How companies use your identity and what you can do to protect it. One of the most valuable things you own is YOU. Your identity includes the basics – where you live, your age, and your gender. But it also includes your interests, who you know, and what you buy. So, do you know who has your identity? Here’s the life cycle of your identity and what to do to protect it. It gets collected. Think

Here are some suggestions to help you master the art of documenting and organizing your business now and in the future. Document policies and procedures. Write down daily responsibilities, skills needed to complete tasks related to these responsibilities, and the location of all paper and electronic files. Appoint and cross-train backup staff to ensure these daily tasks are done. Document your succession plan. It may not be for another 10 or 20 years, but documenting your

Don’t get shocked by a high tax bill! Be prepared for these pandemic-related tax surprises when you file your 2020 tax return. Taxes on unemployment income. If you received unemployment benefits in 2020, you need to report these benefits on your tax return as taxable income. Check to see if either federal or state taxes were withheld from unemployment payments you received. If taxes were not withheld, you may need to write a check to the

Here are four ways to make sure the preparation of your tax return keeps humming along until it gets filed. Keep tax documents in one place. Missing items are one of the biggest reasons filing a tax return gets delayed! Find a place in your home and put all tax documents in this one place as you receive them. Common missing items this year will include the new 1099-NEC for any taxpayers that are contractors, consultants

Be looking for new Form 1099-NEC! Here are three tasks to consider that will make meeting your business’s information reporting requirements less stressful this tax season. Review your general ledger. Even if you’ve already identified 1099 vendors in your payables system, review current year expenses to make sure no new or infrequent payments have been overlooked. For example, it’s easy to forget that fees totaling $600 or more paid to service providers must be reported on

Common New Year’s resolutions are to lose weight or become more active. Perhaps 2021 is the year to shift focus. Here are seven tips to help you become more financially fit. Create a budget. It’s easy to get into financial trouble if you spend more than you earn. By watching your budget more carefully, you might be surprised by how much you spend in certain areas of your life. Many banks and credit unions offer budgeting

As new year’s celebrations are in the rearview mirror, it’s nice to continue celebrating the resolutions that we are definitely going to achieve! So we asked Uncle Sam – yes that Uncle Sam – what his new year’s resolutions were. This is what he told us… Help the federal government spend less money than it collects. If your family needs to make sure it only spends what it makes, why shouldn’t I do the same thing

As part of your 2021 tax planning, now is the time to review funding your retirement accounts. By establishing your contribution goals at the beginning of each year, the financial impact of saving for your future should be more manageable. Here are annual contribution limits for 2021:   Take action If you have not already done so, please consider: Reviewing and adjusting your periodic contributions to your retirement savings accounts to take full advantage of the

If you or your business received funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the recently passed Emergency Coronavirus Relief Act of 2020 will help to dramatically cut your tax bill. Here’s what you need to know. Background The PPP program was created by the CARES Act in March 2020 to help businesses which were adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualified businesses could apply for and receive loans of up to $10 million. Loan proceeds could

What you need to know NOW! You could soon see another stimulus payment in your bank account with the recent passage of the Emergency Coronavirus Relief Act of 2020, which means more direct relief to you and your family. Here are some of the major points you need to know that are buried inside this $900 billion piece of legislation. Direct stimulus payments to you. The legislation includes a $600 payment per person, including adults and