Month: April 2025

Weighing the Pluses and Minuses of Business HDHPs + HSAs

Will your company be ready to add a health insurance plan for next year or change its current one? If so, now might be a good time to consider your options. These things take time.

A popular benefits model for many small to midsize businesses is sponsoring a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) accompanied by employee Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). However, like any such strategy, this one has its pluses and minuses.

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A man sitting at a gambling table.

The Tax Side of Gambling

Whether you’re a casual or professional gambler, your winnings are taxable. However, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration reports that gambling income is vastly underreported. Failing to report winnings accurately can lead to back taxes, interest, and penalties. Here’s what you need to know to stay compliant and potentially minimize your tax liability.

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Closeup of person's hands sorting through a pile of documents.

Tax Season Cleanup: Which Records Can You Toss?

If you’ve filed your 2024 tax return, you may be eager to do some spring cleaning, starting with tax-related paper and digital clutter. The documentation needed to support a tax return may include receipts, bank and investment account statements, K-1s, W-2s, and 1099s. How long must you save these records? Three years is the general rule. But don’t be hasty: Failure to keep a paper trail for the information reported on a tax return could lead to problems if the IRS audits it.

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Stuck in the Middle: The Sandwich Generation

The term “sandwich generation” was coined to describe baby boomers caught between caring for their aging parents and their children. Today, it most commonly applies to Generation Xers and older Millennials. If you’re caught in the middle, it might be time for honest discussions about pressing issues such as funding children’s higher education and paying for a parent’s long-term care.

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A man taking a closer look at finance documents.

Payroll Fraud: Internal and External Threats

Payroll fraud schemes can be costly. According to a 2024 Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) study, the median loss generated by payroll fraud incidents is $50,000. It’s essential to know the payroll schemes making the rounds and how to prevent them or at least catch them before they go on very long.

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Don’t Believe the Refund Myths

The IRS has posted a list of common refund myths on its website. For example, if the online Where’s My Refund tool or automated hotline doesn’t specify when a refund will be approved, there’s no point in calling the IRS. The tax agency won’t have additional details yet.

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Robert Russo Tax Tips Nanny Tax

Your Business Tax Information at Your Fingertips

The IRS Business Tax Account provides information to sole proprietors, partners of partnerships, and shareholders of S corporations and C corporations. Eligible business taxpayers who set up an account can use the hub to make electronic payments, schedule or cancel future payments, and access other tools. They can also view their current balances, payment history, other business tax records, and digital copies of select IRS notices.

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A manager shaking hands with an employee.

Choosing the Best Sales Compensation Model for Your Business

A strong sales team is the driving force of most small to midsize businesses. Strong revenue streams are hard to come by without skilled and engaged salespeople.

But what motivates these valued employees? First and foremost, equitable and enticing compensation. And therein lies a challenge for many companies: Choosing the right sales compensation model isn’t easy and may call for regular reevaluation. Let’s review some of the most popular models and note a recent trend.

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People working in a conference room.

How to Evaluate and Undertake a Business Transformation

Many industries have undergone monumental changes over the last decade or so. Broadly, there are two ways to adapt to the associated challenges: slowly or quickly.

Although there’s much to be said about small, measured responses to economic change, some companies might want to undertake a more urgent, large-scale revision of their operations. This is called a “business transformation,” and under the right circumstances, it can be a prudent move.

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Russo CPA Tax Tips Businesses can save taxes by acquiring and placing assets in service by year end

Business Owners Must Get Comfortable With Financial Statements

Financial statements can fascinate accountants, investors, and lenders. However, they may not be real page-turners for business owners.

The truth is each of the three parts of your financial statements is a valuable tool that can guide you toward reasonable, beneficial business decisions. For this reason, it’s essential to get comfortable with their respective purposes.

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