End of COVID-19 public health emergency may affect employers’ health plans
April 21, 2023 Knowledge Center
End of COVID-19 public health emergency may affect employers’ health plans

In January, the Biden administration issued a policy statement indicating its intent to extend the COVID-19 national emergency (NE) and public health emergency (PHE) declarations to May 11, 2023, and then end both emergencies on that date. However, in a Joint Resolution, Congress passed and the President signed legislation ending the COVID-19 NE on April 10. The […]

Paperwork you can toss after filing your tax return
April 20, 2023 Knowledge Center
Paperwork you can toss after filing your tax return

Once you file your 2022 tax return, you may wonder what personal tax papers you can throw away and how long you should retain certain records. You may have to produce those records if the IRS audits your return or seeks to assess tax. It’s a good idea to keep the actual returns indefinitely. But […]

New-and-improved accounting rules for common control leases
April 18, 2023 Knowledge Center
New-and-improved accounting rules for common control leases

On March 27, 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) published narrowly drawn amendments to the lease accounting rules. The updated guidance clarifies issues that are relevant to rental agreements between businesses that have the same owner. Written vs. verbal leases Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2023-01, Leases (Topic 842) Common Control Arrangements, explains how […]

IRS guidance coming regarding the IRA’s Clean Vehicle Credit
April 14, 2023 Knowledge Center
IRS guidance coming regarding the IRA’s Clean Vehicle Credit

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) extended and expanded the Section 30D Clean Vehicle (CV) Credit, previously known as the Electric Vehicle (EV) Credit. The credit now covers “clean vehicles,” which include plug-in hybrids, hydrogen fuel cell cars and EVs. On April 17, 2023, the IRS will publish proposed regulations to clarify how a CV can qualify for the credit. […]

Benchmarking to gauge risk in business valuation
April 13, 2023 Knowledge Center
Benchmarking to gauge risk in business valuation

Benchmarking — or comparing a company’s financials to those of industry peers and its own historical performance — can provide insight into future cash flows and operating risks. Business valuation professionals use the following types of benchmarks to assess company-specific risk and, in turn, a subject company’s expected return. Profitability Profitability metrics evaluate how much […]

Reminder: California’s 2023 tax season deadline extended
April 11, 2023 Knowledge Center
Reminder: California’s 2023 tax season deadline extended

Have you started filing your taxes yet? Coming on the heels of inclement weather in January (winter storms, flooding, landslides, mudslides, etc.)., the state of California, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the IRS agreed to offer filing extensions to those who qualify within the state and specifically within the Los Angeles, San Diego, […]

The current standard for approving 401(k) hardship distributions
April 7, 2023 Knowledge Center
The current standard for approving 401(k) hardship distributions

Employers that offer a 401(k) plan should generally encourage participants to invest as much as they can and not touch the money until retirement. However, there may be instances when employees feel they need to access their plan funds before reaching retirement age. In some of those cases, participants may qualify for a 401(k) hardship […]

Should you move your trust to another state?
April 4, 2023 Knowledge Center
Should you move your trust to another state?

There are several reasons why you may want to move a trust to a more favorable jurisdiction. For instance, to avoid or reduce state income tax on the trust’s accumulated ordinary income or capital gains. However, before doing so, it’s critical to understand the risks. Revocable trust vs. irrevocable trust Many people retire to states […]

Plan carefully to avoid GST tax surprises
March 31, 2023 Knowledge Center
Plan carefully to avoid GST tax surprises

If you want to share some of your wealth with your grandchildren or great grandchildren — or if your estate plan is likely to benefit these generations — it’s critical to consider and plan for the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax. Designed to ensure that wealth is taxed at each generational level, the GST tax is […]

Going green could save greenbacks and more
March 30, 2023 Knowledge Center
Going green could save greenbacks and more

Nowadays many businesses are looking for creative ways to cut costs and preserve profits. As a bonus, some profit-enhancement initiatives can also be good for the environment. Here are some eco-friendly moves that may enable your business to cut costs — as well as build revenue and long-term value. Cost-cutting measures The most obvious way […]

7 questions to ask about a business valuation report
March 28, 2023 Knowledge Center
7 questions to ask about a business valuation report

Business valuation experts will usually provide formal written reports that explain how they arrived at their conclusions. Asking seven questions can help you determine whether an expert’s report is comprehensive and on-point. 1. Did the expert properly define the engagement? Most valuation reports start with a detailed description of the assignment. Beyond the name of […]

ACA penalties will rise in 2024
March 24, 2023 Knowledge Center
ACA penalties will rise in 2024

Recently, the IRS announced 2024 indexing adjustments to the applicable dollar amount used to calculate employer shared responsibility penalties under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Although next year might seem a long way off, it’s best to get an early start on determining whether your business is an applicable large employer (ALE) under the ACA. If […]