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Is it time to review your beneficiary designations?
A will or revocable trust may form the core of your estate plan, but for many people, a substantial amount of wealth bypasses these traditional estate planning tools and is transferred to their loved ones through beneficiary designations. These “nonprobate assets” may include IRAs and certain employer-sponsored retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and some bank…
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If you gave to charity in 2023, check to see that you have substantiation
Did you donate to charity last year? Acknowledgment letters from the charities you gave to may have already shown up in your mailbox. But if you don’t receive such a letter, can you still claim a deduction for the gift on your 2023 income tax return? It depends. What the law requires To prove a…
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Seeing the big picture with an enterprise risk management program
There’s no way around it — owning and operating a business comes with risk. On the one hand, operating under excessive levels of risk will likely impair the value of a business, consume much of its working capital and could even lead to bankruptcy if those risks become all-consuming. But on the other hand, no…
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Filing jointly or separately as a married couple: What’s the difference?
When you file your tax return, a tax filing status must be chosen. This status is used to determine your standard deduction, tax rates, eligibility for certain tax breaks and your correct tax. The five filing statuses are: Single Married filing jointly, Married filing separately, Head of household, and Qualifying surviving spouse. If you’re married,…
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3 common forms of insurance fraud (and how businesses can fight back)
Businesses of all shapes and sizes are well-advised to buy various forms of insurance to manage operational risks. But insurance itself is far from risk-free. You might overpay for a policy that you don’t really need. Or you could invest in cheap coverage that does you little to no good when you need it. Perhaps the…
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There’s a new threshold for electronically filing information returns
Does your business file 10 or more information returns with the IRS? If so, you must now file them electronically. This is a significant rule change that went into effect on January 1, 2024, for 2023 tax year information returns. The threshold for electronically filing most information returns has dropped from 250 to 10. Before the…
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Best practices for M&A due diligence
Engaging in a merger or acquisition (M&A) can help your business grow, but it also can be risky. Buyers must understand the strengths and weaknesses of their intended partners or acquisition targets before entering the transactions. A robust due diligence process does more than assess the reasonableness of the sales price. It also can help…
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The IRS unveils ERTC relief program for employers
Since July 2023, the IRS has taken a series of actions in response to what it has termed a “flood of ineligible claims” for the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC). Most recently, it launched a Voluntary Disclosure Program (VDP). The program presents a valuable, but temporary, opportunity for eligible employers. Flood of invalid ERTC claims The…
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Solid financial reporting can help attract debt and equity financing
Financial reporting plays a key role when a business needs funds for continued operations and strategic investment opportunities. Lenders and investors will generally want to review your company’s financial statements before they give it money. Timely, reliable reports can increase the odds that a bank will approve your company’s loan application and equity investors will…
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2024 tax calendar
To help you make sure you don’t miss any important 2024 deadlines, we’ve provided this summary of when various tax-related forms, payments and other actions are due. Please review the calendar and let us know if you have any questions about the deadlines or would like assistance in meeting them. © 2024
