November 2016 Newsletter
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Luncheon Seminar

Best Practices for Receiving Charitable Gifts and Year End
Contributions

San Jose

When: Thur, Dec 8th
Where:  Crossroads
       Bible Church

For more information and to register click HERE.

  Reno

When: Fri, Dec 9th
Where: TBD

For more information and to register click 
HERE .

~~~~~~~~

Cost:
Member  - FREE
Non-members:
Preregistration: $50
At the door: $60
Membership for 2017!
 
It's time to think about renewing your membership (or becoming a member of CMA).

Watch for a special email in the next few days to sign-up.
SAVE THE DATE!

2017 Annual Tax and Compliance
Luncheon Seminar

San Jose

When:  Thur, Jan 12th
Where:  Crossroads
     Bible Church

Livermore

When: Fri,  Jan 13th
Where: Cornerstone
      Fellowship

Sacramento

When: Thurs, Jan 26th
Where: EPIC Bible
     College

Reno

When: Fri, Jan 27th
Where: TBD
From the President
As we head in to the last few months of 2016 generally we begin to hear rumblings out of Washington D.C. about, rate increases on social security taxes, income tax extenders and special interest legislation.  This year is likely to be somewhat different however, given the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming election and the general hesitancy on the part of Congress to act on anything significant.  So while you can expect to see changes on the annual tax issue (mileage reimbursement rates, social security tax wage base, disability insurance tax rates, etc.) I suspect that most of the other news on tax and compliance issues is likely to come from the Internal Revenue Service and State taxing and employment regulation authorities. 
 
This month's articles are a reflection of this trend bringing several reminders regarding important compliance issues and additional clarification on the regulations governing the application of the health care provisions.  Of special note to all employers is a reminder regarding the new deadlines for filing year end payroll tax returns.  You'll want to make sure you read this article.
 
If we at CMA can be of assistance to you and your ministry on any issues related to your business and compliance needs please do not hesitate to contact us.

Yours in His Service,

Steve Boersma
President/CEO
Why Your Ministry Needs a Conflict of Interest Policy
Government oversight agencies, foundations, donors and members are all demanding greater accountability and transparency from charities these days, including churches and religious nonprofits, in order to help ensure that the organizations they are involved with avoid conflicts of interest and better serve their respective constituents.

In recent years we have seen a number of high profile ministries embarrassed by events where they have come off looking more like big business than entities of service and commitment to charitable causes. (read more)
Employer-Provided Housing
Employers will at times provide housing to employees for a number of reasons. Many nonprofit organizations, including colleges and universities, historic sites, housing facilities, churches and church denominations, often come to mind. Unless an exception applies, the full value of the housing provided is treated under the tax laws as taxable compensation to the employee.

Full or partial exceptions, however, can apply if the housing is:
  • Provided for the convenience of the employer, (read more)
Final Regulations Regarding Obama
Care "Limited Duration" Coverage
The Departments of the Treasury, Labor and Health and Human Services have finalized regulations regarding the definition of short-term, limited-duration insurance for purposes of the exclusion from the definition of individual health insurance coverage. They have also clarified the standards for travel insurance and supplemental health insurance coverage to be considered under the "excepted" benefits rule. These final regulations apply to group health plans and health insurance issuers beginning on the first day of the first plan year (or, in the individual market, the first day of the first policy year) beginning on or after January 1, 2017. (read more)
Employment  Law Corner
Minimum Wage Rules for Private Employers in California

As a result of a new law, California's minimum wage will start increasing each year. This will change not only the floor amount affected employers must pay employees, but also which employees will be considered "exempt" from overtime pay requirements. Misclassifying employees as exempt can result in substantial legal liability for an employer, which is why keeping a close eye on the changes created by the minimum wage increases is important.

Public employers will be less impacted by these changes than private sector employers will be. But as described below, there will be an effect on the public sector as well. 
REMINDER!!!!!

Employers Must File W-2 Extension by January 31 Beginning in 2017

Beginning January 1, 2017 employers and small business (including nonprofits and faith-based organizations and churches) will no longer have until the end of February (March if filing electronically) to submit the government copies of Form W-2 and some forms of Form 1099-MISC.  The new deadline is January 31 annually and is the result of the "Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act", that was enacted in December of 2015.
An extension to file after January 31 is available, but the extension is not automatic and must be applied for using Form 8809 ( https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8809.pdf ).

According to the IRS the new accelerated deadline is intended to help the Service improve its efforts to spot errors and fraud on returns filed by taxpayers.  Having these Forms W-2 and 1099 earlier will make it easier for the IRS to verify the legitimacy of tax returns and properly issue refunds to eligible taxpayers and, in the long run, enable the IRS to release tax refunds more quickly than in the past. 


CalChamber's HRCalifornia website guides you through the complexities of California and federal employment law. Check HRCalifornia first to avoid mistakes that could cost your company a lot of money in potential fines and lawsuits.

For a 15-day FREE trial, click HERE.
(Ends November 30, 2016)
FREE and discounted Christian Ebooks! 

" David C Cook " is a publisher of Christian books of various genres.*
 
To view all David C Cook has to offer, click HERE.

*Offers from David C Cook not necessarily endorsed by CMA.