What’s the most important type of software for your business? Your first thought may be whatever system you rely on most to produce or sell your company’s products or services. And that may well be true. However, more than likely, your accounting software comes in a close second. After all, this technological tool tracks every financial transaction related to your business. It needs to be secure, up to date, and appropriate for your company’s size and needs. To keep all those factors in line, you’ve got to handle accounting software upgrades with care. Let’s review some fundamental best practices. Plan upgrades strategically Among the most important aspects of managing an upgrade is knowing when to do it. You don’t want to unnecessarily disrupt operations and spend money, but you shouldn’t risk the downsides of outdated functionality by waiting too long. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Your financial statements are a potentially helpful source of information. A general rule of thumb says that, when annual revenues hit certain benchmarks — perhaps $1 million, $5 million, $10 million and so forth — a business may want to consider an upgrade seriously. However, the right tipping point depends on various factors. Look for an industry-specific solution Some companies rush into upgrades without considering all their options. Others resist change entirely, sticking with the same accounting software for years. Either way, you could miss out on something important: a product designed for your industry. For instance, construction companies can choose from many applications with built-in features tailored to how contract-based businesses work. Manufacturers also have industry-specific accounting software. If you’re ready to upgrade, check out whether there’s now a solution on the market that was developed for your industry’s accounting practices and standards. Mind all the details When upgrading, be sure to mind all the details. For instance, don’t overlook the importance of integration and mobile access. Older accounting software may still function only as a standalone application, meaning data from across the company has to be manually entered into the system. This creates all sorts of risks. Optimally, you should be able to integrate your accounting software with other critical applications to share data seamlessly and securely, reducing errors and redundancy. Also, if you haven’t already, add mobile access to your accounting system. Many solutions now include apps for smartphones or tablets. Set your budget carefully It’s easy to overspend on an accounting system upgrade. Those bells and whistles can be enticing. Then again, many frugal-minded business owners underspend — settling for a cheaper, less robust upgrade that may leave their employees dealing with headaches. The ideal approach generally lies somewhere in the middle. Perform a thorough review of your accounting needs, transaction volume and required reports. Also factor in the proficiency of everyone who’ll use the software and the availability of tech support. Then set a reasonable budget for an upgrade that checks all the right boxes. Ask for help It’s easy to grow accustomed to a certain kind of business accounting software. The trouble is, over time, that software can slow down your operations and deprive you of helpful functions and insights. If you’re unsure whether you’ve reached the point where an upgrade is imperative, we’re here to help. We can assess your current system and assist you in deciding whether now’s the time to act. If it is, we’ll partner with you and your leadership team to set a budget, choose the right solution and implement it properly. © 2025

With Labor Day in the rearview mirror, it’s time to take proactive steps that may help lower your small business’s taxes for this year and next. The strategy of deferring income and accelerating deductions to minimize taxes can be effective for most businesses, as is the approach of bunching deductible expenses into this year or next to maximize their tax value.

Do you expect to be in a higher tax bracket next year? If so, then opposite strategies may produce better results. For example, you could pull income into 2024 to be taxed at lower rates, and defer deductible expenses until 2025, when they can be claimed to offset higher-taxed income.

Here are some other ideas that may help you save tax dollars if you act soon.

Estimated taxes

Make sure you make the last two estimated tax payments to avoid penalties. The third quarter payment for 2024 is due on September 16, 2024, and the fourth quarter payment is due on January 15, 2025.

QBI deduction

Taxpayers other than corporations may be entitled to a deduction of up to 20% of their qualified business income (QBI). For 2024, if taxable income exceeds $383,900 for married couples filing jointly (half that amount for other taxpayers), the deduction may be limited based on whether the taxpayer is engaged in a service-type business (such as law, health or consulting), the amount of W-2 wages paid by the business, and/or the unadjusted basis of qualified property (such as machinery and equipment) held by the business. The limitations are phased in.

Taxpayers may be able to salvage some or all of the QBI deduction (or be subject to a smaller deduction phaseout) by deferring income or accelerating deductions to keep income under the dollar thresholds. You also may be able increase the deduction by increasing W-2 wages before year end. The rules are complex, so consult us before acting.

Cash vs. accrual accounting

More small businesses are able to use the cash (rather than the accrual) method of accounting for federal tax purposes than were allowed to do so in previous years. To qualify as a small business under current law, a taxpayer must (among other requirements) satisfy a gross receipts test. For 2024, it’s satisfied if, during the three prior tax years, average annual gross receipts don’t exceed $30 million. Cash method taxpayers may find it easier to defer income by holding off on billing until next year, paying bills early or making certain prepayments.

Section 179 deduction

Consider making expenditures that qualify for the Section 179 expensing option. For 2024, the expensing limit is $1.22 million, and the investment ceiling limit is $3.05 million. Expensing is generally available for most depreciable property (other than buildings) including equipment, off-the-shelf computer software, interior improvements to a building, HVAC and security systems.

The high dollar ceilings mean that many small and midsize businesses will be able to currently deduct most or all of their outlays for machinery and equipment. What’s more, the deduction isn’t prorated for the time an asset is in service during the year. Even if you place eligible property in service by the last days of 2024, you can claim a full deduction for the year.

Bonus depreciation

For 2024, businesses also can generally claim a 60% bonus first-year depreciation deduction for qualified improvement property and machinery and equipment bought new or used, if purchased and placed in service this year. As with the Sec. 179 deduction, the write-off is available even if qualifying assets are only in service for a few days in 2024.

Upcoming tax law changes

These are just some year-end strategies that may help you save taxes. Contact us to customize a plan that works for you. In addition, it’s important to stay informed about any changes that could affect your business’s taxes. In the next couple years, tax laws will be changing. Many tax breaks, including the QBI deduction, are scheduled to expire at the end of 2025. Plus, the outcome of the presidential and congressional elections could result in new or repealed tax breaks.

© 2024

Every business needs a budget, but not every budget looks the same. Some companies have intricately detailed ones, others rely on simple templates generated with off-the shelf software, and still others forego formal budgets in favor of a “fly by the seat of your pants” approach. (That last option isn’t recommended.)

Because budgeting is such an essential part of running a business, it’s easy to take for granted. You may fall into a routine that, over time, doesn’t keep up with your company’s evolving needs. To identify areas of improvement, here are six key elements of a business budget and some best practices to consider:

1. Current overview. You may think you’ve created a sound budget, but its usefulness will be limited if it’s based on what your business looked like and how it operated five years ago. Compose an up-to-date description of your business. This should include its strategic goals, sales targets, the state of your industry and market, and impactful economic factors.

2. Budget rationale. Explain in clear language how the budget supports your company’s mission, vision, values, goals and objectives. To be included in the budget, every line item (see below) must support all five of those factors. If one doesn’t, question its merit.

3. Detailed line items. Naturally, the “meat” of every budget is its line items. These typically include:

• Revenue, such as sales income and interest income,
• Expenses, such as salaries and wages, rent, and utilities,
• Capital expenditures, such as equipment purchases and property improvements, and
• Contingency funds, such as a cash reserve.

An important question to ask is: Are we including everything the business spends money on? Although maintaining a detailed budget can be tedious, it’s imperative to managing cash flow.

4. Selected performance metrics. Among the primary purposes of a budget is to compare projected spending to actual spending — making adjustments as necessary. As part of the budgeting process, establish precisely which metrics you’ll use to determine whether you’re making, breaking or beating the budget.

5. Supporting appendices. Discuss with your leadership team whether your budget would be more useful with additional information. Commonly attached supporting appendices include historical budget and results analyses, department spending summaries, tables and graphs depicting market and cost trends, organizational charts, and glossaries of terminology.

6. Executive summary. This brief written snapshot, which usually appears at the very top of the budget report, is intended to provide a concise overview of the chief objectives and major sections of the budget. If you’re not already using one, consider it. For you and other internal users, an executive summary can serve as a quick reference and help you set your expectations. Perhaps more important, it can make your budget easier to understand for outside parties such as lenders and investors.

Your current budget may not include all six of these elements — and that’s OK. As mentioned, companies are free to create budgets in whatever format suits their size and needs. But you should approach budgeting with an eye on continuous improvement. And to that end, please contact us. We can assess your budgeting process from start to finish and suggest ways to perform this critical business function more efficiently and effectively.

© 2024

The IRS recently released guidance providing the 2025 inflation-adjusted amounts for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). These amounts are adjusted each year, based on inflation, and the adjustments are announced earlier in the year than other inflation-adjusted amounts, which allows employers to get ready for the next year.

Fundamentals of HSAs

An HSA is a trust created or organized exclusively for the purpose of paying the qualified medical expenses of an account beneficiary. An HSA can only be established for the benefit of an eligible individual who is covered under a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). In addition, a participant can’t be enrolled in Medicare or have other health coverage (exceptions include dental, vision, long-term care, accident and specific disease insurance).

Within specified dollar limits, an above-the-line tax deduction is allowed for an individual’s contribution to an HSA. This annual contribution limitation and the annual deductible and out-of-pocket expenses under the tax code are adjusted annually for inflation.

Inflation adjustments for 2025

In Revenue Procedure 2024-25, the IRS released the 2025 inflation-adjusted figures for contributions to HSAs, which are as follows:

Annual contribution limits. For calendar year 2025, the annual contribution limit for an individual with self-only coverage under an HDHP will be $4,300. For an individual with family coverage, the amount will be $8,550. These are up from $4,150 and $8,300, respectively, in 2024.

In addition, for both 2024 and 2025, there’s a $1,000 catch-up contribution amount for those who are age 55 or older by the end of the tax year.

High-deductible health plan limits. For calendar year 2025, an HDHP will be a health plan with an annual deductible that isn’t less than $1,650 for self-only coverage or $3,300 for family coverage (these amounts are $1,600 and $3,200 for 2024). In addition, annual out-of-pocket expenses (deductibles, co-payments and other amounts, but not premiums) won’t be able to exceed $8,300 for self-only coverage or $16,600 for family coverage (up from $8,050 and $16,100, respectively, for 2024).

Heath Reimbursement Arrangements

The IRS also announced an inflation-adjusted amount for Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs). An HRA must receive contributions from an eligible individual (employers can’t contribute). Contributions aren’t included in income, and HRA reimbursements used to pay eligible medical expenses aren’t taxed. In 2025, the maximum amount that may be made newly available for the plan year for an excepted benefit HRA will be $2,150 (up from $2,100 in 2024).

Collect the benefits

There are a variety of benefits to HSAs that employers and employees appreciate. Contributions to the accounts are made on a pre-tax basis. The money can accumulate tax-free year after year and can be withdrawn tax-free to pay for a variety of medical expenses such as doctor visits, prescriptions, chiropractic care and premiums for long-term care insurance. In addition, an HSA is “portable.” It stays with an account holder if he or she changes employers or leaves the workforce. Many employers find it to be a fringe benefit that attracts and retains employees. If you have questions about HSAs at your business, contact us.

© 2024

If your company has been in business for a while, you may not pay much attention to your payroll system so long as it’s running smoothly. But don’t get too complacent. Major payroll errors can pop up unexpectedly — creating huge disruptions costing time and money to fix, and, perhaps worst of all, compromising the trust of your employees.

For these reasons, businesses are well-advised to conduct payroll audits at least once annually to guard against the many risks inherent to payroll management. Here are seven such risks to be aware of:

1. Inaccurate recordkeeping. If you don’t keep detailed and accurate records, it will probably come back to haunt you. For example, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires businesses to maintain records of employees’ earnings for at least three years. Violations of the FLSA can trigger severe penalties. Be sure you and your staff know what records to keep and have sound policies and procedures in place for keeping them.

2. Employee misclassification. Given the widespread use of “gig workers” in today’s economy, companies are at high risk for employee misclassification. This occurs when a business engages independent contractors but, in the view of federal authorities, the company treats them like employees. Violating the applicable rules can leave you owing back taxes and penalties, plus you may have to restore expensive fringe benefits.

3. Manual processes. More than likely, if your business prepares its own payroll, it uses some form of payroll software. That’s good. Today’s products are widely available, relatively inexpensive and generally easy to use. However, some companies — particularly small ones — may still rely on manual processes to record or input critical data. Be careful about this, as it’s a major source of errors. To the extent feasible, automate as much as you can.

4. Privacy violations. You generally can’t manage payroll without data such as Social Security numbers, home addresses, birth dates and bank account numbers. Unfortunately, possessing such information puts you squarely in the sights of hackers and those pernicious purveyors of ransomware. Invest thoroughly in proper cybersecurity measures and regularly update these safeguards.

5. Internal fraud. Occupational (or internal) fraud remains a major threat to businesses. Schemes can range from “cheating” on timesheets by rank-and-file workers to embezzlement by those higher on the organizational chart. Among the most fundamental ways to protect your payroll function from fraud is to require segregation of duties. In other words, one employee, no matter how trusted, should never completely control the process. If you don’t have enough employees to segregate duties, consider outsourcing.

6. Legal compliance. As a business owner, you’re probably not an expert on the latest regulatory payroll developments affecting your industry. That’s OK; laws and regulations are constantly evolving. However, failing to comply with the current rules could cost you money and hurt your company’s reputation. So, be sure to have a trustworthy attorney on speed dial that you can turn to for assistance when necessary.

7. Tax compliance. Employers are responsible for calculating tax withholding on employee wages. In addition to deducting federal payroll tax from paychecks, your organization must contribute its own share of payroll tax. If you get it wrong, the IRS could investigate and potentially assess additional tax liability and penalties. That’s where we come in. For help conducting a payroll audit, reviewing your payroll costs and, of course, managing your tax obligations, contact us.

© 2024  

• Planning the audit
• Performing the audit
• Internal control over compliance
• Compliance testing
• Audit sampling
• Single audits - special considerations
• Reporting on the compliance audit

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