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“Accountability” may seem like one of those popular management concepts you know would be nice to implement if your not-for-profit had the time and budget. But not only is accountability essential to your nonprofit’s health and efficacy — affecting everything from donations to grants, hiring to volunteering, board fiduciary duty to employee morale — it’s also easy to adopt.

A conflict of interest could impair your auditor’s objectivity and integrity and potentially compromise you company’s financial statements. That’s why it’s important to identify and manage potential conflicts of interest.

The IRS has announced its 2021 cost-of-living adjustments to tax amounts that might affect you. Many increased to account for inflation, but some remained at 2020 levels. As you implement 2020 year-end tax planning strategies, be sure to take these 2021 adjustments into account in your planning.

If your small business is planning for payroll next year, be aware that the “Social Security wage base” is increasing. The Social Security Administration recently announced that the maximum earnings subject to Social Security tax will increase from $137,700 in 2020 to $142,800 in 2021.

Like so many things this year, the recommended practices for your annual end-of-the-year tax planning reflect the COVID-19 pandemic and its far-flung effects. The economic impact, as well as federal relief packages like the CARES Act, may render some tried-and-true strategies for reducing your income tax liability less advisable for 2020.

Management consulting company McKinsey names synthetic identity theft the fastest growing financial crime in the United States. If you’re unfamiliar with synthetic ID theft, you should know that it’s not — as its name might imply — a weaker, less “real” form of fraud. In fact, it tends to be much harder to prevent and detect. That’s because all a perpetrator needs to create an identity for criminal purposes is a Social Security number (SSN).

On September 17, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued an accounting rule that will provide more detailed information about noncash contributions charities and other not-for-profit organizations receive known as “gifts in kind.” Here are the details.

The partners and staff at Kemper CPA Group LLP are pleased to announce a merger with Hawkins & Company, Inc., effective November 1, 2020 in our Paducah, Kentucky market

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, federal agencies have extended certain claims and appeals periods for employee pension benefits plans subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The relief also applies to qualifying group health plans, as well as eligible disability plans and other employee welfare benefit plans.

IRS audit rates are historically low, according to the latest data, but that’s little consolation if your return is among those selected to be examined. But with proper preparation and planning, you should fare well.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many people borrowing from their companies’ qualified retirement plans, and the CARES Act provides some temporary rule changes to this loan type. However, given the risks and costs of borrowing from a retirement plan, it should generally be viewed as a last resort. Subtracting funds from your retirement plan will leave less for your heirs if you were to unexpectedly die before you can repay the loan.

Many companies are struggling as a result of shutdowns and restructurings during the COVID-19 crisis. Lenders and investors want to know how your business has weathered these adverse conditions and where it currently stands. While stakeholders understand that it’s been a tough year for many sectors of the economy, they may presume the worst if you’re late issuing your financial statements. Here are some assumptions people could make when your financial statements are late.