July 2018

Technology

Accounting Firm Workflow and Process Automation 2.0

In the future, we will move beyond simple data integrations between applications toward workflow automation tools and with data from many different mainstream systems consolidated in a business intelligence tool. My research shows that most mid-sized ...

Accounting

Apps We Love – The Internet of Things (IoT)

What is the Internet of Things? Homeowners know it as the process of adding automated, and in some cases, decision making power to devices like appliances, lights, vehicles, heating and air conditioning, and so on.

Changes Coming to the Meals & Entertainment Deduction

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law on December 22, 2017 and represents the most extensive tax reform legislation we’ve seen in 30 years. These sweeping tax law changes impact many taxpayers, including individuals, businesses, estates and ...

Firm Management

July 2018 Firm Management Channel

Firm Management Social Media: Can Your Receptionist be a Profit Center? Firm of the Future.https://bit.ly/2KaA6JS 3 Steps to ID and Fix Bottlenecks in Firm Workflow. Thomson Reuters Blog.https://tinyurl.com/yaeo9enl What a Great Succession Plan Looks Like. Rosenberg Blog.https://bit.ly/2KpRNkL Benchmarking Your Firm Against Others. Karbon Blog.https://bit.ly/2KkmE5z 3 Tips to Help Clients Through Hurricane Season. AICPA Insights.https://bit.ly/2KaNL3N […]

Accounting

2018 Review of Nonprofit Accounting Software

One of the most common misconceptions is that nonprofit software is only useful for larger organizations; that smaller nonprofits can easily use standard accounting software. The truth is, while the needs of smaller nonprofits are less complicated ...

Sales Tax

The New Sales Tax Paradigm: SCOTUS Rules for States in Wayfair Case

In the immediate term, the case has been remanded to the South Dakota Supreme Court for further review. In other words, assuming the final review isn’t a big surprise, South Dakota will be free to enforce its existing law as presented to SCOTUS in the ...

Small Business

July 2018 Small Business Channel

Small Business Social Media: 8 Storm Preparedness Tips for Small Businesses. The Allstate Blog.https://al.st/2KpLjSX Dos and Don’ts for Getting a Small Business Loan. Small Biz Trends.https://bit.ly/2K9Jnlj 3 Ways to Increase Relevance and Avoid Extinction. Forbes Small Business.https://bit.ly/2Krl9Co The Best Facebook Groups for Female Entrepreneurs. Gusto Blog.https://bit.ly/2MqrATF How to Build Trust with Your Audience. Duct […]

Firm Management

Cool Marketing Tips to Draw in HVAC Clients

Summer is an HVAC business’ busiest time of year. With that in mind, you have to think outside the box to reach your busy clients and prospects. What’s an accountant to do?

Payroll

July 2018 Payroll Channel

Payroll Social Media: How Companies are Creating Flexible Work Arrangements. Zenefits HR Blog.https://bit.ly/2KiH6DV 3 Unexpected Things I Learned from Parental Leave. Gusto Blog.https://bit.ly/2KqC8F1 How to Give a Payroll Advance. Patriot Payroll Blog.https://bit.ly/2KdmhKL Should You Offer PTO? HR Payroll Systems Blog.https://bit.ly/2K8Q873 Promoting Good Mental Health in the Workplace. Landrum HR Blog.https://bit.ly/2spuHD6 Top Payroll News: […]

Accounting

Business Confidence Exceeds Crisis Preparedness

This year's study uncovered dramatic gaps between a company's confidence that they can respond to crises and its level of preparedness. The gap becomes even more evident when evaluating whether organizations have ...

Firm Management

3 Mindfulness Myths Debunked

As a culture, we have the tendency to be incredibly skeptical of any concept or idea that comes with the promise of improving our inner lives, especially if it’s rooted in a religious practice or delivered by self-proclaimed self-help gurus.

Sales Tax

Sales and Use Tax Explained: A Few Minutes With Brian Weaver

Recently, Avalara interviewed tax and technology consultant Brian Weaver, managing partner of Brian Weaver Consulting LLC, a firm serving client needs in transaction taxes, tax technology and taxation systems, and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance.

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Advisory

Accountants as Advisors

The compliance task is still a necessity, but as the recent changes in the tax code and the resulting postcard sized tax return illustrate, much can be done automatically. Fewer individuals will need to itemize and will consider doing their tax ...

July 2018 Tax Channel

Tax & Compliance Social Media: Digital Marketing for Tax Practices. Canopy Blog.https://bit.ly/2AkjzxA SALT Tax Changes Across the U.S. for July 2018. Tax Foundation.https://bit.ly/2KnAXWL Three Tips for Diversifying Tax Workforce in Your Firm. Bloomberg Tax.https://bit.ly/2so7Yan Income Tax Effects of Inventory Distributions from an S-Corp. Fuller Tax Blog.https://bit.ly/2KpMOAG IRS to Put Audit Focus on These 5 […]

Accounting

July 2018 Accounting & Audit Channel

Accounting & Audit Social Media: 2018 Accounting Standards You Might Have Missed. PwC Blog.https://bit.ly/2KbCvUM Senior Auditors Benefit from School of Audit. Wolters Kluwer Blog.https://bit.ly/2IuYUX8 3 Ways Extra Capital Helps with Seasonal Needs. Accountex Blog.https://bit.ly/2KnVjzi How to Determine Profit Margins on Services. Accounting Department Blog.https://bit.ly/2K9PW7v FASB Issues New Guidance on Share-Based Payments. Compliance Week.https://bit.ly/2IswH3u […]

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Payroll

The Pros & Cons of Working From Home

Job seekers are enticed by work from home options but are aware of the pitfalls, suggests new research from global staffing firm Robert Half. More than three quarters of professionals surveyed (77 percent) said they are more likely to accept a job ...

Advisory

Every CPA Firm Needs to be a Security Company

CPA firms are also once again changing. For many, the first customer facing technology may have been offering self-service options to extend back office functionality. Electronic invoicing and collections are two early examples that date back to the ...

Firm Management

Why Vacations Are Good For You – and Your Team

Love going on vacation but worried about taking time off? You’re not alone. The majority of workers in a recent Accountemps survey said they typically check in with the office at least once or twice a week during their vacation.

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Legislation

Opioids, Marijuana and Employment Law

With the increasing use of prescribed opioids, reportedly one out of every three persons took such a prescription in 2015, the likelihood that the issue will arise in either the hiring context or involving a current employee is significant.

Firm Management

The State of Accounting Firm Succession

According to the 19th Annual Rosenberg Practice Management Survey, for firms in the $2 million to $10 million category, 65.5% of partners are over the age of 50. Among sole practitioners and smaller firms, the percentage is 71.1%.

Accounting

Blackbaud Helps Nonprofit Serve Its Community

Prior to using Blackbaud, the organization struggled to manage the myriad of reports required by its diverse stakeholders, as is typical in FQHCs. Lawndale’s regular reporting requirements include: internal decision making, Uniform Data System, 990 ...

Accounting

A.I., Machine Learning, Cognitive Computing As Profession’s Top Technology Hard Trends For 2018 – Part 2

Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cognitive computing in audit and tax are the top trends that will impact the accounting and finance world over the next three years, according to research conducted by the Maryland Association of CPAs, ...

Accounting

How to Detect and Prevent Expense Reimbursement Fraud

Expense reimbursement fraud is one of the more common schemes, and for a forensic accountant, it is most often easy to detect. Traditional CPAs should understand that, if they come across expense reimbursement fraud in their client’s business ...

Accounting

Why and How: Big Data

If Cognitive Computing drives much of the emerging technology computer science research, most of the data science research is focused on Big Data. Big Data can be analyzed to produce actionable business information. This data analysis need may explain ...

Sales Tax

How Real Estate Giant Zillow Handles Sales and Use Tax Compliance — Part 2

In Part 2 of this interview, Scott Peterson, Vice President of U.S. Tax Policy and Government Relations for Avalara, continues his discussion with Jason Heckel, Senior Director of Tax at Zillow Group, who describes how he led Zillow in automating their...

Firm Management

Four Reasons Accounting Firms Should Get into the Human Resources Game

For many accounting firms, offering payroll and HR services is a great way to grow your business, increase revenue, and strengthen your relationship with your current clients. You can continue being a trusted adviser to existing clients while ...

In this issue

Accounting Firm Workflow and Process Automation 2.0

Apps We Love – The Internet of Things (IoT)

Changes Coming to the Meals & Entertainment Deduction

July 2018 Firm Management Channel

2018 Review of Nonprofit Accounting Software

The New Sales Tax Paradigm: SCOTUS Rules for States in Wayfair Case

July 2018 Small Business Channel

Cool Marketing Tips to Draw in HVAC Clients

July 2018 Payroll Channel

Business Confidence Exceeds Crisis Preparedness

3 Mindfulness Myths Debunked

Sales and Use Tax Explained: A Few Minutes With Brian Weaver

Accountants as Advisors

July 2018 Tax Channel

July 2018 Accounting & Audit Channel

The Pros & Cons of Working From Home

Every CPA Firm Needs to be a Security Company

Why Vacations Are Good For You – and Your Team

Opioids, Marijuana and Employment Law

The State of Accounting Firm Succession

Blackbaud Helps Nonprofit Serve Its Community

A.I., Machine Learning, Cognitive Computing As Profession’s Top Technology Hard Trends For 2018 – Part 2

How to Detect and Prevent Expense Reimbursement Fraud

Why and How: Big Data

How Real Estate Giant Zillow Handles Sales and Use Tax Compliance — Part 2

Four Reasons Accounting Firms Should Get into the Human Resources Game