Without trust between you and your employees, your business probably wouldn’t be very successful. Delegating responsibility, sharing ideas, working as a team — all require a certain level of trust. However, too much trust can lead to occupational fraud and conflicts of interest. To maintain the proper balance, establish a policy that outlines your disclosure […]
Businesses rely on internal controls to help ensure the accuracy and integrity of their financial statements, as well as prevent fraud, waste and abuse. Given their importance, internal controls are a key area of focus for internal and external auditors. Many auditors use detailed internal control questionnaires to help evaluate the internal control environment — […]
“As IP best practices for businesses continue to shift, even the most seasoned C-suiters find themselves seeking answers to crucial questions. To address these issues and concerns, the Los Angeles Times B2B Publishing team turned to three uniquely knowledgeable professionals for their thoughts on the most important “need to know” insights and to get their assessments […]
In some cases, it may be desirable to move a trust to a more favorable jurisdiction. But moving a trust from one state to another can present significant risks, so don’t attempt to do so without considering all the benefits, limitations and risks, and obtaining professional advice. Reasons to move a trust There are many […]
A critical deadline is approaching for many of the businesses that have received loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was created in March 2020 by the CARES Act. If these borrowers don’t take action before the deadline expires, their loans will become standard loans, and the borrowers could be responsible for repaying the […]
In a recent press release, the Social Security Administration (SSA) advised employers to use its Business Services Online (BSO) Portal to correct employee name and Social Security number (SSN) errors. Doing so will ensure accurate wage reporting for employees. In addition, the SSA announced that it will no longer mail Employer Correction Request Notices (EDCORs) […]
As weather-related events continue to occur with great frequency and severity across the country, it’s possible that one of your 401(k) participants might request a hardship distribution to pay for home repairs. Employers that sponsor 401(k) plans must be prepared to properly determine whether the damage to a participant’s home qualifies for the casualty loss […]
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), signed into law earlier this year, amended and extended the tax credits available to eligible employers that provide paid sick and family leave. This relief is consistent with the COVID-related leave originally provided under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act enacted in March of 2020. Just last month, the […]
Agility — or the ability to react quickly — is essential to surviving and thriving in today’s competitive landscape. Though agile techniques were originally used in the realm of software development, this concept has many applications in the modern business world, including how companies approach their internal audits. Here’s an overview of agile auditing and […]
The IRS just released its audit statistics for the 2020 fiscal year and fewer taxpayers had their returns examined as compared with prior years. But even though a small percentage of returns are being chosen for audit these days, that will be little consolation if yours is one of them. Latest statistics Overall, just 0.5% […]
Are you age 65 and older and have basic Medicare insurance? You may need to pay additional premiums to get the level of coverage you want. The premiums can be expensive, especially if you’re married and both you and your spouse are paying them. But there may be a bright side: You may qualify for […]
As mitigation measures related to COVID-19 ease, it will be interesting to see which practices and regulatory changes taken in response to the pandemic remain in place long-term. One of them might be relief from a sometimes-inconvenient requirement related to the administration of 401(k) plans. A virtual solution In IRS Notice 2021-40, the IRS recently […]