U.S. businesses — for this remarkable number. In a more typical year, crooks use stolen business identities to file fraudulent tax returns, apply for credit and empty bank accounts.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

The New Year Brings Fresh Uncertainty for U.S. Business Tax Professionals

ThomsonReuters

The New Year Brings Fresh Uncertainty for U.S. Business Tax Professionals. The tax rules and regulations U.S. companies will operate under in 2021 and beyond will be shaped in the coming months by Biden Administration priorities, the balance of power in the U.S. Senate, the future of COVID-19 relief, and the fiscal crisis facing the 50 states. A recent Thomson Reuters webinar, Get Ready for 2021: Using Checkpoint Edge to Plan for Uncertainty, explored these issues and cautioned companies to br

article thumbnail

7 Small Business Trends that Arrived Just in Time for 2021

DuctTapeMarketing

7 Small Business Trends that Arrived Just in Time for 2021 written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing. This blog post is brought to you by GoDaddy Pro. Every year for the last 20 or so, I’ve wrapped up the year with my predictions for trends in the coming year. I’m usually spot on too. But that’s really more of a testament to the fact that trends tend to creep up on us rather than overwhelm us.

Start-ups 341
article thumbnail

How to Build the Ideal HR Team

HR doesn’t exist in a vacuum. This work impacts everyone: from the C-Suite to your newest hire. It also drives results. Learn how to make it all happen in Paycor’s latest guide.

article thumbnail

Common Accounting Mistakes: Government Edition - Issue #12 R&D

SMBAccountant

Many small business federal contractors begin with research and development (R&D) contracts or grants as part of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. These programs are offered by the government to encourage innovation with the potential for commercialization. These programs often result in technology or products that begin with government use and then become commercial items.

article thumbnail

Health Savings Account for Your Small Business

RogerRossmeisl

Small business owners are well aware of the increasing cost of employee health care benefits. As a result, your business may be interested in providing some of these benefits through an employer-sponsored Health Savings Account (HSA). Or perhaps you already have an HSA. It’s a good time to review how these accounts work since the IRS recently announced the relevant inflation-adjusted amounts for 2021.

Account 243

More Trending

article thumbnail

Bahamas Launches Digital Sand Dollar; Adds To Rise Of Central Bank Digital Currencies

PYMNTS

Facebook’s Libra might be fading a bit as a perceived threat to monetary systems that have been in place around the globe for centuries. But the race is still on for central banks to develop their own digital versions of fiat to take their place alongside bills and coins. To that end, the Bahamas may stand out as an epicenter of sorts for the rise of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).

article thumbnail

A Year-end Payroll Checklist to Finish the Year Strong

Patriot Software

As the year comes to a close, you might be gung-ho about all the goals you want to achieve in next year. But before you can get the ball rolling in the new year, you have to wrap up some things in the current year—including your payroll. There are a number of timely payroll requirements […] READ MORE.

payroll 105
article thumbnail

5 Ways to Take Cash Out of Your Corporation

RogerRossmeisl

Owners of closely held corporations are often interested in easily withdrawing money from their businesses at the lowest possible tax cost. The simplest way is to distribute cash as a dividend. However, a dividend distribution isn’t tax-efficient, since it’s taxable to you to the extent of your corporation’s “earnings and profits.” And it’s not deductible by the corporation.

CPA 185
article thumbnail

Write a Christmas Letter

Withum

This time of year, I always receive a few Christmas letters from friends that recap their year. They come with their holiday cards. Not all are from people celebrating Christmas, but they all have a common purpose of keeping in touch with friends and family and recapping the year. I suggest that this year such letters are more important than ever.

102
102
article thumbnail

Planning Your Restaurant's Path to Profitability

Speaker: James Kahler, COO of Full Course

Ever wondered where to splurge and where to safely conserve when it comes to operating and growing your restaurant? 🤔 Join James Kahler, COO of Full Course and industry visionary, in this new webinar where he'll talk all about best practices to invest in your restaurant's success! Whether you're a new business or an established restaurant, a seasoned pro or a rookie, you'll learn the keys to sustainable success in this competitive industry.

article thumbnail

US Treasury Proposes Sweeping New Disclosure Rules On Bitcoin, Other Cryptos 

PYMNTS

The U.S. Treasury Department proposed sweeping new rules late Friday (Dec. 18) that the government says would make convertible digital currencies like bitcoin less attractive to criminals engaging in crimes such as ransomware attacks. The new regulations, if adopted after a comment period, would require banks and some other institutions to obtain and report the identities of parties engaging in certain digital transactions, including payments involving what are called "unhosted wallets" – effect

article thumbnail

IRS Addresses SECURE Act Changes Affecting Safe Harbor Plans

ThomsonReuters

IRS Notice 2020-86 (Dec. 9, 2020). Available at [link]. The IRS has issued Notice 2020-86 to answer frequently asked questions about the SECURE Act’s provisions affecting safe harbor plans (see our Checkpoint article ). Section 102 of the SECURE Act raised the maximum deferral percentage for plans using the safe harbor for qualified automatic contribution arrangements (QACAs) from 10% to 15%.

article thumbnail

HHS Clarifies Provider Relief Fund Audit Requirements for For-Profit Healthcare Providers

Katz,Sapper&Miller

Several months ago, HHS announced that receiving Provider Relief Funds under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act could impose an audit requirement for healthcare providers. Based on requirements, for-profit companies, called commercial organizations by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), are to include PRF in the basis for determining audit requirements.

article thumbnail

How to Fill Out Form W-2: Box-by-box Breakdown

Patriot Software

Once you send Forms W-2 to your employees, you don’t have to worry about the annual form until next year. Or, do you? If you don’t know how to fill out Form W-2, you may run into problems. Your employees might come to you with questions about Form W-2. And, your employees may think you […] READ MORE.

payroll 86
article thumbnail

How Automation is Driving Efficiency Through the Last Mile of Reporting

Speaker: Jamie Eagan

As organizations strive for agility and efficiency, it's imperative for finance leaders to embrace innovative technologies and redefine traditional processes. Join us as we explore the pivotal role of digitalization and automation in reshaping what is commonly referred to as the “last mile of reporting”. We’ll deep-dive into why digitalization is no longer a choice, but a necessity for finance departments to stay competitive in a fast-paced environment touching on: 2024 trends for the Office of

article thumbnail

eBay On Turning Friction-Filled Payments Experiences Into Consumer Loyalty Opportunities

PYMNTS

The 2020 holiday shopping season is picking up, and consumers are heading online or to reopened brick-and-mortar stores to shop and pay for gifts. They are using everything from cash to mobile wallets to complete these transactions, requiring retailers to race to accommodate a wide variety of payment methods. Supporting a host of simple and frictionless payment options is often a complicated endeavor from the retailer’s perspective, said Keala Gaines , vice president of global payment services f

Retail 139
article thumbnail

Why small CPA firms should care about fraud

ThomsonReuters

With the recent rash of public company fraud issues that were missed both internally and by external auditors, there has been a lot of negative news coverage for the accounting industry. But what does this mean for small CPA firms who don’t perform audits? In this episode of Pulse of Practice “Should a Small Firm Care?”, Paul Miller, CPA from Business by Design , and I are joined by Brian Fox, Founder of Confirmation, part of Thomson Reuters.

article thumbnail

Dennis & Bill Share Happy Holidays with Clients

AccountingDepartment

"Happy Holidays Everyone! This year has brought an incredible number of challenges, which we believe are presented an equally incredible number of opportunities to innovate. Today, we'd like to take a moment to share with you what we've done, what we're doing, and what we're planning." (Make sure to watch to the end for the Behind the Scenes outtakes!).

article thumbnail

Challenges Facing the Real Estate Industry in the Wake of COVID & the Election

KROST

This is a preview of one of the articles in the new KROST Quarterly Real Estate Issue , titled “Challenges Facing the Real Estate Industry in the Wake of COVID & the Election” by So Sum Lee. It’s no question that the economy as a whole was (and continues to be) stressed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now with the coming election, more uncertainties could be on the horizon. 2020 is shaping up to be one of the most unique and challenging times in recent history.

article thumbnail

Register Now: Sneak Peek Into Close Automation SkyStem Web Demo

Technology is rapidly changing the way accountants perform and manage month-end activities. Spreadsheets, email, and shared drives no longer have to slow us down. Join us as we present a "sneak peek" recorded demo of SkyStem's month-end close solution – ART. In under four weeks, your team can start reaping the benefits of month-end close automation by vastly reducing spreadsheets, cut down on reconciliation work, speed up the month-end close, and better manage your remote team.

article thumbnail

Bitcoin Breaks Through $20,000 Mark, Hits Record Highs

PYMNTS

Bitcoin continued its ongoing surge in price Wednesday (Dec. 16), heading above the $20,000 mark for the first time ever — eclipsing its previous record high set in 2017. The price of a bitcoin traded higher by 5.6 percent, hitting around $20,600. CNBC reported that the surge was fueled by cryptocurrency fans along with a big boost from big-name investors such as Paul Tudor Jones and Stanley Druckenmiller.

Retail 137
article thumbnail

What Do All Those Employee Benefits Acronyms Stand For? (Part 2 of 3)

ThomsonReuters

QUESTION: Everybody in the employee benefits field uses acronyms like ADA, MSP, and PHI. What do these and other employee benefits acronyms stand for? ANSWER: Here’s an explanatory list of common acronyms primarily used in our COBRA, HIPAA, and Group Health Plan Mandates manuals. (Last week’s Question of the Week included acronyms primarily used in our ERISA Compliance, Self-Insured Health Plans, Cafeteria Plans, Consumer-Driven Health Care, and Fringe Benefits manuals, and next week, we’ll

Tax 92
article thumbnail

Can Zero-Based Budgeting Drive Growth In Your Business?

GrowthForceBlog

4 min read. Is Zero-Based Budgeting making a comeback for businesses? Unlike traditional budgeting, where you typically start by looking at the previous period’s budget and adjusting it as needed, a zero-based budgeting approach involves creating a new budget from scratch every time- hence starting from “zero.”.

article thumbnail

2020 Year-End Checklist for Small Businesses

xendoo

Every business needs a good tidying and updating at least once a year. The best time to do it is at the end of your tax year, which for many small businesses is the same as the calendar year. Get organized, review the data, and make your plans for a profitable 2020. Weed out clutter. Keeping old files around will only slow you down. Move anything that’s not current from your computer, desk and filing cabinet, into separate long-term storage.

article thumbnail

Recruit and Retain New Blue-Collar Talent

Blue-collar jobs have a branding problem. One company, GEON, partnered with Paycor to find the solution. Learn how to attract, engage, and retain blue-collar employees, helping them build meaningful careers – and support your company’s goals.

article thumbnail

GoDaddy Agrees To Buy Poynt To Boost Digital Payments Technology

PYMNTS

GoDaddy has agreed to acquire Poynt , which lets businesses sell and accept payments anywhere through its suite of products, according to a press release. GoDaddy plans to pay $320 million in cash at closing, along with $45 million in deferred cash payments subject to various performance and employment standards in the next three years, the release stated.

article thumbnail

Regulations Provide Cost-Sharing Change Flexibility for Grandfathered Health Plans

ThomsonReuters

Final Rules: Grandfathered Group Health Plans and Grandfathered Group Health Insurance Coverage, 26 CFR Part 54; 29 CFR Part 2590; 45 CFR Part 147; 85 Fed. Reg. 81097 (Dec. 15, 2020). Available at [link]. The DOL, IRS, and HHS have issued regulations to provide greater flexibility for grandfathered group health plan sponsors and insurers to make certain cost-sharing changes without causing a loss of grandfather status.

Tax 69
article thumbnail

Withum Welcomes Bill Bradshaw in New Director of Inclusion and Diversity Role

Withum

98
article thumbnail

POS Lender Affirm Delays IPO Until At Least January

PYMNTS

Point-of-sale (POS) lender Affirm is putting on hold its initial public offering (IPO), which had been scheduled for this month, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed sources. WSJ did not give a definitive reason for the delay in Affirm Holding Inc.'s plans but suggested it may be for the same reason video game-maker Roblox also put off an imminent IPO: fear of missing out at the corporate level.

Gaming 134
article thumbnail

Join the Instant Payment Revolution: Read 7 Must-Know Facts for Small Businesses

Technology evolves at lightning speed, and as finance keeps changing, instant payments emerge as a game-changer for small businesses. By 2030, instant payments are projected to surge by 289% and will become the new norm in financial transactions. Our whitepaper reveals seven must-know facts about instant payments, offering to help you navigate this financial revolution effectively.

article thumbnail

Report: Fraudsters Have Modified Approaches In Wake Of eCommerce Boom

PYMNTS

Digital trust-and-safety company Sift said that 2020 has been a “banner year” for online shopping sales, but that scammers have modified their approaches to take advantage of the boom, according to an announcement. The company said that malicious actors are moving away from the usual “spray and pray” strategy that entails conducting dozens or hundreds of lower-value transactions with stolen payment data, and are instead making fewer and larger attacks.

Retail 133
article thumbnail

Form3 Partners With Mastercard To Advance Real-Time Payments 

PYMNTS

London cloud-processing platform Form3 is partnering with Mastercard to enhance and streamline real-time payments worldwide. “Our partnership with Mastercard will enable Form3 to accelerate its ambitions to grow on an international scale while complementing the services we have today and those we are building for the future,” Michael Mueller , founder and chief executive officer of Form3, said in a press release on Wednesday (Dec. 16).

133
133
article thumbnail

Grocers Rush To Reinvent Themselves

PYMNTS

Although the digital shift brought on by the pandemic has rapidly reshaped the entire retail industry, its impact on the grocery segment in particular has been especially pronounced. In fact, according to a new Omnichannel Grocery Report from ACI Worldwide and PYMNTS, 17.2 percent of all consumers have switched from in-store to online shopping. Ordering for home delivery has become particularly popular, as 23 percent of U.S. consumers — 57 million people — say they are ordering more groceries on

Retail 132
article thumbnail

‘Ship-ageddon 2020’ Just Keeps Getting Worse

PYMNTS

With eCommerce volume way up for the holiday shopping season, we knew it was going to be a tricky year for gift shipping. The reports of potential delays and earlier-than-average shipping windows for Christmas delivery rolled in right on time in early December. UPS imposed shipping restrictions on some large retailers such as Gap, Nike, L.L. Bean Inc., Hot Topic Inc., Newegg Inc. and Macy’s as the shipping giant struggled with unprecedented demand from the pandemic-driven eCommerce surge.

article thumbnail

How CPA Firms Can Profit From Payroll Services Without the Extra Work

"Offer payroll and do it yourself,” they said. “It’ll be fun!” Spoiler alert: It was not fun. Most CPA firms know that they need to offer payroll services to their clients or risk losing them to another firm that will. However, many don’t really want to. It is often time-consuming and complex due to changing tax laws and regulations, and with the growing staffing shortages, most just don’t have the resources.