Because the average investment account boasts a much larger balance than a typical checking or savings account, cybercriminals are particularly interested in hacking them. Financial institutions are largely responsible for ensuring the security of these accounts, but business customers and consumers also should adopt defensive measures. Here are five recommendations. Select two-step authentication. Most financial service […]
The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic fallout have spurred layoffs and furloughs for many employers. As the months pass, organizations that have retained employees face another dilemma: How should we handle compensation changes? Pay raises have been out of the question for some organizations. In fact, more than 25% of employers surveyed in June by […]
In Notice 2020-54, the IRS recently provided guidance to employers on Form W-2 reporting of qualified sick leave wages and qualified family leave wages. These are the wages paid to employees under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The guidance requires employers to report the amount of qualified sick leave wages and qualified family leave wages paid […]
Your nonprofit organization may be required to hire an independent outside CPA to audit its books, depending on its annual gross receipts and other factors. Even when external audits aren’t mandated, however, they’re often recommended. These audits can provide assurance to donors and other stakeholders that your organization is operating with integrity and within acceptable […]
Not-for-profits sometimes team up with other entities to boost efficiency, save money and better serve both organizations’ constituencies. This can be a smart move — so long as your accounting staff knows how to report the activities of the two organizations. How you handle reporting depends on the nature of your new relationship. Collaborative arrangements […]
You’ve probably seen it in the movies or on TV: A close-knit family gathers to find out what’s contained in the will of a wealthy patriarch or matriarch. When the terms are revealed, a niece, for example, benefits at the expense her uncle, causing a ruckus. This “bad blood” continues to boil between estranged family […]
Unlike some legitimate businesses, organized crime enterprises can be expected to weather the current COVID-19 crisis. In fact, with millions of Americans now working from home, organized crime-related cyber fraud — including phishing schemes and ransomware attacks — has grown exponentially. If you haven’t done so recently, it’s important to review and possibly upgrade your […]
Nearly everyone owns at least some digital assets, such as online bank and brokerage accounts, bill-paying services, cloud-based document storage, digital music collections, social media accounts, and domain names. But what happens to these assets when you die or if you become incapacitated? The answer depends on several factors, including the terms of your service […]
Recently, the Federal Reserve announced that not-for-profit organizations may also apply for loans under the $600 billion Main Street Lending Program. Previously open only to for-profit businesses with more than 100 employees, the program offers low-interest loans with relatively relaxed repayment terms. If your organization needs funding to keep operating during this difficult period, a […]
Want to increase your not-for-profit’s revenue? First try analyzing current income as a professional auditor might. Then, you can apply your conclusions to setting annual goals, preparing your budget and managing other aspects of your organization. Compare contributions Compare the donation dollars raised inpast years to pinpoint trends. For example, have individual contributions been increasing […]
New technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, increasingly are being applied to the old problem of occupational fraud. But in most circumstances, common accounting tools — “variance analysis” and “contribution margin” — remain effective in uncovering possible evidence of theft. Gaps and absences After your organization finalizes its annual budget, you may perform a […]
If you have adopted children or unadopted stepchildren, estate planning is critical to ensure that your property is distributed the way you desire. Adopted children Adopted children are placed on an equal footing with biological children in most situations for estate planning purposes. Thus, adopted and biological children are treated the same way under a […]