Major events or transactions — such as a natural disaster, a cyberattack, a regulatory change or the loss of a large business contract — may happen after the reporting period ends but before financial statements are finalized. The decision of whether to report these so-called “subsequent events” is one of the gray areas in financial […]
An experienced business valuation professional considers more than just a company’s financial statements when quantifying its value. The professional conducts detailed interviews and asks for a variety of documents when gathering information to use to value the business — and some of this information may provide objective insight into how much the owners believe the […]
Executives often receive lucrative compensation packages. But for some, it isn’t enough and they engage in illegal activities to line their own pockets. The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) has found that owners and executives commit 20% of occupational fraud. However, they’re responsible for the largest median loss of $600,000. (In comparison, rank-and-file employees […]
Summer is just around the corner. If you’re fortunate enough to own a vacation home, you may wonder about the tax consequences of renting it out for part of the year. The tax treatment depends on how many days it’s rented and your level of personal use. Personal use includes vacation use by your relatives […]
As of this writing, many public health experts are cautiously optimistic that cases, hospitalizations and deaths related to COVID-19 will continue to trend downward or at least remain at manageable levels in most areas. The United States might finally be moving from pandemic to endemic. This means that many employers can, at long last, greenlight […]
Inattention to beneficiary designations and jointly titled assets can quickly unravel your estate plan. Suppose, for example, that your will provides for all of your property to be divided equally among your three children. But what if your IRA, which names the oldest child as beneficiary, accounts for half of the estate? In that case, […]
Once a relatively obscure concept, “income in respect of a decedent” (IRD) may create a surprising tax bill for those who inherit certain types of property, such as IRAs or other retirement plans. Fortunately, there may be ways to minimize or even eliminate the IRD tax bite. Basic rules For the most part, property you […]
For 2022, the federal gift and estate tax exemption has reached its highest level ever. In fact, you can transfer up to $12.06 million by gift or bequest without triggering federal transfer taxes. This is a limited time offer, however, as the exemption amount is scheduled to drop to $5 million (adjusted for inflation) in […]
In a historically tenuous time to retain employees, small employers are particularly at risk. Whereas a large employer might be able to shift duties or promote from within to cover the departure of one or more staff members, small employers are often left high and dry with no one to cover certain shifts or tasks. One […]
In late January, a survey entitled “Audit Committee Practices Report: Common Threads Across Audit Committees” was published by Deloitte and the Center for Audit Quality, an affiliate of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. The survey analyzed 246 responses, including 86% of respondents who served on audit committees of public companies. Here are some […]
Precise language is critical in wills, trusts and other estate planning documents. A lack of clarity may be an invitation to litigation. An example of this is the dispute that arose after Tom Petty’s death, between his widow and his two daughters from a previous marriage. (The two parties have since resolved their differences and […]
Keeping track of every IT asset — particularly as remote work has become common — is essential if your company wants to limit financial losses and fraud risk. According to some estimates, most remote employees use at least two employer-assigned devices, and a smaller percentage use three or more. In general, the more devices in […]