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Launching a Small Business? Here are Some Tax Considerations
While many businesses have been forced to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some entrepreneurs have started new small businesses. Many of these people start out operating as sole proprietors. Here are some tax rules and considerations involved in operating with that entity. The pass-through deduction To the extent your business generates qualified business income…
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Defrauded? How to Help Your Nonprofit Recover
Thousands of not-for-profit organizations fall victim to embezzlement schemes every year — some even losing millions of dollars. But losses go beyond actual dollar amounts. The hit to a group’s reputation may scare off donors, grantmakers and other supporters. However, with the right response, nonprofits can bounce back from fraud. Here’s how. One best practice…
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Rebuilding Your Nonprofit’s Operating Reserves
Events of the past year put a dent in many not-for-profit’s reserves. Perhaps you tapped this stash to buy personal protective equipment or to pay staffers’ salaries when your budget no longer proved adequate. As the pandemic wanes and economic conditions improve, you’ll need to start thinking about rebuilding your operating reserves. Back on steady…
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Didn’t Contribute to an IRA Last Year? There Still May be Time
If you’re getting ready to file your 2020 tax return, and your tax bill is higher than you’d like, there might still be an opportunity to lower it. If you qualify, you can make a deductible contribution to a traditional IRA right up until the April 15, 2021 filing date and benefit from the tax…
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Retiring Soon? Recent Law Changes May Have an Impact on Your Retirement Savings
If you’re approaching retirement, you probably want to ensure the money you’ve saved in retirement plans lasts as long as possible. If so, be aware that a law was recently enacted that makes significant changes to retirement accounts. The SECURE Act, which was signed into law in late 2019, made a number of changes of…
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Estimated Tax Payments: The Deadline for the First 2021 Installment is Coming Up
April 15 is not only the deadline for filing your 2020 tax return, it’s also the deadline for the first quarterly estimated tax payment for 2021, if you’re required to make one. You may have to make estimated tax payments if you receive interest, dividends, alimony, self-employment income, capital gains, prize money or other income.…
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Should Your Business Add Roth Contributions to its 401(k)?
If your business sponsors a 401(k) plan, you might someday consider adding designated Roth contributions. Here are some factors to explore when deciding whether such a feature would make sense for your company and its employees. Key differences Roth contributions differ from other elective deferrals in two key tax respects. First, they’re irrevocably designated to…
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PPP Adjusted to Prioritize Very Small Businesses
When the Small Business Administration (SBA) launched the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) last year, the program’s stated objective was “to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll.” However, according to federal officials, the recently issued second round of funding has distributed only a small percentage of the $15 billion…
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Reporting Restricted Cash
Your company’s financial statements should be transparent about any restrictions on cash. Are your reporting practices in compliance with the current accounting guidance? The basics Restricted cash is a separate category of “cash and cash equivalents” that isn’t available for general business operations or investments. There are many types of restricted cash. For example, companies…
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Analytical Procedures Can Help Make Your Audit More Efficient
The use of audit analytics can help during the planning and review stages of the audit. But analytics can have an even bigger impact when these procedures are used to supplement substantive testing during fieldwork. Definition of “analytics” Auditors use analytical procedures to evaluate financial information by assessing relationships among financial and nonfinancial data. Examples…
