6 tried-and-true strategies for improving collections

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Businesses that operate in the retail or restaurant spheres have it relatively easy when it comes to collections. They generally take payments right at a point-of-sale terminal and customers go on their merry ways. (These enterprises face many other challenges, of course.)

Education benefits help attract, retain and motivate your employees

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One popular fringe benefit is an education assistance program that allows employees to continue learning and perhaps earn a degree with financial assistance from their employers. One way to attract, retain and motivate employees is to provide education fringe benefits so that team members can improve their skills and gain additional knowledge. An employee can receive, on a tax-free basis, up to $5,250 each year from his or her employer under a “qualified educational assistance program.”

Businesses, be prepared to champion the advantages of an HSA

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With concerns about inflation in the news for months now, most business owners are keeping a close eye on costs. Although it can be difficult to control costs related to mission-critical functions such as overhead and materials, you might find some budge room in employee benefits.

Tax news for investors and users of cryptocurrency

If you’re a crypto investor or user, you may have noticed something new on your tax return this year. And you may soon notice a new form reporting requirements for digital assets.

There’s a favorable “stepped-up basis” if you inherit property

A common question for people planning their estates or inheriting property is: For tax purposes, what’s the “cost” (or “basis”) an individual gets in property that he or she inherits from another? This is an important area and is too often overlooked when families start to put their affairs in order.

5 valuation terms that every business owner should know

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As a business owner, you’ll likely need to have your company appraised at some point. An appraisal is essential in the event of a business sale, merger or acquisition. It’s also important when creating or updating a buy-sell agreement or doing estate planning. You can even use a business valuation to help kickstart or support strategic planning.

Paperwork you can toss after filing your tax return

Once you file your 2022 tax return, you may wonder what personal tax papers you can throw away and how long you should retain certain records. You may have to produce those records if the IRS audits your return or seeks to assess tax.

It’s happening: Using social media for customer service

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Everyone is on social media these days, including businesses and their customers. This creates a natural — or shall we say virtual — nexus for companies to field questions, comments and complaints from buyers or those interested in their products or services.

The tax advantages of hiring your child this summer

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Summer is around the corner so you may be thinking about hiring young people at your small business. At the same time, you may have children looking to earn extra spending money. You can save family income and payroll taxes by putting your child on the payroll. It’s a win-win!

How businesses can use stress testing to improve risk management

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If you’ve been following the news lately, you’ve surely heard or read about the sudden rise in concern about the banking industry. Although the story is still unfolding, an important lesson for business owners is already clear: You’ve got to be constantly on guard against the many risks to your company’s financial solvency.