A Few Thoughts on the Affordable Care Act
We have been talking about the Affordable Care Act for more than four years now. Since 2010, we’ve spent countless hours trying to grasp all of the implications and fine print of the law so we can fully understand its impacts on our clients. Although some of the important provisions have been delayed, most small…
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Meals and Entertainment Deductions: 50% vs. 100%
Here’s something to chew on: There’s less on your plate today that qualifies for meals and entertainment deductions. The rules limiting meals and entertainment expenses have been modified quite a bit over the years, and, as a result, 50% of qualifying expenses are now disallowed as deductions. The latest revision (1993) also prohibited the deduction…
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Hiring the Right Financial Professional: Be Vigilant
Part One: The Bookkeeper Part Two: The Controller Part Three: The CFO Regardless of the degree of financial oversight your company requires—whether you need a bookkeeper, a controller or a CFO—vigilance is vital when it comes to finding the right person for your job. I advise following prudent, proven practices when placing someone in the…
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Hiring the Right Financial Professional: The CFO
Part three of four in a SmartMoney series by Mike Baker Read Part One: The Bookkeeper and Part Two: The Controller. The larger the company, the more complicated the financial decisions and the more responsibilities required of those people minding the money. Earlier in this series, I talked about bookkeepers and controllers, professionals who are…
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Hiring the Right Financial Professional: The Controller
Part two of four in a SmartMoney series Read Part One: The Bookkeeper The recent recession was a grim reminder that we simply can’t be too careful when it comes to the company’s finances. But what type of financial professional does your company really need? A small operation might do well to hire an experienced…
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Hiring the Right Financial Professional: The Bookkeeper
Part one of four in a SmartMoney series If your company is like most, you are beginning to see welcome signs of financial recovery. But the memory of the recession has not faded, and vigilance about company finances must remain a top priority. I’ve seen too many businesses launch a search for a financial professional…
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Putting a Dollar Value on Your Most Valuable Asset
Ask an employer the compensation for a given employee and you’ll likely hear something like “$15 an hour” or “$50,000 a year.” Of course the dollar figure is correct. But it represents only about 75-80% of total compensation. That’s because the hourly rate or base pay is just the starting point. While many industries track…
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AlabamaSAVES™
The Energy Division of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community affairs administers millions of dollars in grants to encourage energy efficiency. The Department partners with different providers to offer comprehensive energy efficiency projects. Goals are to support local business growth, reduce energy costs and provide jobs. The AlabamaSAVES™ program allows business to secure below-market…
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Do you subscribe to our blog via email? You can do so for free via the button in the side bar or right here: Sometimes, we’ll send out content that’s exclusive to email subscribers. Last week, we sent a market research survey + giveaway. With the feedback we received, we hope to give you more…
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Small Business and the Affordable Care Act
In the video below, NBC news portrays what may become reality for many employees. As businesses begin to see the financial effects of the Affordable Care Act, employers are struggling with a way to remain competitive with benefits yet cap future health costs to the company. Many businesses will be forced to make tough choices…
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