Returning Value Blog

Are you wondering if the passive activity loss rules affect business ventures you’re engaged in — or might engage in?

The Persevere stage of economic recovery is also known as “the dip” immediately following a crisis, or in this case, the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting recession. During this time, businesses of all sizes are in triage mode, taking immediate action to protect their employees and keep the lights on. Achieving these goals requires agility, strategy, and resilience, but it also requires another key element: liquidity.

Today, many banks are working with struggling borrowers on loan modifications. Recent guidance from the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) confirms that short-term modifications due to the COVID-19 pandemic won’t be subject to the complex accounting rules for troubled debt restructurings (TDRs). Here are the details.

Marketplace changes during the COVID-19 crisis have caused many companies to make major strategic shifts in their operations — and some changes are expected to be permanent. In certain cases, these pivot strategies may need to be reported under the complex discontinued operations rules under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

During the COVID-19 crisis, you can’t afford to lose sight of other ongoing risk factors, such as cyberthreats, fraud, emerging competition, and natural disasters. A so-called “stress test” can help reveal blind spots that threaten to disrupt your business. A comprehensive stress test requires the following three steps.

There’s a bright side to today’s unprecedented market conditions: Agile people may discover opportunities to start new business ventures. Start-ups need a comprehensive business plan, including detailed financial forecasts, to drum up capital from investors and lenders. Entrepreneurs may also use forecasts as yardsticks for evaluating and improving performance over time.

If your business was fortunate enough to get a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan taken out in connection with the COVID-19 crisis, you should be aware of the potential tax implications.

Plan sponsors that have already or are considering reducing or suspending contributions to their safe harbor 401(k) or 403(b) plans as a result of the coronavirus pandemic now have helpful relief thanks to new guidance from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Timely, relevant financial data is critical to managing a business in today’s unprecedented conditions. Similar to the control panel in a vehicle or machine, dashboard reports provide a real-time snapshot of how your business is performing.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced many employers to implement some form of workforce reduction to continue operating. While furloughs and layoffs have a significant and immediate impact on a company’s operations, plan sponsors also need to understand the longer-term effects workforce reductions have on participants’ benefits and retirement accounts.