Auburn-Opelika (334) 887-7022 | Montgomery (334) 244-8900

Returning Value Blog

Confirm This: Why Your Auditors Contact Third Parties

Posted by Aaron K. Waller, CPA on Jun 20, 2025

If your company’s financial statements are audited, chances are your auditor will send out external confirmations.These information requests may be sent directly to your customers, vendors, banks, attorneys, and benefit plan administrators.

Full Story

Posted in Accounting & Outsourcing

Planning a Summer Business Trip? Turn Travel into Tax Deductions

Posted by Nick Wheeler, CPA on Jun 19, 2025

If you or your employees are heading out of town for business this summer, it’s important to understand what travel expenses can be deducted under current tax law. To qualify, the travel must be necessary for your business and require an overnight stay within the United States.

Full Story

Posted in Business Tax

5 Tax Breaks on the Table: What Business Owners Should Know About the Latest Proposals

Posted by Lesley L. Price, CPA on Jun 18, 2025

A bill in Congress — dubbed The One, Big, Beautiful Bill — could significantly reshape several federal business tax breaks. While the proposed legislation is still under debate, it’s already sparking attention across business communities.

Full Story

Posted in Business Advisory

The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Could Change the Deductibility of R&E Expenses

Posted by Jessica L. Pagan, CPA on Jun 17, 2025

The treatment of research and experimental (R&E) expenses is a high-stakes topic for U.S. businesses, especially small to midsize companies focused on innovation. As the tax code currently stands, the deductibility of these expenses is limited, leading to financial strain for companies that used to be able to expense them immediately. However, proposed legislation dubbed The One, Big, Beautiful Bill could drastically change that. Here’s what you need to know.

Full Story

Posted in Business Advisory

Risky Business: How Auditors Help Combat Corporate Fraud

Posted by Melissa Motley, CPA on Jun 16, 2025

In today’s volatile economic climate, organizations face mounting pressures that can increase the risk of fraudulent activities. Auditors play a pivotal role in identifying and mitigating these risks through comprehensive fraud risk assessments and tailored audit procedures.

Full Story

Posted in Audit & Assurance

Understanding Payroll Tax Penalties — And How FocusPay Solutions Helps You Stay Compliant

Posted by Katelyn Parks on Jun 12, 2025

Managing payroll tax obligations is a critical part of running a business. For small and mid-sized companies, the risk of IRS penalties, interest charges, and compliance issues can be overwhelming.  The information below highlights common penalties imposed by tax agencies and offers suggestions to help employers ensure they meet IRS requirements.

Full Story

Posted in Payroll, HR & Benefits

The IRS Recently Announced 2026 Amounts for Health Savings Accounts

Posted by Murry Guy, CPA on Jun 11, 2025

The IRS recently released the 2026 inflation-adjusted amounts for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).Employees will be able to save a modest amount more in their HSAs next year.

Full Story

Posted in Tax Updates, Tax Planning

Hiring Rules for US Employees

Posted by Amber Cochran on Jun 03, 2025

In the hiring process, you must ensure that every individual you plan to employ is authorized to accept employment in the U.S. Some individuals are automatically authorized to work based on their immigration status, while others must apply for separate employment authorization.

Full Story

Posted in Payroll, HR & Benefits

Tax Writers Pass Sweeping Tax Bill with Major Implications

Posted by Michael D. Machen, CPA, CVA on May 23, 2025

The House Ways and Means Committee approved a sweeping tax bill early on May 14 that would make permanent most of the expiring provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) while paying for several new tax cuts through an aggressive package of revenue raising tax increases.Committee passage is an important step in the legislative process, but the bill is likely to continue to evolve as it moves forward.

Full Story

Posted in Business Advisory

Closing Time: Mastering Your Monthly Close with QuickBooks

Posted by Chris Earnest on May 21, 2025

The month-end close is a pain point for many small to midsize businesses. While internal accounting teams often aim to wrap up the close within three days, a recent survey found that half the respondents actually take six days or longer to close the books. What can your organization do to help streamline this process? Leveraging cloud-based technology tools like QuickBooks® can be a game changer.

Full Story

Posted in Accounting & Outsourcing

Recent Posts

Returning_Value