The U.S. government is quietly phasing in a new reporting requirement for a broad range of business and not-for-profit entities beginning January 1, 2024, under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) which was passed in fiscal 2021. The CTA is meant to prevent the use of shell companies to conceal the profits of criminal activities by creating a database, the Beneficial Ownership Secure System (BOSS). The only authorized users of this database will be federal and state governmental agencies, as well as financial institutions performing required due diligence with customer consent, and foreign law enforcement agencies/authorities who submit qualifying requests.

All but the smallest businesses today are generally expected to offer employees “big picture” benefits such as health insurance and a retirement plan. Among the risks of doing so is that many popular plan types must comply with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). That means lots of rules and much documentation.

Perhaps you’ve been in this situation before: You have a financial emergency and need to get your hands on some cash. You consider taking money out of a traditional IRA or 401(k) account but if you’re under age 59½, such distributions are not only taxable but also are generally subject to a 10% penalty tax.

If someone was to suggest that you should have your business appraised, you might wonder whether the person was subtly suggesting that you retire and sell the company.

Do you use an automobile in your trade or business? If so, you may question how depreciation tax deductions are determined. The rules are complicated, and special limitations that apply to vehicles classified as passenger autos (which include many pickups and SUVs) can result in it taking longer than expected to fully depreciate a vehicle.

One might assume the term “trust fund recovery penalty” has something to do with estate planning. It’s important for business owners and executives to know better.

Many Americans own a vacation home or aspire to purchase one. If you own a second home in a waterfront community, in the mountains or in a resort area, you may want to rent it out for part of the year.

If your company sells products or services to other businesses, you’re probably familiar with the challenge of growing your sales numbers. At times, you might even struggle to maintain them. One way to put yourself in a better position to succeed is to diversify your approaches, so you’re not limited to a single method by which salespeople interact with customers.

This year, many Americans have been victimized by wildfires, severe storms, flooding, tornadoes and other disasters. No matter where you live, unexpected disasters may cause damage to your home or personal property. Before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), eligible casualty loss victims could claim a deduction on their tax returns. But currently, there are restrictions that make these deductions harder to take.

The new Current Expected Credit Loss (CECL) model for measuring credit losses has had a significant impact on the financial institution industry and those that have loans receivable; however, its reach extends to other industries and beyond just loans.  Learn how CECL may apply to your business so that you are ready for year-end financial reporting.