MKR Blog
On Tuesday, March 27, the House of Representatives approved the JOBS Act with a vote of 380 to 41. The bill, which amends portions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, will now go to President Obama who has indicated he will sign the legislation. The Jumpstart Our Business...
Gina Noy offers her clients stress-free tax preparation. It's not often you find "stress-free" and "tax" in the same sentence, especially during busy season, but for Noy, it's a philosophy that carries through her Manhattan-based CPA firm. Noy, who offers tax...
The IRS has eliminated an unpopular rule relating to how credit card and debit card payments are accounted for on tax returns, prompting relief from small business owners. The new process, which was set to go into effect next year, would have mandated that companies...
Ending several weeks of uncertainty, Congress passed the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 shortly before adjourning for a long President's Day weekend. President Obama is expected to sign the bill as soon as it reaches the White House. The...
Beginning this year, IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TAC) generally will not accept bulk returns for processing and mailing, particularly when it affects taxpayer services. The IRS hopes to eliminate the practice of taxpayer representatives dropping off completed...
The IRS has issued its annual Dirty Dozen ranking of tax scams, reminding taxpayers to use caution during tax season to protect themselves against a wide range of schemes ranging from identity theft to return preparer fraud. The Dirty Dozen listing, compiled by the...
Do you have the correct license for your business? Every business has different licensing and permit requirements. SBA.gov offers a useful link that can tell a business owner what licenses they need according to your zip code and business type. Visit this link...
By Ken Berry New cost basis reporting rules now apply, for the first time ever, to Form 1099-B sent to investors and the IRS. But other onerous reporting rules for businesses and landlords scheduled to take effect in 2012 have been repealed. Are you confused? You're...
Is the economy getting better or worse? Well, it depends on who you ask. Two recent polls show that Americans are beginning to feel a bit better about the economy, while CEOs are feeling gloomy. For the first time in almost a year, more Americans are saying the...
Lindsay Lohan has found herself in compromising positions before, and now she’s landed in another one. A report has surfaced that the twenty-five-year-old actress, who rocketed to fame in the 2004 film Mean Girls, is on the hook for almost $100,000 in back taxes owed...
Health savings accounts (HSAs) are one of the best tools for saving on healthcare costs. And beginning this year, more Americans than ever will qualify for HSAs, thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), which was passed last July. Read on to learn what’s changing,...
When you retire, you don’t have to move your 401(k) right away, and for many retirees, leaving it where it is could be a smart move. Employers are increasingly adding features that make staying in the plan more appealing. Why? Partly because when employees with large...
The construction industry enters 2026 facing both persistent headwinds and emerging opportunities. Rising material costs, ongoing labor shortages, and policy uncertainty continue to challenge business owners. But at the same time, there’s an undercurrent of guarded...
When it comes to increasing the value of a small business, focusing on top-line growth won’t give you the whole picture. Revenue alone doesn’t always equal value, and a bigger business isn’t always a better one. If your long-term goal is to build a valuable business...
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...