What's New - 1999

PM Group - Saginaw Merges with AHP
The PM Group - Saginaw, along with Jim Nemode, Ken Willman, Kim Herbolsheimer and their entire staff, joined the firm on December 1. The integration and merger of our joint operations is underway and will continue to run smoothly. PM Group - Saginaw has relocated to our office at 5300 Gratiot Road.

The core services of the PM Group - Saginaw which consist of financial statement audits, reviews and compilations; accounting, bookkeeping and payroll services; and individual and business tax return preparation will remain core components of our business. In addition, expanded services already offered by AHP will become available to the PM Group - Saginaw. For example, our affiliated financial services firm, LACO Financial Services, Inc. is a registered investment advisor that provides our clients with personal financial planning, insurance and investment services.

Andrews Hooper & Pavlik P.L.C. and Laine, Appold Co., P.C. Announce Merger Plans
The professional services firms of Andrews Hooper & Pavlik P.L.C. and Laine, Appold Co., P.C. announce plans to merge their firms effective January 1, 2000. The resulting firm, to be called Andrews Hooper & Pavlik P.L.C., will have over 100 employees. Andrews Hooper & Pavlik P.L.C. currently has offices in Saginaw and Greater Lansing. Laine, Appold Co., P.C. currently has offices in Bay City, Frankenmuth, Rochester Hills and West Branch.

Contact Kim Pavlik for more information.

Read the whole story.

Pat Munt Earns CFE Designation
Patricia Munt, a Manager in the Saginaw office, has recently earned the designation certified fraud examiner (CFE).

Pat is a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, an association that specializes in the detection and deterrence of a wide variety of fraudulent conduct.

Mileage Rate Increase for 2000
The IRS soon will publish, in its Internal Revenue Bulletin, next year's optional standard mileage rate allowed for business use of a car. Next year's rate will increase from the current rate of 31 cents to 32.5 cents.

The rates for charitable use of a vehicle and for medical and moving expenses are expected to remain the same at 14 cents and 10 cents a mile, respectively.

Staff Promotions
Congratulations to Eric Good, Bryan Anderson and Diana Mitchell! Eric was promoted to Manager; Bryan and Diana were promoted to Senior.

Accounting Firm Joins Saginaw Group
Effective October 1, 1999, the accounting firm of Murl Hoppe, CPA, P.C. of Bay City, Michigan joined the Saginaw office of Andrews Hooper & Pavlik.

We welcome the staff of Murl Hoppe, CPA, P.C. and the firm's loyal clients to our firm. Thanks for joining us!

Fall Is in the Air
As you start to see a rainbow of leaves flutter to the ground, ask yourself, "Is there a pot of gold at the end--a "tax" pot of gold to be specific?" If you don't know, then it's time to start thinking about your year-end tax planning.

We encourage you to call or contact any one of our tax professionals to help you get started.

Successful Mid-Michigan Estate Planning Day
AHP was among the sponsors for the recent Mid-Michigan Estate Planning Day. This widely attended event was held Saturday, September 25, 1999 at Saginaw Valley State University.

Gary Riedlinger chaired this year's Estate Planning Day Committee.

Electronic Commerce Article Published
Duane Reyhl has published his article, Trust and Electronic Commerce in the August 1999 edition of The Greater Lansing BUSINESS MONTHLY. The article shows those who are contemplating an e-business site some of the ways to demonstrate professionalism, trustworthiness and commitment in keeping customers' information secure.

The article focuses on the general elements of disclosures of business practices, transaction integrity and information protection. While each of these elements is an extensive topic in its own right, the information is useful as a starting point for assessing a site's ability to foster trust among a business's most valuable assets - its customers.

AHP is now part of the Polaris International network.
The firm has recently become a member of one of the country's oldest and largest accounting firm associations. Polaris International North American Network is an association of independently owned accounting and consulting firms with offices throughout North America.

This affiliation will expand our firm's ability to provide already exceptional resources to our clients wherever in the world their business takes them.

Banking article published
The June 1999 edition of Michigan BANKER includes the article, Banks, Bank Holding Companies, and Commercial Enterprises--A Regulatory History. The article written by AHP's senior audit and accounting manager, Randy Morse, traces the history of banking regulation over the past 135 years up through the present separation between banking and commercial activities, which is actually only 30 years old.

Saginaw Open House
The firm's Saginaw office held an open house July 22 to say "thank you" to our clients and to show off our new office building. The new office, which opened in December, expands the space of our growing firm in order to serve our clients better.

Single business tax to be phased out
Yesterday, Governor Engler signed into law the long-awaited phase out of the Michigan Single Business Tax. The phase out will occur at a rate of 1/10 of a percent per year starting in 1999. For more information about how this change might affect your business, please contact one of our tax professionals.

Congratulations
Congratulations to Bob Diekman who has been promoted to senior accountant. Bob is in our Saginaw office.