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July 31, 2020

Drive Success With Dashboard Reports

Drive Success With Dashboard Reports
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Timely, relevant financial data is critical to managing a business in today’s unprecedented conditions. Similar to the control panel in a vehicle or machine, dashboard reports provide a real-time snapshot of how your business is performing.

Why you need a dashboard report

Everything in a dashboard report can typically be found elsewhere in the company’s financial reporting systems, just in a less user-friendly format. Rather than report new information, a dashboard report captures the most critical data, based on the nature of the business. It can provide an early warning system for potential problems, allowing you to pivot as needed to minimize losses and jump on emerging opportunities in the marketplace.

To maximize the effectiveness of dashboard reports, make them accessible to managers across your organization via the company’s internal website or weekly email blasts. Widespread, easy access will allow your management team to quickly identify trends that require immediate attention. Additionally, businesses that are struggling during a reorganization or debt restructuring sometimes share these reports with their lenders as a condition of their continued support.

Metrics that matter

When deciding which information to target, look at your company’s loan covenants — lenders usually have a good sense of which metrics are worth monitoring. Then conduct your own risk assessment. What’s relevant varies depending on your industry, general economic conditions and the nature of your business operations.

In addition to tracking cash balances and receipts, most dashboard reports include the following ratios:

  • Gross margin [(revenue – cost of sales) / revenue],
  • Current ratio (current assets / current liabilities), and
  • Interest coverage ratio (earnings before interest and taxes / interest expense).

From here, consider adding a handful of company- or industry-specific performance metrics. For example, a warehouse might report daily shipments and inventory turnover. A hotel that’s struggling to reopen might provide a schedule of net operating income, average room rates and vacancy rates compared to the previous week or month. A law firm might report each partner’s realization rate.

A diagnostic test

Comprehensive financial statements are the best source of information about your company’s long-term stability and profitability — especially for external stakeholders. But dashboard reporting is critical for internal purposes, too. These reports can help assess a sudden change in market conditions, interim performance or potential downward trend in your financial performance. Contact us to help you compile a meaningful dashboard reporting process for your organization.

July 30, 2020

Avoid “Bad Blood” Among Family Members: Protect Your Will From Legal Challenges

Avoid “Bad Blood” Among Family Members: Protect Your Will From Legal Challenges
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You’ve probably seen it in the movies or on TV: A close-knit family gathers to find out what’s contained in the will of a wealthy patriarch or matriarch. When the terms are revealed, a niece, for example, benefits at the expense her uncle, causing a ruckus. This “bad blood” continues to boil between estranged family members, who won’t even speak to one another.

Unfortunately, a comparable scenario can play out in real life if you don’t make proper provisions. With some planning, you can avoid family disputes or at least minimize the chances of your will being contested by your loved ones.

Start at the beginning

Before you (and your spouse, if married) set the table for your will, which is the centerpiece of any comprehensive estate plan, discuss estate matters with close family members who’ll likely be affected. This may include children, siblings, adult grandchildren and possibly others. Present an outline regarding the disposition of your assets and other important aspects.

This doesn’t mean you should be specific about everything in the will, but it’s a good idea to provide a basic overview of your estate. Consider the input of other family members; don’t just pay lip service to their feedback. In fact, they may raise issues that you hadn’t taken into account.

This meeting — which may require several sessions — may head off potential problems and better prepare your heirs. It certainly avoids the kind of “shockers” often depicted on screen.

Means of protection

Although there are no absolute guarantees, consider the following methods for bulletproofing your will from a legal challenge:

Draft a no-contest clause. Also called an “in terrorem clause,” this language provides that, if any person in your will challenges it, he or she is excluded from your estate. It’s often used to thwart contests to a will.

This puts the onus squarely on the beneficiary. If he or she asserts that the estate isn’t divided equitably, the beneficiary risks receiving nothing. Be aware that, in some states, this clause may not be enforceable or may be subject to certain exceptions.

Choose witnesses wisely. You may want to use witnesses who know you well, such as close friends or business associates. They can convincingly state that you were of sound mind when you made out the will. You also may want to choose witnesses who are in good health, preferably younger than you and easily traceable.

Obtain a physician’s note. A note from a physician about your health status is recommended. For instance, it can state that you have the requisite mental capacity to make estate planning decisions and thus will be useful in avoiding legal challenges.

Last but not least

After your will is drafted, don’t make the mistake of putting it in a safe where you may forget about it. Review it periodically with your attorney. By fine-tuning the will, you improve the likelihood that it’ll deter a legal challenge and, if necessary, prevail in court. Contact us with any questions regarding your will.

July 29, 2020

Strengthen Your Supply Chain With Constant Risk Awareness

Strengthen Your Supply Chain With Constant Risk Awareness
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When the COVID-19 crisis exploded in March, among the many concerns was the state of the nation’s supply chains. Business owners are no strangers to such worry. It’s long been known that, if too much of a company’s supply chain is concentrated (that is, dependent) on one thing, that business is in danger. The pandemic has only complicated matters.

To guard against this risk, you’ve got to maintain a constant awareness of the state of your supply chain and be prepared to adjust as necessary and feasible.

Products or services

The term “concentration” can be applied to both customers and suppliers. Generally, concentration risks become significant when a business relies on a customer or supplier for 10% or more of its revenue or materials, or on several customers or suppliers located in the same geographic region.

Concentration related to your specific products or services is something to keep a close eye on. If your company’s most profitable product or service line depends on a few key customers, you’re essentially at their mercy. If just one or two decide to make budget cuts or switch to a competitor, it could significantly lower your revenues.

Similarly, if a major supplier suddenly increases prices or becomes lax in quality control, your profit margin could narrow considerably. This is especially problematic if your number of alternative suppliers is limited.

To cope, do your research. Regularly look into what suppliers might best serve your business and whether new ones have emerged that might allow you to offset your dependence on one or two providers. Technology can be of great help in this effort — for example, monitor trusted news sources online, follow social media accounts of experts and use artificial intelligence to target the best deals.

Geography

A second type of concentration risk is geographic. When gauging it, assess whether many of your customers or suppliers are in one geographic region. Operating near supply chain partners offers advantages such as lower transportation costs and faster delivery. Conversely, overseas locales may enable you to cut labor and raw materials expenses.

But there are also risks associated with geographic centricity. Local weather conditions, tax rate hikes and regulatory changes can have a substantial impact. As we’ve unfortunately encountered this year, the severity of COVID-19 in different regions of the country is affecting the operational ability and capacity of suppliers in those areas.

These same threats apply when dealing with global partners, with the added complexity of greater physical distances and longer shipping times. Geopolitical uncertainty and exchange rate volatility may also negatively affect overseas suppliers.

Challenges and opportunities

Business owners — particularly those who run smaller companies — have always faced daunting challenges in maintaining strong supply chains. The pandemic has added a new and difficult dimension. Our firm can help you assess your supply chain and identify opportunities for cost-effective improvements.

July 28, 2020

Why Do Partners Sometimes Report More Income on Tax Returns Than They Receive in Cash?

Why Do Partners Sometimes Report More Income on Tax Returns Than They Receive in Cash?
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If you’re a partner in a business, you may have come across a situation that gave you pause. In a given year, you may be taxed on more partnership income than was distributed to you from the partnership in which you’re a partner.

Why is this? The answer lies in the way partnerships and partners are taxed. Unlike regular corporations, partnerships aren’t subject to income tax. Instead, each partner is taxed on the partnership’s earnings — whether or not they’re distributed. Similarly, if a partnership has a loss, the loss is passed through to the partners. (However, various rules may prevent a partner from currently using his share of a partnership’s loss to offset other income.)

Separate entity

While a partnership isn’t subject to income tax, it’s treated as a separate entity for purposes of determining its income, gains, losses, deductions and credits. This makes it possible to pass through to partners their share of these items.

A partnership must file an information return, which is IRS Form 1065. On Schedule K of Form 1065, the partnership separately identifies income, deductions, credits and other items. This is so that each partner can properly treat items that are subject to limits or other rules that could affect their correct treatment at the partner’s level. Examples of such items include capital gains and losses, interest expense on investment debts and charitable contributions. Each partner gets a Schedule K-1 showing his or her share of partnership items.

Basis and distribution rules ensure that partners aren’t taxed twice. A partner’s initial basis in his partnership interest (the determination of which varies depending on how the interest was acquired) is increased by his share of partnership taxable income. When that income is paid out to partners in cash, they aren’t taxed on the cash if they have sufficient basis. Instead, partners just reduce their basis by the amount of the distribution. If a cash distribution exceeds a partner’s basis, then the excess is taxed to the partner as a gain, which often is a capital gain.

Here’s an example

Two individuals each contribute $10,000 to form a partnership. The partnership has $80,000 of taxable income in the first year, during which it makes no cash distributions to the two partners. Each of them reports $40,000 of taxable income from the partnership as shown on their K-1s. Each has a starting basis of $10,000, which is increased by $40,000 to $50,000. In the second year, the partnership breaks even (has zero taxable income) and distributes $40,000 to each of the two partners. The cash distributed to them is received tax-free. Each of them, however, must reduce the basis in his partnership interest from $50,000 to $10,000.

Other rules and limitations

The example and details above are an overview and, therefore, don’t cover all the rules. For example, many other events require basis adjustments and there are a host of special rules covering noncash distributions, distributions of securities, liquidating distributions and other matters.

July 27, 2020

Fortify Your Assets Against Creditors With a Trust

Fortify Your Assets Against Creditors With a Trust
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You may think of trusts as estate planning tools — vehicles for reducing taxes after your death. While trusts can certainly fill that role, they’re also useful for protecting assets, both now and later. After all, the better protected your assets are, the more you’ll have to pass on to loved ones.

Creditors, former business partners, ex-spouses, “spendthrift” children and tax agencies can all pose risks. Here’s how trusts defend against asset protection challenges.

Tell creditors “hands off”

To protect assets, your trust must own them and be irrevocable. This means that you, as the grantor, generally can’t modify or terminate the trust after it has been established. (A “revocable trust,” on the other hand, allows the grantor to make modifications.) Once you transfer assets into an irrevocable trust, you’ve effectively removed your rights of ownership to the assets. Because the property is no longer yours, it’s unavailable to satisfy claims against you.

It’s important to note that placing assets in a trust won’t allow you to sidestep responsibility for debts or claims that are outstanding at the time you fund the trust. There may also be a substantial “look-back” period that could eliminate the protection your trust would otherwise provide, as well as other restrictions.

Build a fence

If you’re concerned about what will happen to your assets after they pass to the next generation, you may want to consider the defensive features of a “spendthrift” trust. Despite the name, a spendthrift trust does more than protect your heirs from themselves. It can protect your family’s assets against dishonest business partners and unscrupulous creditors. It also can protect loved ones in the event of relationship changes. For example, if your son divorces, his spouse generally won’t be able to claim a share of the trust property in the divorce settlement.

Several trust types can be designated a spendthrift trust — you just need to add a spendthrift clause to the trust document. Such a clause restricts a beneficiary’s ability to assign or transfer his or her interests in the trust, and it restricts the rights of creditors to reach the trust assets, as allowed by law.

Trustees play a role in keeping your trust safe. If a trustee is required to make distributions for a beneficiary’s support, a court may rule that a creditor can reach trust assets to satisfy support-related debts. So, for increased protection, consider giving your trustee full discretion over whether and when to make distributions. You’ll need to balance the potentially competing objectives of having the access you want and preventing creditors and others from having access.

Make asset protection a priority

If securing your assets is a priority — and it should be — talk to us about whether a trust can provide the protection you need. There may also be other ways to help shelter wealth — for example, maximizing your use of qualified retirement plans.

July 24, 2020

Reopening Concepts: What Business Owners Should Consider

Reopening Concepts: What Business Owners Should Consider
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A widely circulated article about the COVID-19 pandemic, written by author Tomas Pueyo in March, described efforts to cope with the crisis as “the hammer and the dance.” The hammer was the abrupt shutdown of most businesses and institutions; the dance is the slow reopening of them — figuratively tiptoeing out to see whether day-to-day life can return to some semblance of normality without a dangerous uptick in infections.

Many business owners are now engaged in the dance. “Reopening” a company, even if it was never completely closed, involves grappling with a variety of concepts. This is a new kind of strategic planning that will test your patience and savvy but may also lead to a safer, leaner and better-informed business.

When to move forward

The first question, of course, is when. That is, what are the circumstances and criteria that will determine when you can safely reopen or further reopen your business. Most experts agree that you should base this decision on scientific data and official guidance from agencies such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

But don’t stop there. Although the pandemic is, by definition, a worldwide issue, the specific situation on the ground in your locality should drive your decision-making. Keep tabs on state, county and municipal news, rules and guidance. Plug into your industry’s experts as well. Establish strategies for expanding operations or, if necessary, contracting them, based on the latest information.

Testing and working safely

Running a company in today’s environment entails refocusing on people. If employees are unsafe, your business will likely suffer at some point soon. Every company that must or chooses to have workers on-site (as opposed to working remotely) needs to consider the concept of COVID-19 testing.

Employers are generally allowed to test employees, but there are dangers in violating privacy laws or inadvertently exposing the company to discrimination claims. The CDC has said that routine testing will likely pass muster “if these goals are consistent with employer-based occupational medical surveillance programs” and “have a reasonable likelihood of benefiting workers.” Consult your attorney, however, before implementing any testing initiative.

There’s also the matter of working safely. If you haven’t already, look closely at the layout of your offices or facilities to determine the feasibility of social distancing. Re-evaluate sanitation procedures and ventilation infrastructure, too. You may need to invest, or continue investing, in additional personal protective equipment and items such as plastic screens to separate workers from customers or each other. It might also be necessary or advisable to procure or upgrade the technology that enables employees to work remotely.

Move forward cautiously

No one wanted to do this dance, but business owners must continue moving forward as cautiously and prudently as possible. While you do so, don’t overlook the opportunity to identify long-term strategies to run your company more efficiently and profitably. We can help you make well-informed decisions based on sound financial analyses and realistic projections.

July 23, 2020

Main Street Lending Program Now Open to Nonprofit Applicants

Main Street Lending Program Now Open to Nonprofit Applicants
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Last week, the Federal Reserve announced that not-for-profit organizations now may apply for loans under the $600 billion Main Street Lending Program. Previously open only to for-profit businesses with more than 100 employees, the program offers low-interest loans with relatively relaxed repayment terms. If your organization needs funding to keep operating during this difficult period, a Main Street loan may be an option.

The Basics

Initially, the Main Street program offered loans through three credit facilities but has added two more specifically for nonprofits: Nonprofit Organization New Loan Facility and Nonprofit Expanded Loan Facility. The difference between the two is that the Expanded Facility makes larger loans to qualified applicants, such as universities and hospitals.

Eligible banks accept applications and extend loans, but the Fed takes a 95% stake in them. Like the Paycheck Protection Act, Main Street is funded in part by CARES Act funds. It is designed to help keep organizations operating and able to retain and hire employees.

Rules for applicants

To qualify for a Main Street loan, nonprofit organizations must be tax exempt and have:

  • A minimum of 10 employees,
  • Been in operation for at least five years,
  • Less than a $3 billion endowment,
  • Total non-donation revenues equal to 60% of expenses or more, 2017 through 2019,
  • 2019 operating margin of 2% or more,
  • Cash on hand for 60 days,
  • A debt repayment capacity of greater than 55%.

Loans have a five-year term and interest rate of LIBOR plus 3%. Interest payments are deferred for one year. Loan size depends, of course, on the size and financial health of your nonprofit, but amounts generally run from $250,000 to $300 million.

Right for you?

Even if your nonprofit has never taken out a loan, it may be necessary now during the COVID-19 crisis. But you’ll need to think carefully about your nonprofit’s ability to repay any loan. We can help evaluate your creditworthiness and repayment capacity. We can also suggest alternate funding options, including other loan programs. Contact us.

July 22, 2020

Even If No Money Changes Hands, Bartering Is a Taxable Transaction

Even If No Money Changes Hands, Bartering Is a Taxable Transaction
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, many small businesses are strapped for cash. They may find it beneficial to barter for goods and services instead of paying cash for them. If your business gets involved in bartering, remember that the fair market value of goods that you receive in bartering is taxable income. And if you exchange services with another business, the transaction results in taxable income for both parties.

For example, if a computer consultant agrees to exchange services with an advertising agency, both parties are taxed on the fair market value of the services received. This is the amount they would normally charge for the same services. If the parties agree to the value of the services in advance, that will be considered the fair market value unless there is contrary evidence.

In addition, if services are exchanged for property, income is realized. For example, if a construction firm does work for a retail business in exchange for unsold inventory, it will have income equal to the fair market value of the inventory. Another example: If an architectural firm does work for a corporation in exchange for shares of the corporation’s stock, it will have income equal to the fair market value of the stock.

Joining a club

Many businesses join barter clubs that facilitate barter exchanges. In general, these clubs use a system of “credit units” that are awarded to members who provide goods and services. The credits can be redeemed for goods and services from other members.

Bartering is generally taxable in the year it occurs. But if you participate in a barter club, you may be taxed on the value of credit units at the time they’re added to your account, even if you don’t redeem them for actual goods and services until a later year. For example, let’s say that you earn 2,000 credit units one year, and that each unit is redeemable for $1 in goods and services. In that year, you’ll have $2,000 of income. You won’t pay additional tax if you redeem the units the next year, since you’ve already been taxed once on that income.

If you join a barter club, you’ll be asked to provide your Social Security number or employer identification number. You’ll also be asked to certify that you aren’t subject to backup withholding. Unless you make this certification, the club will withhold tax from your bartering income at a 24% rate.

Forms to file

By January 31 of each year, a barter club will send participants a Form 1099-B, “Proceeds from Broker and Barter Exchange Transactions,” which shows the value of cash, property, services and credits that you received from exchanges during the previous year. This information will also be reported to the IRS.

Many benefits

By bartering, you can trade away excess inventory or provide services during slow times, all while hanging onto your cash. You may also find yourself bartering when a customer doesn’t have the money on hand to complete a transaction. As long as you’re aware of the federal and state tax consequences, these transactions can benefit all parties. Contact us if you need assistance or would like more information.

July 21, 2020

Take Advantage of a “Stepped-Up Basis” When You Inherit Property

Take Advantage of a “Stepped-Up Basis” When You Inherit Property
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If you’re planning your estate, or you’ve recently inherited assets, you may be unsure of the “cost” (or “basis”) for tax purposes.

Fair market value rules

Under the fair market value basis rules (also known as the “step-up and step-down” rules), an heir receives a basis in inherited property equal to its date-of-death value. So, for example, if your grandfather bought ABC Corp. stock in 1935 for $500 and it’s worth $5 million at his death, the basis is stepped up to $5 million in the hands of your grandfather’s heirs — and all of that gain escapes federal income tax forever.

The fair market value basis rules apply to inherited property that’s includible in the deceased’s gross estate, and those rules also apply to property inherited from foreign persons who aren’t subject to U.S. estate tax. It doesn’t matter if a federal estate tax return is filed. The rules apply to the inherited portion of property owned by the inheriting taxpayer jointly with the deceased, but not the portion of jointly held property that the inheriting taxpayer owned before his or her inheritance. The fair market value basis rules also don’t apply to reinvestments of estate assets by fiduciaries.

Step up, step down or carryover

It’s crucial for you to understand the fair market value basis rules so that you don’t pay more tax than you’re legally required to.

For example, in the above example, if your grandfather decides to make a gift of the stock during his lifetime (rather than passing it on when he dies), the “step-up” in basis (from $500 to $5 million) would be lost. Property that has gone up in value acquired by gift is subject to the “carryover” basis rules. That means the person receiving the gift takes the same basis the donor had in it (just $500), plus a portion of any gift tax the donor pays on the gift.

A “step-down” occurs if someone dies owning property that has declined in value. In that case, the basis is lowered to the date-of-death value. Proper planning calls for seeking to avoid this loss of basis. Giving the property away before death won’t preserve the basis. That’s because when property that has gone down in value is the subject of a gift, the person receiving the gift must take the date of gift value as his basis (for purposes of determining his or her loss on a later sale). Therefore, a good strategy for property that has declined in value is for the owner to sell it before death so he or she can enjoy the tax benefits of the loss.

These are the basic rules. Other rules and limits may apply. For example, in some cases, a deceased person’s executor may be able to make an alternate valuation election. Contact us for tax assistance when estate planning or after receiving an inheritance.

July 20, 2020

Does Your Business Have a Unique Selling Proposition?

Does Your Business Have a Unique Selling Proposition?
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Many business owners — particularly those who own smaller companies — spend so much time trying to eliminate weaknesses that they never fully capitalize on their strengths. One way to do so is to identify and explicate your unique selling proposition (USP).

Give it some thought

In a nutshell, a USP states why customers should buy your product or service rather than a similar one offered by a competitor. A USP might be rather obvious if you offer a type of state-of-the-art technology or specialize in a certain kind of service that’s not widely available. Many businesses, however, will need to dedicate some serious thought and discussion to identifying their USP — and they may need to do so every year or two to adapt to market changes.

Ask the right questions

Involve employees from every level of your company in brainstorming sessions to develop your USP. During these meetings, consider the answers to questions such as:

  • What makes our products or services distinctive?
  • What aspect of our business is most important to its growth?
  • Which elements of what we do are the most difficult for competitors to copy?
  • Why should customers buy from us instead of the competition?

As you might have noticed, knowledge of your competitors is critical to developing a strong USP. You can’t differentiate your business from theirs unless you’re familiar with what competitors are selling, how they sell their products or services, and how they support those sales in terms of customer service. To this end, you may need to undertake some “competitive intelligence” efforts to gather needed information.

Integrate it into the sales process

Your USP should be a powerful, concise statement that customers and prospects will immediately understand and recognize as fulfilling their wants or needs. Among the most commonly cited examples is package delivery giant FedEx’s “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.” Although the company doesn’t use this slogan anymore, it remains a perfect example of a USP that’s clear and memorable.

Of course, your USP must be more than just words. Once established, it should serve as a sort of “mantra” for your sales team. That is, after identifying your customers’ needs during the sales process, they should use the USP (or an iteration of it) to explain to customers why your product or service is the right choice. Just be careful not to overuse your USP in sales and marketing materials, including on your website.

Now may be the time

Given the monumental changes that have occurred in the U.S. economy and in many industries because of the COVID-19 pandemic, now may be an imperative time to reconsider and relaunch your USP. We can help you evaluate your sales numbers, as well as return on investment in marketing efforts, to carefully craft the right approach.

July 15, 2020

Businesses: Get Ready for the New Form 1099-NEC

Businesses: Get Ready for the New Form 1099-NEC
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There’s a new IRS form for business taxpayers that pay or receive nonemployee compensation.

Beginning with tax year 2020, payers must complete Form 1099-NEC, Nonemployee Compensation, to report any payment of $600 or more to a payee.

Why the new form?

Prior to 2020, Form 1099-MISC was filed to report payments totaling at least $600 in a calendar year for services performed in a trade or business by someone who isn’t treated as an employee. These payments are referred to as nonemployee compensation (NEC) and the payment amount was reported in box 7.

Form 1099-NEC was reintroduced to alleviate the confusion caused by separate deadlines for Form 1099-MISC that report NEC in box 7 and all other Form 1099-MISC for paper filers and electronic filers. The IRS announced in July 2019 that, for 2020 and thereafter, it will reintroduce the previously retired Form 1099-NEC, which was last used in the 1980s.

What businesses will file?

Payers of nonemployee compensation will now use Form 1099-NEC to report those payments.

Generally, payers must file Form 1099-NEC by January 31. For 2020 tax returns, the due date will be February 1, 2021, because January 31, 2021, is on a Sunday. There’s no automatic 30-day extension to file Form 1099-NEC. However, an extension to file may be available under certain hardship conditions.

Can a business get an extension?

Form 8809 is used to file for an extension for all types of Forms 1099, as well as for other forms. The IRS recently released a draft of Form 8809. The instructions note that there are no automatic extension requests for Form 1099-NEC. Instead, the IRS will grant only one 30-day extension, and only for certain reasons.

Requests must be submitted on paper. Line 7 lists reasons for requesting an extension. The reasons that an extension to file a Form 1099-NEC (and also a Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement) will be granted are:

  • The filer suffered a catastrophic event in a federally declared disaster area that made the filer unable to resume operations or made necessary records unavailable.
  • A filer’s operation was affected by the death, serious illness or unavoidable absence of the individual responsible for filing information returns.
  • The operation of the filer was affected by fire, casualty or natural disaster.
  • The filer was “in the first year of establishment.”
  • The filer didn’t receive data on a payee statement such as Schedule K-1, Form 1042-S, or the statement of sick pay required under IRS regulations in time to prepare an accurate information return.

Need help?

If you have questions about filing Form 1099-NEC or any tax forms, contact us. We can assist you in staying in compliance with all rules.

July 13, 2020 BY Simcha Felder

Be Creative in a Crisis

Be Creative in a Crisis
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The rise or downfall of a leader is often attributed to a crisis. If you have ever been involved in an organizational crisis, you know first-hand that its solutions require creative thinking. If you have ever been involved in managing one, you also know how a crisis constrains creative thinking just when you need it most.

The myth that creativity is heightened by the pressure of working ‘‘under the gun’’ was laid to rest by researchers almost ten years ago. Not only does deadline pressure stifle creativity, but its negative impact lasts even after deadlines expire. To achieve creative decisions, their recommendation was simple: avoid time pressure and situations requiring creativity under the gun.

Yet crisis management experts continue to assert that creativity enhances the thinking and planning necessary for responding to crises, even as they admit just how difficult the task is. So, what can you do to infuse your decision-making with creativity when it matters most to your organization?

  • Foster creative intentions: Create a culture that challenges the status quo and rewards efforts to look at old problems in new ways. To ignite sparks of creative thinking, encourage everyone in meetings to share allof their ideas- not just the great ones, but the ones they’re not so sure about- and explore them.
  • Develop enlightened trial and error: Familiarize team members with relevant threat scenarios and decision options by exploring cases and outcomes. Speculate about options and consequences, and get comfortable developing and questioning solutions vigorously. Practice makes it easier in a crisis to recognize and access known solutions and generate original alternatives together.
  • Don’t get comfortable with success: Look out for potential warning signals and act upon them quickly. Open-minded approaches like ferreting out bad news early and maintaining skepticism are necessary to support creative thinking and unconventional maneuvers.
  • Build trust: Lead a team that communicates openly, listens carefully and demonstrates mutual respect. When trust and confidence within a team grow, anxiety about managing unknown challenges tends to drop.

The 2007 global economic crisis is a prime example that underscores the importance of creative thinking in leadership. At congressional hearings, Alan Greenspan, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve at the time, was asked about failing to recognize numerous red flags that led to the global recession. Greenspan responded that he was shocked to find a flaw in his thinking. After all, he asserted, what he had been doing for more than 40 years, had worked exceptionally well.

Infusing organizational management with creativity is essential.

July 01, 2020

Roth&Co Expands to Chicago

Roth&Co Expands to Chicago
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Roth&Co is pleased to announce the acquisition of E.C. Ortiz & Co., LLP, an accounting and financial services firm based in Chicago, Illinois, with 45 accounting professionals and over 40 years of experience.

The deal expands Roth&Co’s regional reach to the Midwest, and broadens their service capabilities to include governmental entities among a variety of deep financial specialties. As of July 1st, 2020, E.C. Ortiz will operate under the Roth&Co brand.

The acquisition increases Roth&Co’s headcount to 14 partners and over 160 accounting professionals, with offices now in New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Israel. Roth&Co is the recipient of Inside Public Accounting’s Fastest Growing Firm award in 2019.

Both Roth&Co and E.C. Ortiz carry a respectable legacy of accounting and financial services, with Roth&Co founded in 1978, and Ortiz in 1974. Roth&Co was founded by Abraham Roth to service the accounting needs of local businesses and the nonprofit community. In the decades that followed, Roth&Co expanded to serve growing organizations across the Northeast and the U.S. at large, becoming a full-service solution with departments dedicated to taxation, assurance and advisory services.

The new addition to Roth&Co’s portfolio of businesses provides a strong foothold in the Midwest and adds a slate of real estate, healthcare and government entities to their already robust client base.

“E.C. Ortiz’s sterling reputation, local relationships and specialized services make them the perfect partner for our continuous expansion,” says Zacharia Waxler, co-managing partner of Roth&Co. “The acquisition allows us to continue to innovate and grow with our client community. It’s a win-win both for us, and for our clients,” he continued. “Roth&Co’s resources have just expanded exponentially, while client experience, relationship management and fee structures remain unchanged.”

Ortiz brings extensive experience in federal and state compliance, healthcare compliance and financial audits. “We couldn’t be more excited to join the Roth&Co family,” says Ortiz founder Ed Ortiz, who remains on board as one of the partners of the Illinois location. “We share the Roth&Co commitment to excellent, relationship-based financial services, and see the immediate value in combining resources for the benefit of our teams, clients and communities.”

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