Newsletters
Don’t Let Your Tax Refund Burn a Hole in Your Pocket
May 21, 2014April 15th has passed and many of us are awaiting, or recently received, a tax refund. The average U.S. taxpayer refund over the last two years has approximated $3,100. If you got/get a nice refund, what do you plan to do with it? It is very tempting to spend it; to treat yourself or your…
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Focus on Fair Lending Compliance
April 23, 2014Fair lending compliance remains in high focus with federal and state regulators. The Department of Justice recently created a new fair lending enforcement unit staffed with economists, attorneys and an executive-level counsel for fair lending in the assistant attorney general’s office. Several regulations are used to enforce fair lending, including the Equal Credit Opportunity, Fair…
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Achieve Growth Through Compliance Leadership
April 23, 2014The banking industry has seen noted changes in income margins for institutions of all sizes over the last five to ten years. Growth strategies focused solely on revenue channels are no longer effective and must be changed to ensure that income is not offset by compliance-related expenses. The regulatory landscape with which banks need to…
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It’s a Taxing Time of Year for Companies in Bankruptcy
March 4, 2014Keeping on top of tax compliance is one aspect of the working relationship that debtors and bankruptcy professionals have with accountants or financial advisors. One pitfall I’ve seen is that some debtor companies neglect their informational and income tax reporting responsibilities while in bankruptcy. Many times it’s an oversight because an accountant was retained late…
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The Role of the Forensic Accountant in Fraud and Defalcation of Business Assets
March 4, 2014In many cases the forensic accountant is engaged too late. This usually results from lack of knowledge of the critical importance of discovery during the first five days of an investigation. Unless the forensic accountant is engaged at the time fraud is discovered, there is a high probability of the loss of critical evidence and of…
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Does Your Audit Committee Have What It Takes?
February 27, 2014For-profit companies are always searching for ways to improve their efficiency and productivity—otherwise known as the “bottom line.” Nonprofit organizations have the same needs. Similar to public corporations, the board members plays an integral role in achieving these goals. That is why great care must be taken when selecting members. Members must possess the skill…
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Would Your Nonprofit Benefit From an Alliance or Merger?
February 27, 2014Nonprofits are finding it increasingly difficult to operate under the continued financial uncertainty and regulatory pressures of the last several years. Many have reached the point where they have begun to assess, or already take advantage of, alliance or merger opportunities. As happens in most situations, those that proactively plan, for either an evaluation or…
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Strengthen Your Municipal Management and Credit Rating
February 20, 2014Ratings agencies track the financial condition of bond issuers and update their ratings if and when necessary. Many credit ratings are upgraded or downgraded by these agencies each year. Such changes directly affect the cost of interest municipalities and taxpayers pay on their debt. Since the financial crisis of 2008, credit spreads, or the cost…
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The Importance of Succession Planning in Government
February 20, 2014According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Census of Governments report, the number of state and local government employees decreased 0.2% and 1.5%, respectively, from 2010 to 2011, the latest available data years. This decrease, seemingly a continuing trend, stems from many factors, such as early retirement incentives, government downsizing, and private sector opportunities. Today, with…
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National ‘America Saves’ Week – February 25th to March 1st
February 19, 2014Looking to achieve a financial goal? Whether it is something small like the latest new gadget, large like a down payment for a house, or ongoing like retirement, saving is the best ways to get there.
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