Even those of us who have the best intentions with our money can fall victim to bad financial habits, which can cause unnecessary stress and anxiety. Some of the most common bad habits we fall into include: Impulse spending Not budgeting (or not sticking to a budget)...
MKR Blog
Summer Time Clean Up
Summer is the perfect time to get your QuickBooks cleaned up. MKR provides hands-on training and consultation services for QuickBooks during this time of year. It is our pleasure to conduct an on-site visit to assist with any questions or concerns you have in working...
QuickBooks Certifications
QuickBooks, created by intuit, is an accounting software that many businesses use to track their financial information including invoices, bills, paychecks, and inventory. To become a certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, one must complete a series of comprehensive tests...
Here’s How Your Paycheck Might Change Under the New Tax Laws
Beginning in 2018, the new tax laws are officially implemented, which could spell a shift in take home pay for many workers. And, if your employer has begun using the new withholding tables, you could see a change in pay this month. The Congressional Budget Office has...
IRS Warns Against W-2 Email Scam
In the midst of identity scams and credit card hacking, the IRS has warned against another scam, this time targeted at businesses and employers. There is a growing W-2 email scam threatening sensitive tax information and the IRS wants to alert payroll and human...
7 Year End Tax Moves to Consider
The latter part of 2017 has been filled with discussions and votes regarding new tax legislation. But, with nothing official in the books yet, taxpayers would be wise to focus their year-end tax planning around the current laws, since the proposed legislation may not...
What the GOP’s New Tax Plan Could Mean For You
With their first plan shot down in Congress, the GOP has released another, broader tax framework as the Trump Administration attempts to shift the tax code. This new plan has many elements that Congress will need to hash out before anything is signed into law, but...
Effective Ways to Protect Your Credit After the Equifax Breach
Although Equifax has yet to reveal specifics about the individuals who were affected by their data breach, as many as 143 million Americans may have been impacted. With that in mind, anyone with credit should consider taking measures to protect their identity and...
Top 12 Social Security Stats You Ought to Know
While a majority of the population is covered by Social Security (SS) to some degree, many do not fully understand the program, resulting in frustration and confusion when it comes time to receive benefits. In an effort to curb miscommunication or misgivings, the...
IRS Cautions Taxpayers Against Fake Hurricane Harvey Charity Scams
When disasters strike the American people, it can be a beautiful thing to witness the country coming together to support and rally around those affected. Unfortunately though, there are many who choose to take advantage during times of need. The IRS issued a recent...
More Americans Are Tapping 401(k)s for emergencies. Here’s When a Hardship Withdrawal Is and Isn’t a Smart Move
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,...
How the Government Shutdown Affected Small Businesses
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...
How to Grow Your Money When Savings and CD Rates Drop After Rate Cuts
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)...
Trump’s Pfizer Deal Signals Relief for Drugmakers Facing Tariff Threats
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...
Tax Changes Under the One Big Beautiful Bill: Nontaxable Income, Gift Limits, and Overtime Deductions
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...
Smart Business Strategies to Prepare for Economic Downturns
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...
Succession Planning for Professional Services Practices: Preparing to Sell, Merge, or Pass the Firm to the Next Generation
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...
How to Maximize the $40,000 SALT Deduction in 2025 Under Trump’s New Tax Law
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...
How Tariffs, Economic Uncertainty, and the One Big Beautiful Bill Are Impacting Small Business Earnings
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...
Americans Spend Hours Thinking About Money: Financial Stress, Its Impact, and Practical Solutions to Ease Worries
Recent surveys reveal that Americans spend hours each week thinking about their finances. Rising prices, mounting debt, and uncertainty about the future all contribute to financial stress. Add in steep housing costs, concerns over tariffs raising the price of goods,...