It’s easy to focus on the excitement of a big win. However, federal tax law generally treats lottery prizes, gambling winnings and other awards as taxable income. Knowing the basic rules can help you avoid surprises when you file your 2026 return next year. Lottery prizes Of course, the chances of winning big in the […]

Fraud prevention starts at the top — with the board of directors. In fact, an engaged audit committee (or other oversight team, such as an advisory board) can help protect your organization from criminal threats, both internal and external. Reviewing financial statements and audit results remains an important responsibility of the committee. However, audit committees […]

Financial information is the foundation for every important business decision. Whether your goal is to improve cash flow, launch a new offering, hire additional workers or expand into a new market, accurate data enables you to make decisions confidently. An experienced advisor can help prepare this data and ensure your business is poised to capitalize […]

Increasing revenue is not the only way to strengthen your business’s financial performance. Another option is to take a closer look at operating expenses and determine whether every dollar you spend delivers value. A systematic review of major expense categories can uncover opportunities to reduce waste and protect your bottom line without sacrificing long-term growth. […]

Historical financial results are only relevant in a valuation to the extent that the business expects to achieve similar results in the coming years. When projecting future economic benefits, it is important to consider expected changes to a subject company’s internal and external conditions. Challenging the status quo The last three to five years of […]

CPA firms do more than audits and tax returns. They can also help you with everyday accounting-related tasks, such as bookkeeping, budgeting, payroll and sales tax filings. Should your organization outsource its accounting needs? Here are five potential advantages to consider when evaluating this decision. 1. Professional advice. Outsourcing to an experienced CPA firm provides […]

The IRS announced it opened the 2023 individual income tax return filing season on January 23. That is when the agency began accepting and processing 2022 tax year returns. Even if you typically do not file until much closer to the mid-April deadline (or you file for an extension), consider filing earlier this year. The […]

Are you feeling generous at year end? Taxpayers can transfer substantial amounts free of gift taxes to their children or other recipients each year through the proper use of the annual exclusion. The exclusion amount is adjusted for inflation annually, and for 2022, the amount is $16,000. The exclusion covers gifts that an individual makes to […]

If you have a child or grandchild who is going to attend college in the future, you have probably heard about qualified tuition programs, also known as 529 plans. These plans, named for the Internal Revenue Code section that provides for them, allow prepayment of higher education costs on a tax-favored basis. There are two […]

Auditors commonly use confirmations to verify such items as cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable, employee benefit plans and pending litigation. Under U.S. Generally Accepted Auditing Standards, an external confirmation is “a direct response to the auditor from a third party either in paper form or by electronic other means, such as through the auditor’s direct […]