Business
To help ensure continued stability and profitability, businesses need to engage in some form of strategic planning. A recent survey by insurance giant Travelers drives home this point.
In its 2024 CFO Study: A Travelers Special Report, the insurer surveyed 610 chief financial officers (CFOs) from companies with 500 or more employees in various industries. One of the questions posed was: What are the most valuable skills needed by today’s CFOs?
While the use of paper checks has greatly diminished, thieves still view them as a source for stealing revenue. In fact, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network warns that many thieves are returning to old-fashioned financial theft, using paper checks. That’s one reason why the U.S. Postal Service urges us not to send checks through the mail, where they may be vulnerable.
Protection is critical when guarding your personal and financial information from fraudsters. That’s why the IRS offers a vital tool, the Identity Protection Personal ID Number (IP PIN). The IP PIN is a six-digit number you can apply for voluntarily. It’s known only to you and the IRS. It’s valid for one year, and you’ll automatically be given a new one after expiration.
For a couple of decades or so now, companies have been urged to “get on the cloud” to avail themselves of copious data storage and a wide array of software. However, some businesses are learning the hard way that the seemingly sweet deals offered by cloud service providers can turn sour as hoped-for cost savings fail to materialize and dollars left on the table evaporate into thin air.
Many businesses have established employee assistance programs (EAPs) to help their workforces deal with the mental health, substance abuse, and financial challenges that have become so widely recognized in modern society.
Partnerships are often used for business and investment activities, and multi-member LLCs are treated as partnerships for tax purposes. These entities offer federal income tax advantages, the most important of which is pass-through taxation. They also must follow some special and sometimes complicated federal income tax rules.
For many business owners, choosing a successor is the most challenging task related to succession planning. Owners of family-owned businesses, who may have multiple children or other relatives to consider, particularly tend to struggle with this tough choice.
A strong brand can help boost revenue, while a weaker one may reduce sales opportunities and stifle growth.
Like many business owners, you’ve probably spent considerable time and energy crafting your company’s brand. Doing so has likely involved coming up with a memorable business name and logo, communicating with customers in a distinctive manner, and, above all, building a solid reputation in your market.
Choosing the right business entity is a crucial decision for any business. The entity you pick can affect your tax bill, your personal liability, and other issues. A limited liability company (LLC) is an attractive choice for many businesses. It can be structured to resemble a corporation for owner liability purposes and a partnership for federal tax purposes. This duality may provide the owners with several benefits.
If you’re a business owner, your company is likely your most valuable asset. To ensure it survives after you’re gone, you first need a succession plan that will provide a smooth transition of the business to one or more of your children (assuming you want to keep it in the family). In addition, you need an estate plan that effectively addresses the tax impact of transferring your ownership interests to the next generation.
