Ideas & Insight

If you recently filed for your 2016 income tax return (rather than filing for an extension) you may now be wondering whether it’s likely that your business could be audited by the IRS based on your filing. Here’s what every business owner should know about an IRS Audit: Catching the IRS’s eye Many business audits occur […]

  One missing  document can become very costly for Contractors. Here are 5 tips to protect your business and save you money. 1.Your Subcontractor’s Work Comp Exemption Cert is not Enough Many contractors think if their subcontractor provides them a Workers’ Compensation Exemption Certificate that they are covered. If an individual is hurt on your […]

A potential downside of tax-deferred saving through a traditional retirement plan is that you’ll have to pay taxes when you make withdrawals at retirement. Roth plans, on the other hand, allow tax-free distributions; the trade-off is that contributions to these plans don’t reduce your current-year taxable income.  Unfortunately, your employer might not offer a Roth […]

Many companies take an ad hoc approach to technology. If you’re among them, it’s understandable; you probably had to automate some tasks before others, your tech needs have likely evolved over time, and technology itself is always changing. It may be time for you to create a strategic IT plan. Unfortunately, all of your different […]

Concentration risks are a threat to your supply chain. These occur when a company relies on a customer or supplier for 10% or more of its revenue or materials, or on several customers or suppliers located in the same geographic region. If a key customer or supplier experiences turmoil, the repercussions travel up or down […]

Picking someone to lead your company after you step down is probably among the hardest aspects of retiring (or otherwise moving on). Sure, there are some business owners who have a ready-made successor waiting in the wings at a moment’s notice. But many have a few viable candidates to consider — others have too few. […]

Providing a strong package of employee benefits is a competitive imperative in today’s business world. Like many employers, you’ve probably worked hard to put together a solid menu of offerings to your staff. Unfortunately, many employees don’t perceive the full value of the benefits they receive. Why is this important? An underwhelming perception of value […]

Many business owners are accustomed to running the whole show. But as your company grows, you’ll likely be better off sharing responsibility for major decisions. Whether you’ve recruited experienced managers or developed “home grown” talent, you can empower these employees by taking a more collaborative approach to management. Not employees — team members Successful collaboration […]

Private companies with more than one owner should have a buy-sell agreement to spell out how ownership shares will change hands should an owner depart. For businesses structured as C corporations, the agreements also have significant tax implications that are important to understand. Buy-sell basics A buy-sell agreement sets up parameters for the transfer of […]

Reimbursing employee’s education expenses can both strengthen the capabilities of your staff and help you retain them. In addition, you and your employees may be able to save valuable tax dollars. But you have to follow IRS rules. Here are a couple of options for maximizing tax savings. A fringe benefit Qualifying reimbursements and direct […]