A new survey conducted by Rasmussen Reports for the Consumer Federation of America ? the COUNTRY Financial Security Index – shows a gap between what Americans think they're spending and what's happening in reality. Only 9 percent of the 3,000 respondents of the survey...
MKR Blog
TIGTA: IRS Can Take Action to Recognize/Investigate Fraud Indicators
By better ensuring that fraud indicators are recognized and properly investigated during field audits of individual tax returns, the IRS could increase revenue by an estimated $20 million a year, according to a report publicly released by the Treasury Inspector...
The JOBS Act: Economic Solution or Investor Nightmare?
In an effort to jump-start the US economy and create more jobs, both the House and Senate passed the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act, and President Obama signed the act into law April 8, 2012. With bipartisan support, the bill is designed to make it easier...
Sales Tax on Online Purchases Is On the Rise
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...
Congress Salutes Veterans with New Hiring Tax Credits
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....
Intuit’s New QuickBooks Online Accountant Brings the Cloud – and Its Benefits – to Accountants
By David H. Ringstrom, CPA QuickBooks Online, a cloud-based accounting solution for small businesses, has experienced 40 percent growth over the past year; it now has 280,000 users. More and more small business owners are reaping the benefits of anytime, anywhere...
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,...