Many Americans relocate to another state when they retire. If you’re thinking about such a move, state and local taxes should factor into your decision.   Income, property and sales tax Choosing a state that has no personal income tax may appear to be the best option. But that might not be the case once…

Your not-for-profit probably already ensures that donors receive a receipt with information about claiming a charitable contribution deduction on their tax return. But your obligations may go further than that. For noncash donations, you might have responsibilities related to certain tax forms. Form 8283 for donors When filing their tax returns, donors must attach Section…

When school lets out, kids participate in a wide variety of summer activities. If one of the activities your child is involved with is day camp, you might be eligible for a tax credit! Dollar-for-dollar savings Day camp (but not overnight camp) is a qualified expense under the child and dependent care credit, which is…

In 2014, a new accounting standard on how to recognize revenue from contracts was issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). Now the IRS is allowing a new automatic change in accounting method for businesses to use to conform with the new financial accounting standard. This will allow for more book-tax conformity and facilitate…

  If you received a large refund after filing your 2017 income tax return, you’re probably enjoying the influx of cash. But a large refund isn’t all positive. It also means you were essentially giving the government an interest-free loan. That’s why a large refund for the previous tax year would usually indicate that you…

Many companies offer health care benefits to help ensure employee wellness and compete for better job candidates. And the Affordable Care Act has been using both carrots and sticks (depending on employer size) to encourage businesses to offer health coverage. If you sponsor a health care plan, you know this is no small investment. It…

While April 15 (April 17 this year) is the main tax deadline on most individual taxpayers’ minds, there are others through the rest of the year that you also need to be aware of. To help you make sure you don’t miss any important 2018 deadlines, here’s a look at when some key tax-related forms,…

For most not-for-profits, there’s no such thing as too much good publicity. If you’re struggling to get enough attention from media outlets, follow these steps: 1. Seize the day. Raise your nonprofit’s profile by putting out news releases regularly rather than just occasionally. A variety of events, such as the addition of a key staff…

Classifying workers as independent contractors — rather than employees — can save businesses money and provide other benefits. But the IRS is on the lookout for businesses that do this improperly to avoid taxes and employee benefit obligations. To find out how the IRS will classify a particular worker, businesses can file optional IRS Form…

Management wants to paint the rosiest possible picture of a company’s financial performance. But aggressive earnings management, or “spin,” can mislead investors and lenders. Here are some ways U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) can be manipulated to obscure the truth. Creative accounting vs. cooking the books Earnings management usually starts out small, but it…

Auditors often say that the tone at the top of an organization trickles down to every level of the business. Is your company’s work environment ethical and open? If not, corporate culture assessments can help prevent and detect unethical and criminal behaviors. But, to cover all the bases, your external auditors generally must work closely…