MKR Blog
More people are working remotely now more than ever, and the change from office to home might have proven to be a surprising adjustment. The flexibility that comes with working from a home office is a definite advantage, but staying focused, motivated, and disciplined...
Failure is a very real possibility for small businesses. It’s a reality that will test your resolve as a business owner as well as the durability of your business strategy. When giving up feels like the only option, here are some tips to turn a sinking ship around....
Congress passed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (PPPFA) on June 5, 2020, amending several provisions in the original PPP loan program. Along with granting business owners more flexibility and time to spend the PPP loan proceeds, the Act permits funds...
Since early March, the COVID-19 pandemic has been making a substantial financial impact on millions of people across the country. With 22 million jobless claims in just one month and a slowly moving economy, many homeowners are left wondering if their properties will...
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress at the end of March provides direct economic assistance to Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the bill, certain provisions allow people to withdraw from their retirement...
The U.S. Government has already started sending stimulus payments to Americans from the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill known as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was signed into law on March 27, 2020. But there is still some...
Entrepreneurs are tasked with not only managing their business finances, but their personal finances as well, and when needs, circumstances, and priorities don’t align with the two, managing it all can feel overwhelming. To keep personal finances from getting pushed...
Whether you’re working with a robust tax refund, a work bonus, or an inheritance of some kind, here’s a list of positive moves to make with that windfall. Evaluate Your Debt There’s “bad” debt and “good” debt. Good debt is an investment that will grow in value or...
A new scoring model from Fair Isaac Corp., the company behind the FICO score, is set to be implemented later this year by Equifax and other major credit bureaus. The popular score is commonly used by lenders to determine your eligibility and interest rate for certain...
The start of a new year is a time for fresh starts and new goals, but it’s also the beginning of the oft-dreaded tax season, which means Tax identity thieves are on the lookout for information they can use in order to create fraudulent tax returns. Here are some tips...
The Trump administration enacted new tariffs on lumber and kitchen cabinets, adding pressure to construction budgets. The tariffs apply a 10% duty on softwood lumber and a 25% levy on imported kitchen cabinets. By 2026, the cabinet tariff is set to double to 50%. As a...
More Americans are turning to a 401(k) hardship withdrawal to cover urgent and unexpected expenses. By the end of 2024, about 5% of employees had taken a hardship withdrawal from their 401(k) accounts. That’s more than double the 2% who did so in 2018. With inflation,...
When the federal government shuts down, businesses across the nation feel the effects, especially for those that rely on federal programs, work directly with federal agencies, or operate near government properties. This article explains how government shutdowns affect...
When the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates, it’s good news for borrowers and consumers, but not so much for savers. The Fed’s recent quarter-point rate cut is a reminder that the annual percentage yields (APYs) on savings accounts and certificates of deposit (CDs)...
A recent deal between the Trump administration and Pfizer is signaling hope to the pharmaceutical industry. Under Trump's Pfizer deal, Pfizer gets an exemption from pharmaceutical-specific tariffs if the company invests in domestic manufacturing. This key deal is...
President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) introduced several tax changes designed to boost take-home pay and simplify the tax code. Some major adjustments include nontaxable income, gift limits, estate tax exemption, and overtime deductions. Here’s a look at...
Economies always run in cycles, which means that, at some point, inevitably, there will be a downturn. And the best time to prepare for an economic downturn is before things start to take a tumble. In this article, we’ll go over strategies you can use to keep your...
What happens when it’s time to step back from running your professional services firm? Is there a clear path for the future of your business? In this article, we’ll go over how to create a solid succession plan, whether you’re looking to sell, merge, or pass the firm...
The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) signed by President Trump includes a federal cap on the state and local tax (SALT). Until 2024, SALT was capped at $10,000 under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), but the OBBB increased it to $40,000. The cap will rise by 1% each...
Small businesses are finally seeing signs of life after a rocky few years. Since January, average earnings have climbed by 75%. That’s an encouraging statistic, yet monthly revenues still lag behind the record highs of the past two years. This signals that progress is...