Resources For Employers
COVID-19 RESOURCE CENTER
Business owners, your financial statements are trying to tell you something
Business owners are commonly and rightfully urged to regularly generate financial statements in compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). One reason why is external users of financial statements, such as lenders and investors, place greater...
President Biden’s proposed budget highlights his tax agenda
President Biden has released his proposed budget for the 2025 fiscal year, including numerous tax provisions affecting both businesses and individual taxpayers. While most of these provisions have little chance of coming to fruition while the U.S. House of...
Applying for a commercial loan with confidence
Few and far between are businesses that can either launch or grow without an infusion of outside capital. In some cases, that capital comes in the form of a commercial loan from a bank or some other type of lender. If you and your company’s leadership team believe a...
If you didn’t contribute to an IRA last year, there’s still time
If you’re gathering documents to file your 2023 tax return and you’re concerned that your tax bill may be higher than you’d like, there might still be an opportunity to lower it. If you qualify, you can make a deductible contribution to a traditional IRA right up...
Independent contractor vs. employee status: The DOL issues new final rule
The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) test for determining whether a worker should be classified as an independent contractor or an employee for purposes of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) has been revised several times over the past decade. Now, the DOL...
Update on IRS efforts to combat questionable Employee Retention Credit (ERC) claims
The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) was introduced back when COVID-19 temporarily closed many businesses. The credit provided cash that helped enable struggling businesses to retain employees. Even though the ERC expired for most employers at the end of the third...
The standard business mileage rate goes up slightly in 2024
The optional standard mileage rate used to calculate the deductible cost of operating an automobile for business went up by 1.5 cents per mile in 2024. The IRS announced that the cents-per-mile rate for the business use of a car, van, pickup or panel truck will be 67...
Businesses: Do you have to comply with the new corporate transparency reporting rules?
Your business may have to meet new reporting requirements that took effect on January 1, 2024. Under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), enacted in 2021, certain companies will be required to provide information related to their “beneficial owners” — the individuals...
Strategies to cut your company’s 2023 tax bill
On the tax front, 2023 (as of now) has not seen any major legislation. This means fewer tax changes in 2023 than in years past. As always, there is a potential for that to change before the end of the year. As another year ends with interest rates and markets in flux,...
IRS suspends processing of ERC claims
In the face of a flood of illegitimate claims for the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERC), the IRS has imposed an immediate moratorium through at least the end of 2023 on processing new claims for the credit. The reason the IRS cites for the move is the risk of honest...
What’s in the Fiscal Responsibility Act?
President Biden has signed into law the new debt ceiling agreement that he reached with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). The Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) suspends — as opposed to raising — the debt ceiling until 2025, after the next...
President Biden’s proposed budget includes notable tax provisions
President Biden has released his proposed budget for the federal government for the 2024 fiscal year. The budget, which aims to cut the deficit by nearly $3 trillion over 10 years, includes numerous provisions that would affect the tax bills of both individuals and...
U.S. Supreme Court rules against the IRS on critical FBAR issue
The U.S. Supreme Court recently weighed in on an issue regarding a provision of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) that has split two federal courts of appeal. Its 5-4 ruling in Bittner v. U.S. is welcome news for U.S. residents who “non-willfully” violate the law’s...
Many tax limits affecting businesses have increased for 2023
An array of tax-related limits that affect businesses are indexed annually, and due to high inflation,many have increased more than usual for 2023. Here are some that may be important to you and yourbusiness. Social Security tax The amount of employees’ earnings that...
Employers should be wary of ERC claims that are too good to be true
The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) was a valuable tax credit that helped employers that kept workers on staff during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the credit is no longer available, eligible employers that haven’t yet claimed it might still be able to do...
ALERT for businesses organized as a limited partnership in Pennsylvania
If you are a domestic or foreign limited partnership and recently received a postcard from the PA Department of State (DOS) indicating a need to file a Certificate of Annual Registration (CAR) and pay a fee by April 15, 2023, the PA DOS has indicated you may have...
What’s “quiet quitting” and why is everyone talking about it?
They say it came from TikTok. If you’ve heard or read the term “quiet quitting” recently, you might have wondered what it means and why everyone seems to be talking about it. Simply defined, quiet quitting is when employees show up for work but basically stop trying....
3 ways your business can uncover cost cuts
Every business wants to find them, but they sure don’t make it easy. We’re talking about cost cuts: clear and substantial ways to lower expenses, thereby strengthening cash flow and giving you a better shot at strong profitability. Obvious places to slash costs — such...
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 tackles retirement planning, conservation easements
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 includes two important new laws that could affect your financial planning: the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) 2.0 Act (also known as SECURE 2.0) and the Conservation Easement Program Integrity...
2023 Tax Calendar
To help you make sure you don’t miss any important 2023 deadlines, we’ve provided this summary of when various tax-related forms, payments and other actions are due. Please review the calendar and let us know if you have any questions about the deadlines or would like...
Businesses: Act now to make the most out of bonus depreciation
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) significantly boosted the potential value of bonus depreciation for taxpayers — but only for a limited duration. The amount of first-year depreciation available as a so-called bonus will begin to drop from 100% after 2022, and...
IRS offers penalty relief for 2019, 2020 tax years
A recently announced federal relief program will provide more than $1.2 billion in tax refunds or credits. Specifically, IRS Notice 2022-36 extends penalty relief to both individuals and businesses who missed the filing deadlines for certain 2019 and/or 2020 tax and...
The Inflation Reduction Act includes wide-ranging tax provisions
On August 16, 2022 the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed into law. The IRA includes significant provisions related to climate change, health care, and, of course, taxes. Although the IRA falls far short of Biden’s originally proposed $2 trillion Build Back...
CHIPS Act poised to boost U.S. businesses
The Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors for America Act (CHIPS Act) was recently signed into law as part of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Among other things, the $52 billion package provides generous tax incentives to increase domestic...
Dodge the tumult with a buy-sell agreement
Businesses with multiple owners generally benefit from a variety of viewpoints, diverse experience and strategic areas of specialization. However, there’s a major risk: the company can be thrown into tumult if one of the owners decides, or is compelled by...
Standard business mileage rate will increase for the second half of 2022
The IRS recently announced that it will increase the standard mileage rate for qualified business driving for the second half of 2022. The adjustment reflects the soaring cost of gasoline this year. In fact, as of June 13, the nationwide average price of regular...
The fringe benefit implications of employer-provided cell phones
With so many more employees working remotely over the last couple of years, many employers have had to grapple with whether to provide workers with cell phones or allow them to use personal phones for business purposes. From a fringe benefits perspective, two...
Are pretax HSA contributions allowed without a cafeteria plan?
By now, many employers have chosen to offer employees a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) along with a Health Savings Account (HSA). One interesting issue that’s arisen is, at some organizations, employees have asked whether they can make pretax HSA contributions....
EBSA increases penalties for ERISA violations
Any employer that sponsors a pension plan or a qualified retirement plan, such as a 401(k), is undoubtedly familiar with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The law also applies to employer-sponsored health maintenance organization plans, Flexible...
Congress eyes further retirement savings enhancements
In 2019, the bipartisan Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE Act) — the first significant legislation related to retirement savings since 2006 — became law. Now Congress appears ready to build on that law to further increase Americans’...
Links to Government Resources
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program Loans FAQs
U.S. Small Business Administration Three-Step Process: SBA Disaster Loans
PA Department of Labor Form UC-1921W Refusal of Suitable Work Notification
PA Employer UC & COVID-19 FAQs
PA Department of Community and Economic Development
US Department of Labor (DOL) Poster for Employers
US Department of Labor (DOL) Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Questions & Answers
PA Industry Operation Guidance
(Life-Sustaining Businesses)
Bucks Back to Work Small Business Grant
Montgomery County MontCo Strong Small Business Grant Program: Eligible small businesses in Montgomery County can apply for up to $25,000 to help with making rent or mortgage payments, meeting payroll expenses, and covering utility bills.