The Inflation Reduction Act: what’s in it for you?

You may have heard that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed into law recently. While experts have varying opinions about whether it will reduce inflation in the near future, it contains, extends and modifies many climate and energy-related tax credits that may be of interest to individuals. Nonbusiness energy property Before the IRA was […]

Home sweet home: Do you qualify for office deductions?

  If you’re a business owner working from home or an entrepreneur with a home-based side gig, you may qualify for valuable home office deductions. But not everyone who works from home gets the tax break. Employees who work remotely can’t deduct home office expenses under current federal tax law. To qualify for a deduction, […]

Want to see into the future? Delve deeper into forecasting

  For a company to be truly successful, its ownership needs to attempt the impossible: see into the future. Forecasting key metrics — such as sales demand, receivables, payables and working capital — can help you manage overhead, offer competitive prices and keep your business on firm financial footing. Although financial statements are often the […]

Make marketing better with a brand audit

  Mention the word “audit” to a business owner and you’ll probably get an anxious look. But not all audits are of the tax, financial statement or retirement plan variety. You can audit many areas of your company to help you better manage those functions. Take your brand, for example. Your business brand is more […]

Evaluating an ESOP from a succession planning perspective

  If you’ve been in business for a while, you’ve probably considered many different employee benefits. One option that might have crossed your desk is an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Strictly defined, an ESOP is considered a retirement plan for employees. But it can also play a role in succession planning by facilitating the transfer […]

Self-employed? Build a nest egg with a solo 401(k) plan

Do you own a successful small business with no employees and want to set up a retirement plan? Or do you want to upgrade from a SIMPLE IRA or Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) plan? Consider a solo 401(k) if you have healthy self-employment income and want to contribute substantial amounts to a retirement nest egg. […]

Provide employee parking? Here’s what the IRS wants to know

Many offices, plants and other business facilities are once again filled with real, live people. And those hard-working employees need somewhere to park. If your company provides parking as a fringe benefit — either on or near your premises or at a location from which employees commute — the IRS may take an interest in […]

Key aspects of a successful wellness program

  Wellness programs have found a place in many companies’ health care benefits packages, but it hasn’t been easy. Because these programs take many different shapes and sizes, they can be challenging to design, implement and maintain. There’s also the not-so-small matter of compliance: The federal government regulates wellness programs in various ways, including through […]

6 steps to easing employees’ fears about innovation

  Business owners often find the greatest obstacle to innovation isn’t the change itself, but employees’ resistance to it. Their hesitation or outright defiance is frequently driven by fear. Some workers might worry about how the innovation will alter their jobs — or whether it will even eliminate their positions. Others could reject the concept […]