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Not-for-profit executives can be perfectionists — they often know exactly how they want something done and believe they’re the only ones capable of doing it right. Unfortunately, this attitude can alienate staffers and make it difficult to mentor successors and build effective teams. Then there’s the problem of time: There are only so many hours in the work day. To best serve your nonprofit and [...]

It can be challenging to keep track of which accounting rules are changing, when the changes kick in and for which types of entities. Plus, implementing the necessary revisions to your organization’s procedures and systems often takes time and resources. Here are five updates that go live for certain entities this year. 1. Targeted improvements for long-term insurance contracts Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2018-12, [...]

Accounting is a critical element when launching a successful business venture. Unfortunately, it’s also an area where startups tend to make mistakes. Here are some common (and avoidable) errors that entrepreneurs should watch out for. Failing to track expenses Starting a new business is exciting — and it’s natural to focus on generating revenue and building business relationships. But it’s essential to keep detailed records [...]

If your not-for-profit has an endowment, you probably know it’s a major responsibility. Endowment investments generally need to be managed by a financial expert, and your organization must adhere to certain regulations, particularly when it comes to spending. As a refresher — or primer for new employees or board members — here are the basics of endowment management. Prudent decisions First, it’s important to distinguish endowments [...]

Most not-for-profits can’t afford to turn down offers of financial support. At the same time, you shouldn’t blindly accept government or foundation grants simply because they’re offered. Some grants may come with excessive administrative burdens, cost inefficiencies and lost opportunities. Here’s how to evaluate them. Administrative and other burdens Smaller or newer nonprofits are at particular risk of unexpected consequences when they accept grants. But larger [...]

A new refugee resettlement charity had only just begun operating when its director realized something: She wasn’t sure how to value the many donations of clothing and household goods community members had dropped off. Was value simply the price her not-for-profit would charge if it sold the goods in a rummage sale or on an auction website? Even established organizations may not know what value [...]

When companies report financial results, they often rely on estimates made by management. Examples include the allowance for doubtful accounts, warranty obligations, costs of pending litigation, goodwill impairment and the fair values of acquired intangible assets. How do auditors evaluate whether amounts reported on the financial statements for these items seem reasonable? Inquiry and testing Accounting estimates may be based on subjective or objective information [...]

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) recently published its second post-implementation review on critical audit matters (CAMs). The report found that, while the proportion of auditor’s reports that have a single CAM has increased, the average number of CAMs has declined over time. Here’s what you should know. Defining CAMs Auditors of public companies started reporting CAMs in their audit opinions in 2019. The [...]

Most retirement plan distributions are subject to income tax and may be subject to an additional penalty if you take an early withdrawal. What’s considered early? In general, it’s when participants take money out of a traditional IRA or other qualified retirement plan before age 59½. Such distributions are generally taxable and may be subject to a 10% penalty tax. Note: The additional penalty tax [...]

The IRS announced it opened the 2023 individual income tax return filing season on January 23. That’s when the agency began accepting and processing 2022 tax year returns. Even if you typically don’t file until much closer to the mid-April deadline (or you file for an extension), consider filing earlier this year. The reason is you can potentially protect yourself from tax identity theft. Here [...]

If your small business has a retirement plan, and even if it doesn’t, you may see changes and benefits from a new law. The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement 2.0 Act (SECURE 2.0) was recently signed into law. Provisions in the law will kick in over several years. SECURE 2.0 is meant to build on the original SECURE Act, which was signed into [...]

An array of tax-related limits that affect businesses are indexed annually, and due to high inflation, many have increased more than usual for 2023. Here are some that may be important to you and your business. Social Security tax The amount of employees’ earnings that are subject to Social Security tax is capped for 2023 at $160,200 (up from $147,000 for 2022). Deductions Section 179 [...]

The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) was a valuable tax credit that helped employers that kept workers on staff during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the credit is no longer available, eligible employers that haven’t yet claimed it might still be able to do so by filing amended payroll returns for tax years 2020 and 2021. However, the IRS is warning employers to beware [...]

Although the national price of gas is a bit lower than it was a year ago, the optional standard mileage rate used to calculate the deductible cost of operating an automobile for business will be going up in 2023. The IRS recently announced that the 2023 cents-per-mile rate for the business use of a car, van, pickup or panel truck is 65.5 cents. These rates [...]