Keeping good records not only makes tax filing easier and faster, but it can also help you monitor the progress of your business, prepare your financial statements, and support items reported on your tax returns. Here are three simple tips from the IRS to help you get organized: 1. Save Certain Business Records The following…
Company retreats can cost enormous amounts of time and money. Are they worth it? Sometimes. Large-scale get-togethers can involve considerable out-of-pocket costs. And if the retreat is poorly planned or executed, participants’ wasted time is the biggest expense. But a properly budgeted, planned and executed retreat can be hugely profitable, producing fresh ideas, renewed enthusiasm…
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has updated Publication 463 (Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and Car Expenses) for use in preparing 2016 tax returns that are filed in 2017. This publication explains what travel, entertainment, and car expenses are deductible, how to report them on returns, what records are needed to prove expenses, and how to treat…
Some business owners make major decisions by relying on gut instinct. But investments made on a “hunch” often fall short of management’s expectations. In the broadest sense, you’re really trying to answer a simple question: If my company buys a given asset, will the asset’s benefits be greater than its cost? The good news is…
At the beginning of the year, many people decide they’re going to get in the best shape of their lives. Similarly, many business owners declare that they intend to cut costs and operate at peak efficiency going forward. But, like keeping up an exercise routine, controlling costs takes an ongoing effort. You need to not…
In popular culture, the word “spinoff” usually refers to a television show whose main characters originated from an already established show. But the word applies to the business world, too. Here it describes a division or subsidiary of a company being sold off to a buyer as a separate entity. The process is hardly simple.…
A successful family business can provide long-term financial security for you as its owner, as well as for your loved ones. To improve the chances that your company will continue to benefit your heirs after you’re gone, take steps now to keep it in the family. Staying in-house Careful estate planning can ensure that a…
For many of today’s companies, going global seems like a quick and trouble-free growth strategy. Technological advances and expansive supply chains make doing so easier than ever. But business owners who make this move impetuously may soon find themselves on stormy seas, taking on waves of debt and unanticipated expenses. Chart your course carefully Globalization…
Once again, it’s time to start thinking ahead to tax season. The final weeks of the year are a great time to make the most of your tax planning opportunities and to set the stage for minimizing your tax outlay in 2017. With many valuable tax provisions made permanent by last December’s PATH Act while…
The owners of many companies launch their enterprises with a business plan — a written document outlining the company’s strategic objectives and practical means of accomplishing them. Likewise, many owners leave their businesses via a succession plan, a written document outlining how the company’s ownership will transition. Often, however, these two documents never cross paths,…
