Naming a minor as beneficiary of a life insurance policy or retirement plan can lead to unintended outcomes
A common estate planning mistake is to designate a minor as beneficiary — or contingent beneficiary — of a life insurance policy or retirement plan. While making your young child the beneficiary of such assets may seem like an excellent way to provide for him or her in the case of your untimely death, doing […]
Use the proper tools to fix a broken trust
An irrevocable trust has long been a key component of many estate plans. But what if it no longer serves your purposes? Is it too late to change it? Depending on applicable state law, you may have options to fix a “broken” trust. How trusts break There are several reasons a trust can break, including: […]
Bookings vs. shippings: A sales flash report primer
Do bad sales months often take you by surprise? If so, don’t forget the power of flash reports — that is, snapshots of critical data for quick, timely viewing every day or week. One specific way to use them is to track bookings vs. shippings. Doing so can help you determine what percentage of volume […]
It’s time for a midyear checkup!
Time flies when you’re busy running a business. But it’s important to occasionally pause and assess interim performance — otherwise you’re likely to be surprised by the year-end results. When reviewing midyear financial reports, however, recognize their potential shortcomings. These reports might not be as reliable as year-end financials, unless a CPA prepares them or […]
Don’t let collaborative arrangements cause financial reporting headaches
Businesses often enter into so-called “collaborative arrangements” when they partner with another entity on a major project. Unfortunately, the current guidance for these types of arrangements under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) is somewhat vague. Here are some questions that may arise as participants report shared costs and revenue on their income statements, along […]
