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Gross Mendelsohn Blog
A resource to help business owners, nonprofit executives and high net worth families preserve wealth, grow and thrive.
Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is in the forgiveness stage for most businesses. Here’s an overview on how to navigate the PPP loan forgiveness process.
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You want board members who can contribute to your mission through their efforts, contacts or money. Stated simply, they need to have a passion for your mission. This ensures a level of interest that will help even if board members have different opinions on how to achieve the mission.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors
If your architecture or engineering firm is looking into working on state department of transportation awards or other federally funded contracts, you may have heard the term “overhead rate” or “indirect cost rate.” Calculating a rate for the first time can seem daunting. No worries. We’re here to answer some FAQs related to FAR overhead rates and audits.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Remote employees can complicate taxes for businesses. In most cases, having a remote employee creates nexus or the obligation to file tax returns and pay taxes in the local jurisdiction and/or state that an employee works.
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A real estate waterfall is a term used to describe how real estate partners distribute cash flow. The “waterfall” is a way of visualizing various “pools” in a real estate partnership. Cash flow fills up each pool in succession, which spills over into the next pool. Each step along the way, the waterfall flows based on an agreed-upon methodology for distributing the profits. Once a pool has filled, remaining cash flows to the next pool, divided per the terms of the partnership agreement between the general and limited partners.
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Nonprofits across the country are making plans to transition to a post-pandemic world. Here’s what three experts had to say about what nonprofit leadership teams need to know as pandemic restrictions lift.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
There are many different ways a business owner can transfer a family-owned business to the next generation. Each method comes with its own set of risks and benefits, especially when it comes to tax implications associated with the transfer or sale.
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If your government contracting business doesn’t have its CMMC certification, you could be ineligible for future contracts — causing a hard hit to your revenue stream. With all eyes on cyber security these days, CMMC compliance is a critical issue that government contractors need to tackle. With CMMC compliance being required by many 2022 contracts, now is the time for government contractors to work toward the certification.
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High Net Worth Families | Service Businesses
The U.S. Tax Court recently issued a 271-page opinion, ending the long-running litigation between the Estate of Michael Jackson and the Internal Revenue Service. The court’s ruling was a major win for Jackson’s estate and the decision has the potential to impact future valuation cases.
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While students might be out for the season, summer is often the time when private schools hit the books to prepare for their yearly audit. Here is a quick guide on how to prepare your private school for this year’s audit.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
Businesses who are subject to Virginia income tax may need to file a one-time Unitary Business Report by July 1, 2021. If your company is required to file this report but fails to file by July 1, your business will be subject to a $10,000 fine. This new filing requirement affects businesses that are part of a “unitary business.”
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
I was on my way home the other day, talking with a client who was stressed about a major decision she was facing. After years of pouring her heart and soul, not to mention money, into building a successful family-owned business, she was ready to move on and pass it along to two of her children. She called to talk about the tax implications of selling the business, but instead of talking about capital gain, avoiding double taxes and minimizing tax liability, I steered the conversation in quite a different direction.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
There’s no magic bullet for making your family-owned business hum smoothly along from one generation to the next. The good news? You can learn from successful family-owned businesses that have made it to the second, third, fourth and even fifth generations. I took some time to think about my most profitable family-owned business clients and identify what they all have in common. Here’s what I came up with.
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Business Valuation | Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we don’t know what’s coming around the corner. And like the pandemic, the next thing that comes around the corner will likely be out of your control. But there is something you can control with some careful planning: the transfer of your family-owned business. Let’s talk about business exit plans.
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Forensics & Litigation Support
Economic damages claimed by individuals in cases arising from personal injury, wrongful death, wrongful employment termination and employment discrimination typically include lost earnings and fringe benefits. Attorneys frequently retain CPAs as expert witnesses to determine the amount of those economic damages and to provide expert witness testimony. Let’s look at the role of a CPA as an expert in these cases.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
Growing and running a business is hard (especially in the middle of a global pandemic). In the latest episodes of the firm’s video series, Next Level, Bryna Campbell, CPA, Shante Fields and Kat Sabo shared some of their top advice for businesses in 2021. Here are just a few of the takeaways from each of their interviews.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | High Net Worth Families | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law. This $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill contains several tax provisions. Here are the highlights for individuals and businesses.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | High Net Worth Families | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
On March 11, 2021, Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot extended the state’s income tax filing deadline by three months to July 15, 2021. Taxpayers will not face interest or penalties if they file returns and pay taxes owed by the new deadline. This change will apply to individual, pass-through, fiduciary and corporate income tax returns, including first and second quarter estimated payments.
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Forensics & Litigation Support
A challenging aspect of any divorce proceeding is the division of assets — who gets what and how much?
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | High Net Worth Families | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan signed the RELIEF Act into law on February 15, 2021. The RELIEF Act is intended to help reverse some of the adverse economic conditions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. This legislation includes changes to personal and business tax filings, relief payments for certain individuals, a sales and use tax credit, and changes to pass-through entity taxation. Let’s look more closely at some of the key provisions in the $1 billion plus relief package.
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While it’s not necessarily a secret, there may be some real estate companies that aren’t aware that there’s an alternative to GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) for maintaining their accounting records and presenting their financial statements. The accrual-based income tax basis of accounting is an acceptable alternative to GAAP for real estate companies. If income tax basis accounting is the right fit for your company, it could save you time and money when it comes to year-end reporting. Let’s take a closer look at the upside of the income tax basis accounting method.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
They are the last words any business owner wants to hear: “You are being audited by the IRS.”
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
In a recession, the most important thing a business can do is take control of its finances, especially when it comes to cash flow.
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Heads up to architecture and engineering firms: the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials has released its 2021 National Compensation Matrix (NCM). This is significant for architecture and engineering firms because the NCM is a tool that helps them demonstrate compliance with a regulation that has a huge impact on their profitability.
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As I write this, it’s hard to believe we are in February 2021. It’s even harder to believe that we are almost a year into the pandemic. As much as we all want to forget about 2020 and go full steam ahead in 2021, now is the time for associations, societies and other nonprofits, especially those with calendar year ends, to evaluate the effects that COVID-19 had on one of their most crucial benchmarks / metrics — membership retention.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
Many businesses are wondering how they’ll survive 2021. When Len Rus, CPA, joined me on the firm’s video series, Next Level, he shared his advice for business owners on making it through what’s looking like another crazy year.
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Business Valuation | Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | High Net Worth Families | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
Whether you want your company to continue growing after you retire or simply want to turn a profit on the sale of your business, every company owner needs an exit plan. As a CPA who has worked with business owners for decades, I’ve seen several companies unravel simply because they failed to plan ahead. Here’s just one example of a company that lost it all.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
One of the big highlights of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 is the expansion and extension of the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC). This change is significant because now, under the new law, some businesses can take advantage of both the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the ERTC — as long as there is no double dipping with the same funds.
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Business Valuation | Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
The sale of a business is often the most significant financial event an owner faces during his or her lifetime. Many times, however, the owner begins negotiating the sale without understanding how critical tax aspects of the deal structure can have a huge effect on the net amount of money they’ll receive. Understanding key factors about your business will result in you being able to negotiate the best deal for you, or at least understand the implications of a deal.
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The spirit of volunteerism runs deep here at Gross Mendelsohn. Recently I sat down for a conversation with Jennifer Rock of our Nonprofit Group. Jenn is a nonprofit auditor and has been an absolute rock star volunteer for several local nonprofit organizations, who I might add, are lucky to have her on their side. I’m excited to share Jenn’s story, and the advice she has for nonprofit leaders from the perspective of both a CPA and a volunteer.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors
Maybe you have a new contract that requires an audit or maybe your bank requested audited financial statements. If you’re a construction contractor, a first-time audit can seem overwhelming and daunting. Because your work in process schedule is crucial to your company’s revenue recognition, we’ve identified the top three things contractors can do when preparing their WIP schedule as part of the financial statement audit.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit
Social Security and Medicare tax As of January 1, 2021, the maximum amount of annual earnings subject to Social Security increased to $142,800 (from $137,700 in 2020). There is no limit on the amount of earnings subject to the Medicare tax.
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It’s normal for high net worth families to have “family offices” that manage banking, investments, bill paying and more. But most of us aren’t born with the name Rockefeller and we don’t have family offices. However, I believe there are lessons to be learned from family offices that are helpful for any family who wants to get a better handle on their financial situation. As a CPA and Certified Financial Planner, I work with high net worth clients who have family offices. I apply some of the principles behind family offices to my other clients. Let’s look at family offices, their purpose and how we can apply their benefits to the financial matters of everyday folks.
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Running a family-owned construction business comes with its own unique set of opportunities and pitfalls. Between managing employees, some of them family members, and identifying a successor to continue your legacy, the dynamics of a family-owned business are far from cut and dry.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
There’s a win-win for business taxpayers and restaurants in the latest round of stimulus legislation, known as the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. Under the new legislation, business meals provided by restaurants in 2021 and 2022 are now 100% deductible. Previously, the deduction of food and beverage expenses associated with operating a business was limited to 50%. The new 100% deduction applies to meals in a restaurant, and takeout and delivery meals provided by a restaurant. Let’s dig into the specifics.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
At the end of 2020, Congress passed and President Trump signed a new law that provides for additional relief related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA, 2021) includes a second draw of Paycheck Protection Program loans (PPP2 loans) and it also finally overruled the IRS and allows businesses to deduct ordinary and necessary expenses paid from the proceeds of PPP loans. Let’s take a look at who’s eligible for a PPP2 loan, the terms of the loans and when to apply.
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Legendary musician Prince died on April 21, 2016 without a will. As a result, it created one of the largest and most complicated probate hearings in his home state of Minnesota’s history. The Internal Revenue Service is claiming that the executors of Prince’s estate have undervalued the estate by 50%, or about $80 million. The IRS determined that Prince’s estate is worth $163.2 million, well above the $82.3 million valuation submitted by the estate’s administrator, Comerica Bank & Trust. No will, no estate plan and a vast difference of opinion among valuation experts. Let’s look behind the curtain at how this is playing out.
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Business Valuation | Construction & Real Estate
Even when you love your work, it's inevitable that you will eventually have to leave your role as the owner of your construction company. The bad news is, there is significant planning to do. The good news is, there are things you can do to leave your construction business in good hands and get real value out of your business in the transaction. Let's take a look at some of those methods.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | High Net Worth Families | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit
If you are considering ways to manage your workforce to protect the financial viability of your organization, you’re faced with some tough decisions ahead. It’s important to know what your options are, and how each option affects your business and employees.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | High Net Worth Families | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
The year ahead could bring major tax changes for businesses and families. President-elect Joe Biden talked about several big tax changes on the campaign trail. What we don’t yet know is how easy it will be for those proposed changes to become law.
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It’s been a tough year for a lot of nonprofits. Like many, nonprofit leaders are cautiously looking ahead to 2021 with hope, particularly with multiple vaccines on the horizon. Our Nonprofit Group teamed up with some industry experts to present a webinar on how nonprofits can prepare for their recovery in 2021. Let’s look at some of the key takeaways.
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Construction & Real Estate | Forensics & Litigation Support | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
When a small business has an issue with fraud, it’s usually for one key reason: a lack of internal controls. Internal controls are “checks” a business has in place to deter fraud.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
January is just around the corner and with it comes the beginning of a new annual information reporting cycle. For small businesses accustomed to using Form 1099-MISC to report nonemployee compensation, there are important changes that you should be aware of when reporting nonemployee compensation for the 2020 tax year.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
Maryland's RELIEF Act, signed into law February 15, 2021, provides clarification on the taxation of pass-through entities. Read more here. Ever since the sweeping tax law changes brought about by the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act of 2017, high-tax states like Maryland have been scheming to circumvent the $10,000 cap on state tax deductions. After some trial and error, the U.S. Treasury and the IRS approved one of those schemes. Maryland is now allowing pass-through entities (PTE) to elect to subject themselves to an entity-level tax on behalf of Maryland resident members. The members that had Maryland tax paid on the PTE level will receive a corresponding state tax credit for the same amount. The benefit of this is that a PTE can deduct the tax paid on the PTE level, which will then flow to the member’s K-1. This is effective for any tax payments made after November 9, 2020.
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Forensics & Litigation Support
The story is a common one: the divorce settlement has been finalized. The couple parts ways, with both parties walking away with certain assets. Inevitably, only one of the parties has likely maintained a relationship with their financial advisor. Often, it’s been the husband who has managed the couple’s investment accounts alongside a financial advisor. He most likely will continue that relationship, while the wife, who is walking away with a nice settlement after the divorce proceedings, is left without a financial advisor. It’s important for that spouse to quickly find their own financial advisor who can help manage the money that was obtained through the settlement.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | High Net Worth Families | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
2020 has been a unique year to say the least. Many people who would otherwise commute to an office or jobsite every day are finding that they need to work from home because of the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing restrictions. There may be tax benefits for individuals who find themselves setting up shop at home for an undetermined period of time. Here’s what you need to know to take advantage of those rules.
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Business Valuation | Forensics & Litigation Support
An interest in a closely-held business can often be one of the most significant assets in an individual’s estate. As such, there are many planning opportunities that exist when creating an estate plan for a business owner. A timely valuation prepared by a qualified business valuation professional may be necessary to make informed business and financial decisions. Let’s take a look at the ins and outs of business valuation when there’s a business involved in an estate.
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There's good news for Maryland residents who have incurred at least $20,000 in undergraduate and/or graduate student loan debt: you may be eligible for a Maryland tax credit.
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The Maryland construction industry looks different than it did at the beginning of 2020. While many contractors are working off a backlog, it’s hard to predict what to expect going forward. That’s why we surveyed Maryland construction contractors in July 2020 to get an idea on what the future of the industry holds.
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The future is uncertain for many Maryland construction contractors. That’s why we surveyed construction contractors in July 2020 on what they think the future of their business and the industry looks like. Here are the highlights of the survey: Optimism for company outlook is down. Contractors say industry outlook is “worse.” Revenue decreases expected. No layoffs ahead. At least six months expected for businesses to “normalize.” Finding new business has become the top concern for contractors. Concern about finding qualified employees is on the rise.
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Forensics & Litigation Support
Calculating income for support purposes, whether it be child support or alimony, can be complicated. For owners of pass-through entities (“PTEs”), it can be especially difficult.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
If you’re a business owner with more than $500,000 of excess business losses, the recently-passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act includes an unexpected tax giveaway you’ll want to know about.
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Construction & Real Estate | Fresh Ideas | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
Given how so much in the world has changed in the last few months, we’ve been producing a lot of content for business owners that answers the question “What’s next for my business?” We know that the top can be a lonely place, and many business owners crave insights from other owners on how they deal with the same difficult challenges. In the spirit of sharing, this article is for business owners who are curious to know how other leaders are dealing with the pandemic. I decided to chat with David Goldner, who just finished his tenure as Gross Mendelsohn’s managing partner, to hear first-hand what he has learned as a business owner as he navigates his way through the COVID-19 crisis.
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | High Net Worth Families | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
Figuring out how long you need to keep your tax records can be tricky. The easiest (and vaguest) answer is that it depends. The general rule of thumb, according to the IRS, is that you need to keep records that support an item of income, deduction or credit until the period of limitations for that tax return runs out. The period of limitations is the time in which you can A) amend your tax return to claim a credit or refund and B) the IRS can assess additional tax.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | High Net Worth Families | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Effective July 1, 2020, employees who work in the District of Columbia more than 50% of the time and whose wages are subject to DC unemployment tax are eligible for paid family leave.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
On May 27, 2020 Virginia enacted a biennial budget bill containing various corporate and personal income tax provisions. Here is a summary of six key changes that’ll impact corporate and individual taxpayers.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
Taxpayers and tax professionals alike have debated the merits and faults of The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) over the last two years. One change that has negatively affected many individuals who itemize their federal deductions is the $10,000 limit on state and local taxes (SALT cap). Maryland recently joined Connecticut, New Jersey, and several other states employing a new strategy to provide a larger federal benefit to individuals for state taxes paid.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) just authorized an Accounting Standards Update (ASU) that will defer the implementation of three accounting standards for private companies. The standards involve accounting for leases, credit losses and hedging.
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The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently approved the use of a revised Voluntary Self‐Identification of Disability Form, also known as Form CC-305. The more streamlined, user-friendly form is intended to increase the response rate of applicants and employees who choose to voluntarily self-identify their disability status.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | High Net Worth Families | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit
All of us are adapting to a new way of life as the world struggles to deal with the COVID-19 crisis. To mitigate the consequences of stay-at-home orders, federal and state agencies have created various programs to assist small businesses dealing with losses of revenues and to sustain employees who have lost their jobs in industries where shelter-in-place orders exist. Following are a few tax planning opportunities that stem from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and other recent legislative acts to consider.
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The Government Contractors Group at Gross Mendelsohn has been following the COVID-19 related traffic at the Department of Defense and other agencies, including DoD Class Deviation - CARES Act S3610 and DFARS 231.205-79 (CARES Act S3610 Implementation and subsequent FAQs).
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is a Small Business Administration loan that helps businesses keep their workforce employed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Let’s look at who’s eligible, how much you can borrow, how much of the loan will be forgiven, and how to apply.
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
Sharon Paul, CPA, really wants you to install your computer updates. (Seriously, though.) A tech titan and partner in Gross Mendelsohn’s Technology Solutions Group, Sharon has been helping businesses figure out their toughest technology issues for 30+ years. When she stopped by the set of Next Level, Sharon told me about how technology can help a business run more efficiently.
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
Most small to mid-size business owners have a lot on their plate. Not only are you still involved in much of the day-to-day operations at your company, but you probably also wear the hat of accountant, marketer, recruiter and more. This shifting list of priorities can make it tough to focus on building and growing your business.
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
The secret sauce for a great marketing strategy starts with the story you tell about your business. Or at least that’s what Dan Schepleng of the Baltimore creative agency Kapowza told me when he stopped by the set of Next Level to talk about how to market a business.
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Outsourced Accounting | Service Businesses
The #1 accounting tip that Ernie Paszkiewicz has for business owners is this: if you’re going to grow, do it profitably. In his 40+ year career, Ernie has seen the full spectrum of challenges and mistakes that trip up growing businesses.
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
If Linda Pietras has learned one thing about hiring in her 30+ year career, it’s this: a bad hire will cost you more than waiting for the right candidate. Linda joined me on the set of Next Level to talk about hiring, including common hiring mistakes that growing businesses make.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit
Social Security and Medicare tax As of January 1, 2020, the maximum amount of annual earnings subject to Social Security increases to $137,700 (from $132,900 in 2019). There is no limit on the amount of earnings subject to the Medicare tax.
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | High Net Worth Families | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
Every business wonders how they can pay less in taxes. Or at least that’s what the firm’s managing partner, David Goldner told me when we sat down on the set of Next Level to chat about tax challenges that growing businesses often face.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Computer software drives the world. Businesses use software to account for transactions, communicate with colleagues and customers, and design and manufacture new products. One thing is clear: without software, we’d be lost. Accounting for the costs associated with software acquisition, however, can be less than straightforward. In this article, we’ll outline some things a business will need to consider when acquiring or implementing new software for its own use and how to account for those transactions.
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On December 20, 2019, the “parking tax” for nonprofits was repealed. The parking tax, otherwise known as the taxation of transportation fringe benefits by nonprofit employers under Section 512(a)(7), was first brought into law with the passing of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) at the end of 2017.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | High Net Worth Families | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
With the holidays over, tax-minded individuals are now focused on gathering their paperwork to file 2019 returns and project what their tax situation will look like in 2020. Each year, Congress decides to extend or let expire various provisions of the tax law. This article summarizes some of the more commonly-used “extenders” so individuals and business owners may understand the impact of various courses of action.
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Nonprofits are required to include a liquidity disclosure in their financial statements. 1 This liquidity disclosure overviews qualitative and quantitative information about how the nonprofit manages its liquid resources. This information can make it easier for someone reviewing a nonprofit’s financial statements to understand the financial health of the organization. Currently, there is no required format on how to present the information in the liquidity disclosure, as long as all of the required elements are included in the disclosure.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
The Supreme Court’s decision in South Dakota vs. Wayfair continues to have a ripple effect for businesses with interstate sales. With the Wayfair decision adding potentially significant sales tax exposure to some businesses, there is also the potential for increased exposure to the personal liability of unsuspecting business owners, corporate officers and even employees like tax and finance managers. It’s more important than ever for “responsible persons,” which we’ll define in a moment, to understand their responsibility and potential liability in the sales tax process.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
In June 2018, the United States Supreme Court issued their ruling in the case of South Dakota vs. Wayfair, which cleared the way for states to collect sales tax from businesses that do not have a “physical presence” in the state, but do have an “economic presence” in the state. While much attention has been given to the impact on online retailers, the decision potentially impacts the sales tax obligations of any business that makes remote sales to out-of-state customers. While some states are still reacting to the decision, many states have already implemented laws that require remote sellers to collect and remit sales tax on sales to out-of-state customers without having a physical presence in the state. Understanding this new and still evolving sales tax landscape is important for any company that conducts business in multiple states.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
The long awaited new Form W-4 is finally here. Here’s the rundown on the new form, which businesses must start using for new employees hired on or after January 1, 2020.
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The IRS recently announced new rules for e-filing requirements for tax-exempt organizations. The Taxpayer First Act requires all tax-exempt organizations to electronically file Form 990. Currently, only a limited number of nonprofits are required to file electronically. That all changes for tax-exempt organizations starting with tax years that begin after July 1, 2019. Let’s look at the kinds of organizations and tax returns that are affected.
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Our firm has had a strong presence on social media for years, but when our staff asked for tips for using social media tools like LinkedIn to supplement their own networking efforts, we got right to work pulling together an internal training program. We turned to four social-savvy Baltimore area business people for help, and invited them to participate in a panel discussion called “How to Use Social Media to Supercharge Your Networking Efforts.” Our staff was invited to submit questions to the panel in advance of the discussion. Here are just some of the takeaways, which can be used by anyone in any line of work.
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | High Net Worth Families | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
The IRS recently publicized that it will be cracking down on taxpayers for not properly reporting cryptocurrency transactions. In this article, we’ll summarize different types of transactions and how the IRS has recommended they be reported.
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Just as sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie might be staples on your Thanksgiving table, community service days are staples for Gross Mendelsohn every autumn. Individually, our staff members volunteer year-round for organizations they believe in (you’ll see a sampling of them at the end of this blog post), but autumn is when we put our hearts and hands together as a team to help local nonprofits. It’s an all-hands-on-deck kind of thing. This year, we converged on Special Olympics Maryland’s tennis tournament and the Maryland Food Bank to help make the local community stronger through service.
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Business Valuation | Forensics & Litigation Support
Figuring out how to select a business valuation expert can be tough. A quick Google search yields hundreds of so-called valuation experts, but how do you whittle down the list? The good news is there are specific qualifications and certifications attorneys can use when evaluating potential business valuation experts.
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Business Valuation | Forensics & Litigation Support | High Net Worth Families
In the recent Tax Court opinion in Estate of Aaron U. Jones v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue (T.C. Memo 2019-101), the court came to some surprising opinions that benefit taxpayers valuing businesses for gift and estate tax purposes.
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We recently polled private school heads and financial staff to find out whether their last audit was “stress-free.” Not surprisingly, nearly half of respondents answered “no.” While it’s easy to look at your school’s annual audit as a necessary evil, not to mention time consuming and stress inducing, there are several often overlooked benefits to the annual audit.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Business owners and financial executives now have one more thing to keep track of – making sure payroll taxes are actually getting paid to tax authorities. With so many businesses relying on outside parties to process paychecks and pay employment taxes, millions of dollars pass through the hands of payroll companies every day. But are those millions of dollars making it into workers’ paychecks and, just as important, being sent to federal and state tax authorities?
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Forensics & Litigation Support
It’s something that divorce attorneys see fairly regularly – one spouse accusing the other spouse of accessing their private bank accounts during the divorce process. But what happens when one of the spouses is accessing the bank accounts from space? Yes, that’s right – outer space. That’s exactly what Summer Worden has accused her spouse, NASA astronaut Anne McClain, of doing.
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It’s not too often that you hear about an organization losing their nonprofit status. Here’s the story of one that did.
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Government contractors and GSA acquisition personnel will have more time to understand and participate in the Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) pilot. GSA just announced that the TDR pilot has been extended through FY2020.
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When the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) passed in December 2017, many taxpayers couldn’t foresee the implications of the legislation on their individual withholding for the coming year.
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This year has brought some big changes for skilled nursing facilities. October will mark the implementation of the Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM). It’s no secret that this implementation has some facilities feeling skittish. In this year’s 2019 Skilled Nursing Facility Survey, conducted by our Healthcare Group, we surveyed skilled nursing facilities on what they thought about the future of the industry.
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Government Contractors | Manufacturing & Distribution
The Maryland Department of Commerce is helping defense contractors grow their businesses, increase profits and find new opportunities. The Maryland Defense Diversification Assistance (MDDA) program seeks to help defense contractors diversify into new markets. Diversification is important for defense contractors given the unpredictability of procurement trends of the United States Department of Defense (DoD).
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Capital campaigns can be a great opportunity for a nonprofit to raise money for a specific project. However, not every nonprofit capital campaign performs as well as it should.
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Forensics & Litigation Support
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) has had a significant impact on divorcing couples. Many divorcing couples and their attorneys are aware of the elimination of the alimony deduction under the TCJA, but fewer are aware of the changes related to 529 plan funds.
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It’s hard to believe we’ve been in our new space for six months already. It feels like yesterday that we were packing up hundreds of boxes and decades of memories. We knew that moving a firm our size was going to be an enormous undertaking, but it was necessary. In addition to needing more room to accommodate our growth, all of us at Gross Mendelsohn wanted a space that better reflected who we are as a firm: modern, streamlined and open. After months of looking at existing real estate throughout Baltimore City, we ultimately decided on new construction in an exciting new part of the city called McHenry Row. Despite the massive effort it took to plan for and manage a move of 100+ people, it was worth it. Here’s what we love about our new office, and why.
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Financial management can be tricky for private schools, especially when it comes to areas like fundraising, endowments, audits and strategic planning. That’s why we had four private school experts cover each of these topics in a webinar for private schools. Here’s a summary of each segment from panelists…
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Business Valuation | Forensics & Litigation Support
The vast majority of cases settle before ever going to trial. In many instances, they are settled through mediation. Having your financial expert at mediation, whether it’s for a divorce matter, damages claim, or any claim dealing with a complex financial matter, can be a game changer. A financial expert can serve many different roles during a mediation. Here are five things your financial expert can do to contribute to the success of your next mediation.
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Government contractors have a new official source for wage determination data: beta.SAM.gov. WDOL.gov, short for Wage Determinations Online, was retired last week. All wage determination data can now be accessed through beta.SAM.gov, which features significant improvements over the old site.
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Every year we poll Maryland construction business owners and employees to take the pulse of the state’s construction industry. This year, we saw a significant shift in the way contractors answered the question, “What are your top three concerns for your business in 2019?” Let’s first take a look at how contractors answered that question in 2018 vs 2019.
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High Net Worth Families | Nonprofit
A recent Blackbaud Institute charitable giving report confirmed nationally what we have seen in the Baltimore/Washington, DC area market: charitable giving increased slightly, by 1.5%, from 2017 to 2018. This increase occurred not just among the super wealthy, but also among a larger population of high net worth charitably inclined individuals and families. This uptick in charitable giving is, of course, excellent news for nonprofits. A nonprofit can benefit even more, however, when its staff is able to educate potential donors about several tax benefits of charitable giving – beyond a simple cash donation. To understand the big picture, let’s first step back and take a look at the reason behind the increase in giving.
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Nonprofit fundraising isn’t exactly a walk in the park. Most organizations struggle to bring in fundraising dollars. This can be especially difficult when your nonprofit’s board isn’t on board with fundraising. The board helps your nonprofit thrive. That can mean donating money, contributing their time or helping your organization make connections. At a recent webinar hosted by our Nonprofit Group, nonprofit fundraising expert Vince Connelly answered the audience’s questions on nonprofit fundraising. In this article, we’ll focus on Vince’s advice for engaging the board of directors in fundraising efforts.
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The U.S. Department of Labor recently updated the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) rights poster, which federal government contractors and subcontractors are required to display.
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Culture can make or break a construction business. It’s not enough anymore to offer the lowest prices to customers or pay employees the most. Employees want to work for a business with a good culture. Not to mention, customers want to hire a business whose culture matches their personal values.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Earlier this year, we discussed the new income tax credit for qualified family leave. This credit applies to employers who satisfy certain criteria and pay employees under qualified plans.
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If you have children or grandchildren, you’re likely concerned about the cost of their college education. For Marylanders, there is a little bit of relief in sight, thanks to the state teaming up with the Maryland College Investment Plan. You might be eligible to receive matching funds from the state of Maryland if you meet certain criteria, but you must submit an application by May 31.
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Knowing where your Maryland construction business stands in relation to other contractors in the state can be tough. To get a pulse on the state of the industry, Gross Mendelsohn partnered with the Maryland Construction Network (MCN) in 2019 to gather and analyze data from 150+ people working in Maryland’s construction industry.
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After collecting input from more than 150 Maryland contractors for our annual construction industry survey, we sifted through the data and found three common obstacles that are challenging contractors. Last week I presented the results of the survey to members of the Maryland Construction Network, and we reviewed those common obstacles – and how to overcome them.
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If you need to hire an outside Certified Public Accountant (CPA) for your construction business, you’re most likely wondering how to choose the best firm for the job. Finding a quality CPA can sometimes be time consuming, even for those who’ve been through the process before. The good news is that working with a good CPA firm can help your construction businesses grow and become more profitable.
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Hiring and retaining quality construction employees is getting harder. In fact, of the 150+ contractors who took the 2019 Maryland Construction Industry Survey, not one respondent said it would be easier to hire employees in 2019 compared to 2018.
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Construction & Real Estate | Forensics & Litigation Support | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
Jeffrey David, the former chief revenue officer for the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, recently pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and identity theft in a scheme that misappropriated approximately $13.4 million of the team’s funds. Mr. David, who was the corporate officer responsible for generating revenue for the Kings, directly negotiated sponsorship, partnership, and other advertising and marketing agreements between the Kings and outside companies. According to the plea agreement, Mr. David directed some of those companies to wire some of their payments to bank accounts held in the name of a limited liability company under his sole control, Sacramento Sports Partners, LLC. There are lessons business owners can learn from the Sacramento Kings' embezzlement case. Let's look at how the perpetrator embezzled funds, how the scheme was uncovered, and the ways it could have been avoided.
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It’s no secret that technology has been evolving at light speed in the past few decades. If you need proof, just look at the development of computer and phone technology in the last ten years. The next big wave of manufacturing technology – as part of the fourth industrial revolution – is known as “Industry 4.0.”
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Forensics & Litigation Support
Dividing assets in a divorce is rarely a simple matter. It gets even more complicated when there is a transfer of property between spouses after a divorce.I
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Government contractors will soon be impacted by several changes that are in the pipeline. Here's what you need to know to get up to speed with the changes to PSS and SRP.
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Forensics & Litigation Support
Divorce is considered to be one of the most stressful events that people may encounter in their lifetime, even more so if there is significant hostility between the spouses. As a result of the adversarial nature of divorce, the parties involved might behave irrationally or even vindictively, especially when it comes to their finances. There is the possibility that one or both spouses may not be entirely forthcoming or truthful about their financial situation during litigation. During divorce settlements, common areas of concern are undisclosed assets or the understatement of income, but another potential fraud area that should be considered is the dissipation of marital assets.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Manufacturing & Distribution | Service Businesses
With more than 2,500 pieces of legislation proposed in the 90-day 2019 Maryland General Assembly session, it can be hard for business owners to identify the big issues that might affect them. Here, we identify four key pieces of legislation that, if passed, could have a dramatic effect on Maryland businesses.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
More organizations are hiring military veterans every day. In addition to benefiting from the skills, dedication and experience that veterans offer, qualifying employers can earn a tax credit for their commitment to hiring, training and retaining veterans. Many of our clients, particularly government contractors, hire military veterans. Let’s look at some of the tax credits available to employers who hire veterans.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit
The 2020 Payroll Update is available here! Social Security and Medicare Tax As of January 1, 2019, the maximum amount of annual earnings subject to the Social Security increases to $132,900 (from $128,400 in 2018). There is no limit on the amount of earnings subject to the Medicare tax. The maximum Social Security tax to be deducted from an employee’s compensation during 2019 will be $8,239.80 (6.2% x $132,900).
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
If your business employs veterans, you might be eligible for a HIRE Vets Medallion Award. Businesses that earn this award are recognized for their leadership in recruiting, employing and retaining veterans. About HIRE Vets Created in 2017, President Trump signed into law the Honoring Investments Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act, more commonly known as HIRE Vets. The program is overseen by the U.S. Department of Labor and while it is not a monetary award, it is the only federal award program that recognizes businesses for their commitment to veteran careers. (Note: there are tax credits available to businesses that hire veterans.) Is Your Business Eligible for a 2019 Award? You can visit the www.hirevets.gov website to review specific program criteria and determine whether your business is eligible for the HIRE Vets Medallion Award. There are awards for small, mid-sized and large employers. You can download a detailed award criteria checklist, along with sample applications, here.
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On December 17, 2018, the Small Business Runway Extension Act of 2018 was signed into law, increasing the measurement of a small business' size status. Prior to this, a business' small business status was determined based on three years of average gross receipts. Once the business’s three-year average gross receipts exceeded a specific dollar threshold, that business was considered ready to enter the open marketplace.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
As 2019 gets closer, businesses and nonprofits across the country are struggling to understand how to calculate how new parking expense rules will impact their tax liability. The changes to parking expense deductibility and the unrelated business income tax for nonprofits are part of the changes under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution
There continues to be a lot of discussion about the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, signed into law in December 2017. There are new tax rates for individuals and corporations and different ways to apply existing provisions of the tax code. One new credit, however, has been largely ignored and may provide a significant tax benefit for businesses that are paying employees under the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA).
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In case you haven’t noticed, community service in the workplace is more than a passing fad. Since the early days of employees putting in a day of labor for Habitat for Humanity, supporting social and community causes has only grown in popularity. Employees at all types of businesses are sharing their time and special skills with local nonprofits while on their employers’ clock. While nonprofits still rely heavily on corporate donations, it’s no longer just about companies writing a check at year end. Our staff here at Gross Mendelsohn looks forward to participating in several organized community service events every year. Since 2011, our firm has had a robust community service program in place. In case you’re feeling inspired to make community service a bigger part of your business, we are happy to share a behind-the-scenes look at our own experience with a structured, company-sponsored volunteer program.
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Financial ratios and benchmarks can be used to assess the financial health of your nonprofit. These ratios and benchmarks can help management make decisions regarding organizational strategy and budgeting and, ultimately, help your nonprofit manage its resources. This financial data can also help donors or grantors determine whether to support your nonprofit.
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We get it. As an administrator, you’re overloaded. You’re wrestling with staffing shortages, complex reimbursement issues, and keeping up on regulatory requirements – all while giving top notch care to your residents. Maintaining census is an excellent thing for administrators to be concerned about. Here's why.
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Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt awkward introducing yourself to a stranger at a networking event. That’s an impressive show of virtual hands! You were probably told early in your career to have a rehearsed elevator speech in your back pocket at networking events. An elevator speech is a 20- to 30-second rehearsed introduction that you use when you meet someone new. It’s called an elevator speech because it should equate to the length of an elevator ride – not too short, not too long. The elevator speech includes a short introduction of yourself, your company, your products and services, and maybe something that makes you unique. Sounds like a smart tool to have in your networking toolbox, right?
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In many divorces, a significant asset of the marriage is an S corporation. Oftentimes, the business owned by the S corporation is the source that will be used to make lifetime distributions to a spouse. Two important aspects of S corporations prevent a simple solution to this problem.
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Forensics & Litigation Support
When people think about the divorce process, they often imagine combative couples and attorneys at each other’s throats. They picture a process completely void of trust among the parties, along with a cut-throat effort to “win” at any cost. Times have changed. These days, a growing number of divorcing couples are choosing alternatives that involve cooperation and good faith. One of those alternatives is known as a collaborative divorce.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution
There’s excellent news for Maryland businesses and it comes in the form of a tax credit. If your business has purchased cyber security goods or services from a Maryland cyber security company, congratulations. You’ve taken a smart step toward protecting your business from hackers. The promising news doesn’t stop there. There’s also a strong chance you’ll be eligible for a tax credit.
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Forensics & Litigation Support
A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) financial expert can provide valuable assistance to attorneys throughout the discovery phase of a litigation case. Cases involving economic damages often depend on documents to establish or disprove the amount of the plaintiff’s damages. A financial expert gathers, analyzes and evaluates information from documents to calculate damages, and to provide expert testimony opining as to the amount of damages. When is the right time to hire your CPA expert? The answer is simple: sooner rather than later. Let’s consider why.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Manufacturing & Distribution
Sales and use tax compliance has changed significantly with the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. The changes especially impact online sellers. It’s imperative that you understand where your business has nexus and how the recent ruling might impact your taxes and reporting requirements.
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Construction & Real Estate | Government Contractors | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution
The IRS finally issued its long awaited proposed regulations for the qualified business income deduction, also known as the Section 199A deduction for qualified business income of pass-through entities. Whew, what a mouthful! If your head is already spinning, I encourage you to keep reading, as business owners stand to benefit from this deduction.
