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

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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.

Sales 246
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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.

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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

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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
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Forecasting Failures Are Costly: Here's How To Fix Them

Speaker: Dave Sackett

Traditional budgeting and forecasting methods can no longer keep pace with today’s rapidly evolving business environment. Static budgets, rigid annual forecasts, and outdated financial models limit an organization’s ability to adapt to market shifts and economic uncertainty. To stay ahead, finance leaders must leverage a future-forward approach—one that leverages real-time data, predictive analytics, and continuous planning to drive smarter financial decisions.

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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.

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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.

More Trending

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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

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Calculation and Compliance: The Importance of Having Both in Your Sales Tax Process

TaxConnex

We understand that sales and use tax may not be your biggest priority, but if not managed correctly, it can cause major headaches. Understanding the various aspects of your sales tax process is critical to minimize your risk and to keep your business on solid ground as it relates to sales tax. If your company is like many businesses these days, you may be tempted to go the “easy route” when determining how best to manage your sales tax requirements.

Sales 130
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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 235
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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
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Are Robots Replacing You? Keeping Humans in the Loop in Automated Environments

Speaker: Erroll Amacker

As businesses increasingly adopt automation, finance leaders must navigate the delicate balance between technology and human expertise. This webinar explores the critical role of human oversight in accounts payable (AP) automation and how a people-centric approach can drive better financial performance. Join us for an insightful discussion on how integrating human expertise into automated workflows enhances decision-making, reduces fraud risks, strengthens vendor relationships, and accelerates R

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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
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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.

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The Importance of S Corporation Basis and Distribution Elections

RogerRossmeisl

S corporations can provide tax advantages over C corporations in the right circumstances. This is true if you expect that the business will incur losses in its early years because shareholders in a C corporation generally get no tax benefit from such losses. Conversely, as an S corporation shareholder, you can deduct your percentage share of these losses on your personal tax return to the extent of your basis in the stock and any loans you personally make to the entity.

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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!).

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Book of Secrets on the Month-End Close

Based off SkyStem's popular e-Book, the book of secrets to the month-end close will be revealed in this one-hour webinar. Learn leading practices when it comes to building a strong and sustainable month-end close that has room to grow and evolve. Learn about the power of precise estimates, why reconciliations are critical to closing the books, how and when to automate, and how the chart of accounts play into your close process.

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

Withum

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Reminder for Businesses to Register with CalSavers

RogerRossmeisl

California has begun their mandate of employer participation in the CalSavers Program. The program’s 3-year phase-in is as follows: Number of Employees: Registration Required by: >100 09/30/2020 >50 06/30/2021 >5 06/30/2022 What is CalSavers? CalSavers is California’s new retirement savings program for workers in the private sector who do not currently have a way to save at work (i.e. the employer does not provide an employee retirement plan (EBP)).

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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 98
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How To Break Digital Transformation Barriers And Accelerate AI Adoption

Speaker: Anna Tiomina, MBA

AI is reshaping industries, yet finance remains one of the slowest adopters. Concerns over compliance, legacy systems, and data silos have made finance teams hesitant to embrace AI-driven transformation. But delaying adoption isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about staying competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape. How can finance leaders overcome these challenges and start leveraging AI effectively?

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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.

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Withum’s Jim Bourke and Ed Mendlowitz Named in 100 Most Influential People in Public Accounting

Withum

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Taking a Traditional IRA Distribution

RogerRossmeisl

Although planning is needed to help build the biggest possible nest egg in your traditional IRA (including a SEP-IRA and SIMPLE-IRA), it’s even more critical that you plan for withdrawals from these tax-deferred retirement vehicles. There are three areas where knowing the fine points of the IRA distribution rules can make a big difference in how much you and your family will keep after taxes.

Education 147
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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%.

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New Software & You: Elevating Your Tech Stack

Speaker: Joe Wroblewski, Senior Sales Engineer

Is your tech stack working for you—or are you working for it ? 🤖 In today’s world of automation and AI, technology should simplify workflows—not add complexity. Seamless integration and interconnectivity are key to maximizing productivity, optimizing workflows, and improving collaboration. Join expert Joe Wroblewski for a practical and insightful session on how you can build a smarter, more connected tech stack that drives efficiency and long-term success!

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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
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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.

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Five Year-End Tax Tips for Not-For-Profit Organizations

Withum

Tax 88
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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.

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The Human Side of Finance: The Intersectionality of People, Culture, Adaptability, and Resilience

Speaker: Melissa Hurrington

Finance isn’t just about the numbers. It’s about the people behind them. In a world of constant disruption, resilient finance teams aren’t just operationally efficient. They are adaptable, engaged, and deeply connected to a strong organizational culture. Success lies at the intersection of people, culture, adaptability, and resilience. Finance leaders who master this balance will build teams that thrive through uncertainty and drive long-term business impact.

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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
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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.

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The Low Income Housing Tax Credit – Don’t Lose it!

Withum

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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
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Demo SkyStem’s Award Winning Month-End Close Solution & Earn $100

Is your finance team bogged down by endless data requests and disorganized spreadsheets during the month-end close? It’s time to consider a better option – automate with ART! SkyStem’s solution works alongside your ERP to transform the close and account reconciliation process and speed up month-end work. Explore SkyStem’s ART - the award-winning account reconciliation automation platform - and receive a $100 Amazon gift card as a thank you for your time.