Returning Value Blog

Year-round tax planning generally produces the best results, but there are some steps you can still take in December to lower your 2025 taxes. Here are six to consider:

Choosing the right bookkeeper is one of the most important staffing decisions your business will make. A skilled bookkeeper maintains accurate financial records, manages cash flow, and ensures compliance with accounting and tax requirements. But finding the right person can be challenging, especially in today’s competitive job market. Whether you’re replacing a long-time team member or hiring for the first time, here are some key factors to consider when interviewing candidates.

As we approach year-end and begin preparing for W-2 distribution, it’s important for employers to revisit a key federal requirement that is often overlooked: all payroll and tax reporting must reflect an employee’s legal name exactly as it appears on their Social Security card.

When buying new accounting software or upgrading your existing solution, it’s critical to evaluate your options carefully. The right platform can streamline operations and improve financial reporting accuracy. However, the wrong one can result in reporting delays, compliance risks, security breaches, and strategic missteps. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid.

When businesses issue audited financial statements, year-end physical inventory counts may be required for retailers, manufacturers, contractors, and others that carry significant inventory. Auditors don’t perform the counts themselves, but they observe them to evaluate the accuracy of management’s procedures, verify that recorded quantities exist, and assess whether inventory is properly valued.

As 2025 draws to a close, employers should review whether they have properly included the value of common fringe benefits in their employees’ — and where applicable, 2% S-corporation shareholders’ — taxable wages. With remote and hybrid work arrangements continuing to be common, this remains a critical review area for year-end tax compliance.