Returning Value Blog

As 2025 winds down, business owners and managers are ramping up their planning efforts for the new year. Part of the annual budgeting process is identifying ways to lower expenses and strengthen cash flow. When cutting costs, think beyond the obvious, such as wages, benefits, and employee headcount. These cutbacks can make it harder to attract and retain skilled workers in today’s challenging labor market, potentially compromising work quality and productivity. Here are three creative ideas to help boost your company’s bottom line — without sacrificing its top line.

If you’re considering guaranteeing, or are asked to guarantee, a loan to your closely held corporation, it’s important to understand the potential tax consequences. Acting as a guarantor, endorser, or indemnitor means that if the corporation defaults, you could be responsible for repaying the loan. Without planning ahead, you may face unexpected tax implications.

Does your business receive large amounts of cash or cash equivalents? If so, you’re generally required to report these transactions to the IRS — and not just on your tax return. Here are some answers to questions you may have.

Changes in federal tax provisions and funding stemming from the recently passed reconciliation tax bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), are expected to significantly impact the healthcare industry. Going forward, organizations need to consider the near- and long-term effects of the OBBBA, including Medicaid funding cuts that impact patient populations and reimbursement, altered tax provisions that could influence financial planning, and increased compliance needs stemming from heightened regulatory scrutiny of fraud and abuse.

You shouldn’t rely on gut instinct when making major business decisions, such as launching a new product line, investing in new equipment, or changing your pricing structure. Projecting the financial implications of your decision (or among competing alternatives) can help you determine the right course of action — and potentially persuade investors or lenders to finance your plans. One intuitive tool to consider for these applications is breakeven analysis.

Do you and your spouse together operate a profitable unincorporated small business? If so, you face some challenging tax issues.

For many businesses, accounts receivable (AR) is one of the largest assets on the balance sheet. It represents the cash you’ve earned but haven’t yet collected. Efficient AR management is critical for maintaining healthy cash flow, reducing bad debt, and fueling growth. But a key question often goes unasked: How do your company’s receivables compare to others in your industry? This is where benchmarking comes in.

Are your company’s financial statements keeping up with how people consume information today? We live in a world that scrolls, swipes, and scans. With information coming at us nonstop, most people don’t have the time — or patience — for dense financial reports.

The qualified business income (QBI) deduction, which became effective in 2018, is a significant tax benefit for many business owners. It allows eligible taxpayers to deduct up to 20% of QBI, not to exceed 20% of taxable income. It can also be claimed for up to 20% of income from qualified real estate investment trust dividends.

Recent IRS downsizing efforts have posed challenges for taxpayers attempting to resolve issues with the agency. Over recent months, thousands of IRS employees have left the IRS through the administration’s deferred resignation programs, comprehensive layoffs of probationary employees, and retirements.