Returning Value Blog

There’s a harsh tax penalty that you could be at risk for paying personally if you own or manage a business with employees. It’s called the “Trust Fund Recovery Penalty,” and it applies to the Social Security and income taxes required to be withheld by a business from its employees’ wages.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has made available $350 Billion to state and local governments to cover the costs incurred as a result of recovery efforts related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Businesses need financial information that’s accurate, relevant, and timely. The Securities and Exchange Commission requires publicly traded companies to follow U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), often considered the “gold standard” in financial reporting in the United States. But privately held companies can use simplified alternative accounting methods. What’s right for your business depends on its size, regulatory and contractual requirements, management’s future plans, and the needs of its stakeholders.

Many companies are continuing to struggle financially during the COVID-19 pandemic. If cash is tight, what can your business do to shorten its cash cycle? The answer could lie in your outstanding accounts receivable. Here are five strategies to help convert receivables into cash ASAP.

Strategic investments — such as expanding a plant, purchasing a major piece of equipment, or introducing a new product line — can add long-term value. But management shouldn’t base these decisions on gut instinct. A comprehensive, formal analysis can help minimize the guesswork and maximize your return on investment.

Many employees have postponed using their allotted paid time off during the pandemic until COVID-related restrictions are lifted and safety concerns subside. This situation has caused an increase in accruals for certain employers. Here’s some guidance to help evaluate whether your company is required to report a liability for so-called “compensated absences” and, if so, how to estimate the proper amount.

Are you thinking about setting up a retirement plan for yourself and your employees, but you’re worried about the financial commitment and administrative burdens involved in providing a traditional pension plan? Two options to consider are a “simplified employee pension” (SEP) or a “savings incentive match plan for employees” (SIMPLE).

Owners of incorporated businesses know that there’s a tax advantage to taking money out of a C corporation as compensation rather than as dividends. The reason: A corporation can deduct the salaries and bonuses that it pays executives, but not dividend payments. Thus, if funds are paid as dividends, they’re taxed twice, once to the corporation and once to the recipient. Money paid out as compensation is only taxed once — to the employee who receives it.

"Free" COBRA Group Health Care for up to six months for involuntarily terminated (or reduced hours) employees.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), enacted on March 11, 2021, creates a requirement that employers treat the total payment for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) continuation coverage due from certain eligible individuals as being "paid in full" for April 1 through September 30, 2021 (Subsidy Period). The eligible individuals with COBRA coverage will not receive the subsidy directly from the government; rather, they will have a premium holiday. The employer pays 100% of the applicable COBRA premium. The employer will be reimbursed in full through refundable payroll tax credits.