MKR Blog
The COVID-19 pandemic altered the way Americans shop. It also affected the way retail businesses reach customers and position their businesses for growth and prosperity. Looking forward, some of these changes are likely to stick around. Here are the trends small...
On March 27 the CARES Act was signed into law in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Below is an overview of the types of assistance available to small businesses in an effort to lessen some of the economic impact. Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan This is a $350...
Year-end tax planning is especially challenging this year because Congress has yet to act on a host of tax breaks that expired at the end of 2013. Some of these tax breaks may be retroactively reinstated and extended, but Congress may not decide the fate of these tax...
As the third year of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) approaches, employers need to be aware of additional fees that will be assessed on insurers and plan administrators of self-insured plans beginning in 2013. In addition, reporting health care...
On September 19, the Center for Audit Quality (CAQ) released its sixth annual "Main Street Investor Survey," which shows that investor confidence in capital markets has increased 4 percentage points since 2011, with 65 percent saying they have "a great deal of...
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has issued for public comment a proposed Accounting Standards Update (ASU) that is intended to improve the presentation of reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income. The proposed amendments balance...
This holiday season, online shoppers will find more states are looking to make sure gift givers also give their state its fair share – in terms of sales tax for online purchases, according to CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business and a global provider of tax, accounting and...
By Ken Berry Just a week after this year's Veterans Day, President Obama signed new legislation providing a tax credit to employers who hire military veterans. The VOW to Hire Heroes Act is a small piece of a much larger jobs bill that has stalled in Congress....
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...
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,...