6 Ways to Help Employees with Personal Financial Emergencies

According to a PYMNTS survey last summer, 61% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. Experiencing even one financial emergency can throw a worker into a panic. The worker can become stressed to the max, which can impact job performance. Employers can use various ways to help employees when they face personal financial emergencies. Thinking about it now enables a company to set up policies and procedures for this purpose. Read More

Growing Your Business: 3 Ways AI Can Help

Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting: An Update

Several months ago, I posted a blog outlining the new rule from the Corporate Transparency Act of 2021 that became effective on January 1, 2024. It’s been estimated that about 32 million small businesses need to register, and that about 400,000 did so in January 2024. ...To help expand awareness and understanding, here’s a revised version of the earlier post. Read More

Terminology in the Workplace

Today, acronyms and abbreviations abound because of email and social media. Many have become so common that we may not know what they derived from; we only know what they mean. Or do we? With so many shortcuts, things can get confusing.  Read More

Pending Legislation Aimed at Small Business

Politicians routinely claim they support small business, but legislation—or lack thereof—may show otherwise. Recently, the House Small Business Committee approved with bi-partisan support a number of measures aimed at helping small businesses so they can proceed to the full House for consideration. Whether any will be enacted and, if so, in what form, remains to be seen. Here’s a rundown of just some of the proposals. Read More

Business Owners: 5 Ways to Focus On You

Business owners are encouraged to focus on their employees…provide financial security plus support good health and safety measures. Owners are also told to be customer-centric and listen to what customers want and need. And finally, owners are advised to be good stewards of the planet. This is all well and good. But business owners often overlook themselves.  Read More

A Mid-Winter Pick-Me-Up for Your Business

Seasonal depression is real. Harvard Business Review even offers ideas for companies to help employees experiencing seasonal depression. But business owners can do more. With several weeks remaining to winter, don’t just hibernate—use this wintertime to not only support employees, but also give your business a lift. Read More

What Does Leap Year Mean for Your Business?

Every four years, there’s one extra day in February. The Smithsonian explains that leap year is not so simple as an extra day every four years, but I’m good with the non-technical leap year. How does this extra day affect your business?  Read More

Policy on Company Dating: What to Do

We recently celebrated Valentine’s Day, which was a time for romance…and a time to think about company policy on dating. Why? One reason is the prevalence of co-workers dating each other. ...It makes sense to set a company dating policy. Read More

Look at the ROI of Branded Merchandise

by Jack Shaw

As a small business owner, you understand the power of branded merchandise in connecting with your customers and keeping your brand top of mind. However, the real magic lies in more than just selecting and distributing these items. You must strategically maximize and accurately measure their return on investment (ROI).  Read More

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Tax Decisions You Can Still Make for 2023

The 2023 tax year ended for calendar-year businesses on December 31, 2023. You closed your books and made resolutions for 2024. But there’s still one chore remaining that relates to 2023, and that’s filing a federal income tax return to report your business activities. While 2023 is over, it’s not too late to make certain tax decisions that can minimize your tax bill for 2023.

Small Business Tax Planning: 8 Ways to Save on Taxes in 2024

Check out these business tax-saving tips employers can use in 2024 to reduce taxes and help guide their employees.

Filing Your Business Tax Return: What to Know for 2024

It's an annual challenge: filing tax returns for your business. Business tax returns include filing federal income tax returns, state returns, and local returns for businesses and owners. There is no way to avoid this responsibility. The best way to handle this task is to prepare and start as soon as possible.

Do You Know an Independent Contractor When You See One?

Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, when asked in a case to explain his test for obscenity, said “I know it when I see it.” The same question can be raised with respect to an independent contractor: what’s the test? Unfortunately, the answer is more complicated than the one for obscenity. There are a number of different worker classification tests for different purposes. Here’s a survey of those tests:

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