Device policies pertaining to smartphones and other technology tools continue to frustrate business owners as they try to balance their needs for security and functionality against employees’ rights to privacy and freedom. At some companies, loose “bring your own device” (BYOD) policies are giving way to stricter “choose your own device” (CYOD) or “corporate-owned, personally […]
If your marketing budget is limited, there may be ways to make that money go further. Smart strategies abound for small to midsize businesses. Let’s look at a few ideas for stretching your marketing dollars a bit further. Check out the big guys Look to larger companies for ideas on how to improve and amp […]
The number of people engaged in the “gig” or sharing economy has grown in recent years, according to a 2019 IRS report. And there are tax consequences for the people who perform these jobs, such as providing car rides, renting spare bedrooms, delivering food, walking dogs or providing other services. Basically, if you receive income […]
It seems like a simple question: How many full-time workers does your organization employ? But, when it comes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the calculation can be complicated — and the answer is important. Potential penalty The number of workers you employ determines whether your organization is an applicable large employer (ALE). If you’re […]
There’s little doubt that nearly every type of employer will continue to rely on technology to beat — or even just keep up with — their competition. This means not only acquiring the right hardware and software, but also hiring and retaining the brightest IT people. Indeed, organizations that fall behind in tomorrow’s marketplace may […]
When participants request hardship distributions from a 401(k) plan, employers must collect and store documents showing that the participant had an immediate and heavy financial need to permit such a distribution. In today’s digital age, you might wonder whether you could instead allow participants to certify their needs electronically. The short answer is a tentative […]
Merging with, or acquiring, another company is one of the best ways to grow rapidly. You might be able to significantly boost revenue, literally overnight, by acquiring another business. In contrast, achieving a comparable rate of growth organically — by increasing sales of existing products and services or adding new product and service lines — […]
Like many small business owners, you may be unable to sponsor a major medical plan at this time. Perhaps you’ve thought about sponsoring a health Flexible Spending Account (FSA) instead. Unfortunately, under federal regulations, you may not be able to do that either. There is, however, a relatively new option available to you. Compliance rationale […]
Many businesses struggle to turn abstract strategic-planning ideas into concrete, actionable plans. One reason why is simple: ineffective meetings. The ideas are there, lurking in the minds of management and key employees, but the process for hashing them out just doesn’t work. Here are a few ways to run your strategic-planning meetings like they really […]
You can reduce taxes and save for retirement by contributing to a tax-advantaged retirement plan. If your employer offers a 401(k) or Roth 401(k) plan, contributing to it is a taxwise way to build a nest egg. If you’re not already contributing the maximum allowed, consider increasing your contribution rate between now and year end. […]
Cloud computing — storing data and accessing apps via the Internet — has been widely adopted by businesses across industry and size. Like many technological advances, though, new derivatives continue to emerge — including so-called multicloud computing. Under this approach, companies don’t rely on a single cloud service; rather, they distribute their data and computing […]