Build flexibility into your estate plan with powers of appointment
June 3, 2020 Knowledge Center
Build flexibility into your estate plan with powers of appointment

There are several tools you can use to build flexibility into your estate plan. Flexibility is especially important now because of an uncertain estate planning environment. The federal gift and estate tax exemption currently is an inflation-adjusted $11.58 million (the highest it’s ever been) but it’s scheduled to drop to its pre-2018 level of $5 million (indexed […]

How to Protect Your Organization from Cyberattacks
June 1, 2020 Knowledge Center
How to Protect Your Organization from Cyberattacks

By David Lam, CISSP, CPP; Kim Pease, CISSP; and Stan Stahl, Ph.D.   With more people working from home, more cybercriminals seeking to take advantage of the new normal, and IT departments stretched thin, the risk of cyberattacks and security incidents has been magnified considerably. Here are some practical tips and best practices for protecting […]

Non-GAAP measures can be misleading
May 28, 2020 Knowledge Center
Non-GAAP measures can be misleading

Not all companies follow U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Many smaller businesses, for example, have adopted the AICPA’s Financial Reporting Framework for Small and Medium-Sized Entities because it’s easier to follow. Other businesses may use non-GAAP measures because they don’t believe GAAP provides readers of financial reports with enough information to make informed decisions. […]

Student loan interest: Can you deduct it on your tax return?
May 28, 2020 Knowledge Center
Student loan interest: Can you deduct it on your tax return?

The economic impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is unprecedented and many taxpayers with student loans have been hard hit. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act contains some assistance to borrowers with federal student loans. Notably, federal loans were automatically placed in an administrative forbearance, which allows borrowers to temporarily stop making […]

Looking for a trust that can also act as a financial backup plan? Consider a SLAT
May 27, 2020 Knowledge Center
Looking for a trust that can also act as a financial backup plan? Consider a SLAT

Some of the most effective estate planning strategies involve setting up irrevocable trusts. For a trust to be deemed irrevocable, you, the grantor, lose all incidents of ownership of the trust’s assets. In other words, you’re effectively removing those assets from your taxable estate. But what if you’re uncomfortable placing your assets beyond your control? […]

Is your nonprofit’s tap running dry?
May 21, 2020 Knowledge Center
Is your nonprofit’s tap running dry?

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has put enormous financial stress on many not-for-profits — whether they’re temporarily shut down or actively fighting the pandemic. If cash flow has dried up, your organization may need to do more than trim expenses. Here’s how to assess your financial condition and take appropriate action. Put your board in […]

Important Clarifications Regarding the Paycheck Protection Program
May 19, 2020 COVID-19
Important Clarifications Regarding the Paycheck Protection Program

By Nicholas Sanchez, J.D., LL.M. Taxation; and Kaveh Imandoust, J.D., M.B.T., CPA   As agencies continue to release guidance on the relief provisions contained in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), we are beginning to find answers to questions for which we previously could only speculate. In the last two weeks, […]

Recent efforts to corral COVID-19 fraudsters
May 18, 2020 COVID-19
Recent efforts to corral COVID-19 fraudsters

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has opened the floodgates to scam artists attempting to profit from sick, anxious and financially vulnerable Americans. On the frontlines fighting fraud are the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) and other government agencies. Here are some of the fraud schemes they’re actively investigating —  and the perpetrators […]

A reminder of why cross-training your accounting staff is key
May 17, 2020 Knowledge Center
A reminder of why cross-training your accounting staff is key

Imagine this scenario: A company’s controller is hospitalized for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and she’s the only person inside the company who knows how its accounting and payroll software works. She also is the only person with check signing authority, besides the owner, who is in lockdown at his second home out of state. Meanwhile, […]

Give employees a voice to report fraud
May 14, 2020 COVID-19
Give employees a voice to report fraud

Before the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic struck, employees who suspected occupational fraud in their organizations had multiple options for notifying their employers. For example, they could use interoffice mail to send information anonymously or meet with HR personnel in person. Reporting options for employees working from home are more limited — particularly if they wish […]

There’s still time to make a deductible IRA contribution for 2019
May 12, 2020 Knowledge Center
There’s still time to make a deductible IRA contribution for 2019

Do you want to save more for retirement on a tax-favored basis? If so, and if you qualify, you can make a deductible traditional IRA contribution for the 2019 tax year between now and the extended tax filing deadline and claim the write-off on your 2019 return. Or you can contribute to a Roth IRA […]

Subchapter V: A silver lining for small businesses mulling bankruptcy
May 12, 2020 COVID-19
Subchapter V: A silver lining for small businesses mulling bankruptcy

Many small businesses continue to struggle in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Some have already closed their doors and are liquidating assets. Others, however, may have a relatively less onerous option: bankruptcy. Although bankruptcy obviously isn’t an optimal outcome for any small company, there may be a silver lining: A new bankruptcy law […]