Having solid internal accounting controls is important to make sure your company’s financial operations run smoothly. These controls not only reduce the risk of fraud or errors but also keep your assets safe from loss or misuse. Internal controls also give you reliable financial data for making smart management decisions. So don’t forget to these safeguards in place!
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In a business of any size, financial reporting is critical to the success of the organization. Why are financial statements important? Because when stakeholders need a clear financial picture of your organization, financial statements are the first thing they turn to. The process of financial statement preparation is an important one to be familiar with, whether you require these statements annually around tax time, or on a more regular basis.
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Choosing the best retirement plan for small business owners and their employees is no simple matter. Learning the nuances between a traditional IRA, including the Simple IRA and SEP IRA, can make your head swim. Add to that 401k plan options like Traditional, PEP, Solo, Roth, and Safe Harbor 401k, and you’re practically under water.
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Going paperless is becoming standard in the business world. If your company has not converted to electronic filing, now is a great time to understand the benefits of digital documents and what steps you can take to implement an electronic filing system.
Digital copies won’t deteriorate. Over time, paper documents can fade, fall apart, incur water damage, or disappear altogether. On the other hand, electronic documents that are added to a filing system will stay in the same condition forever.
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Looking for an accountant that meets your business needs can be confusing. There are many certifications that can be earned, from a basic college degree in accounting to specializations in fraud, bookkeeping, and internal auditing.
So how do you know who to hire? Like choosing a doctor, you want your accountant to have the skills and knowledge to do a trustworthy job. And like a doctor, that accountant should be certified by a well-known accreditation council.
Let’s take a look at what an Accredited Business Accountant is and if hiring one is right for your business.
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In a business of any size, financial reporting is critical to the success of the organization. When stakeholders need a clear financial picture of your organization, financial statements are the first place to which they turn. The process of preparing financial statements is an important one to be familiar with, whether you require these statements annually around tax time, or on a more regular basis.
Before we dive into the preparation of financial statements, first let’s explore what exactly they are and what they’re used for.
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The Coronavirus known as COVID-19 has changed the world’s day-to-day life. The future is uncertain in terms of health and social interaction. One of the biggest concerns many face is financial stability. One in five American households are out of work because businesses are closing, and the stock market is becoming increasingly volatile. Because of this, income insecurity is turning into a very real problem.
However, there are elements that you can control to feel more stable in a time of instability. These tips for managing finances can help you to survive a recession while setting yourself up for success in the future.
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Nearly all tax professionals have become familiar with the changes introduced by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which went into effect at the beginning of 2018. Among other implications, the act affects deductions made for tax returns. Below is an infographic guide to the new laws surrounding meals and entertainment deductions for businesses.
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Health Reimbursement Agreements (HRAs) have been around since the 1970s, but are getting more attention due to the recent changes implemented by the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury. On June 13, 2019, they issued a new rule beginning in 2020 that allows employees to use an HRA set up by their employer to pay for health insurance premiums, a perk that was not allowed under previous HRA rules.
A Per Diem (Latin for “per day”) is a fixed daily reimbursement that a business gives to its employees who are traveling longer than a day for business purposes. Per Diem payments can be given for both lodging and meals & incidental expenses (M&IE) or only M&IE, depending on the situation and where the employee is traveling. For example, the company may have a dedicated condo for employee travel in a specific city and thus would not need to reimburse its employees for lodging there. M&IE includes any expense associated with traveling away from home that doesn’t fall into the lodging category. M&IE examples are meals, room service, luggage handlers, dry cleaning, and tips.
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