News and Posts

Most not-for-profits encourage donors to make unrestricted contributions that will give the organization flexibility to use the money where it’s needed most. But there will always be some donors who place restrictions on their gifts — and these require a higher level of responsibility. If your nonprofit fails to use a restricted donation as intended, it’s possible the donor will request its return, potentially resorting [...]

It’s a new year with new opportunities for your not-for-profit to boost its financial resilience. Although COVID-19 continues to make forecasting difficult, your staff and your board’s finance committee can take steps to negotiate obstacles. Here are three. 1. Managing reserves and cash flow Financial reserves have taken a hit across all types of nonprofits, and for some organizations, fundraising has fallen far short of [...]

Social media is an essential tool for not-for-profit outreach, engagement and fundraising. But social media also poses a reputational threat if your organization doesn’t clearly communicate rules for its use and prepare for “emergencies.” If you haven’t already, it’s time to implement some best practices. Rules of the road The line between employees’ personal and work lives was already blurry, and the shift to remote [...]

Forecasting key business metrics — such as sales demand, receivables, payables and working capital — can help you reduce excess inventory and other overhead, offer competitive prices, and keep your business on solid financial footing. Although historical financial statements are often the starting point for forecasts, you’ll need to do more than just multiply last year’s numbers by a projected growth rate, especially in today’s [...]

While Congress didn’t pass the Build Back Better Act in 2021, there are still tax changes that may affect your tax situation for this year. That’s because some tax figures are adjusted annually for inflation.   If you’re like most people, you’re probably more concerned about your 2021 tax bill right now than you are about your 2022 tax situation. That’s understandable because your 2021 [...]

Ineffective inventory management and reporting can result in bloated working capital and impaired business profits. In industries that rely on overseas suppliers, best practices for managing inventory may have recently changed. In today’s uncertain marketplace, it’s clearly a good idea to review your current approach and make adjustments as needed. What’s the right reporting method? Accurate recordkeeping is fundamental to effective inventory management. Generally, there [...]

If you’ve paid or accrued foreign taxes to a foreign country and are subject to U.S. tax on the same income, you may be able to claim a foreign tax credit. Generally, only income, war profits and excess profits taxes qualify for the credit. The IRS recently issued final regulations relating to the foreign tax credit. Among other things, the regs provide guidance on the [...]

Here are some of the key tax-related deadlines affecting businesses and other employers during the first quarter of 2022. Keep in mind that this list isn’t all-inclusive, so there may be additional deadlines that apply to you. Contact us to ensure you’re meeting all applicable deadlines and to learn more about the filing requirements. January 17 (The usual deadline of January 15 is a Saturday) [...]

How do you determine if a worker is an employee or an independent contractor? The IRS Office of Federal, State, and Local Government recently held a webinar to answer that question. Worker classification is determined by the relationship between a worker and the business, and whether the business can control how tasks are performed. A business controls a worker if it can place restrictions on [...]

You may pay out a bundle in out-of-pocket medical costs each year. But can you deduct them on your tax return? It’s possible but not easy. Medical expenses can be claimed as a deduction only to the extent your unreimbursed costs exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. Plus, medical expenses are deductible only if you itemize, which means that your itemized deductions must exceed [...]

Businesses should use Form 1099-NEC, “Nonemployee Compensation,” to report payments of $600 or more to nonemployees during 2021. Be aware that such payments could be subject to backup withholding in certain cases. Payers of nonemployee compensation during 2021 generally are required to file these forms by Jan. 31, 2022. Backup withholding could apply if the recipient of compensation hasn’t provided a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) to [...]

Management needs timely, accurate feedback to guide operating decisions, anticipate problems and take advantage of emerging opportunities. Unfortunately, comprehensive financial statements take a long time to generate. Reporting key performance indicators (KPIs) on a monthly or weekly basis is a simplified alternative to gauge performance in real time. Popular financial metrics KPIs measure an organization’s progress toward its objectives. However, with so many metrics to [...]

Here are some of the key tax-related deadlines affecting businesses and other employers during the first quarter of 2022. Keep in mind that this list isn’t all-inclusive, so there may be additional deadlines that apply to you. Contact us to ensure you’re meeting all applicable deadlines and to learn more about the filing requirements. January 17 (The usual deadline of January 15 is a Saturday) [...]

The U.S. Tax Court ruled that a married couple’s miniature donkey breeding activity was conducted with a profit motive. The IRS had earlier determined it was a hobby and the couple was liable for taxes and penalties for the two tax years in which they claimed losses of more than $130,000. However, the court found the couple had a business plan, kept separate records and [...]