Accounting Today

Inside Views

• Responsiveness Beats SEO When It Comes to Gaining New Clients

  February 6, 2013

  Don’t rely on SEO to do things it can’t. The best search engine optimization in the world won’t help if your business isn’t ready to welcome the potential clients it attracts.

• A Taxing Issue Worth Addressing

  February 4, 2013

  What has almost 4 million words and is one of the most complex and least transparent documents of the century? Our Tax Code.

• It’s Time for Independent Certification for Tax Preparers

  January 31, 2013

  Without some kind of accepted certification program, the taxpaying public has no way of knowing if a person who says that they are a professional tax preparer has any training or experience. The answer would be some kind of voluntary “certification program” where a tax preparer could receive a universally accepted professional designation based on testing or credentials.

• A World of Opportunity

  January 31, 2013

  Earning new business is more challenging than ever and firms need new ways to increase revenue, so is going global a possible path to new revenue?

• Be Prepared for Increased ‘B’ Notices and Withholding in 2013

  January 30, 2013

  This fall the IRS will send out CP2100 and CP2100a Forms, or “B” Notices, to payers who filed incorrect or incomplete forms including those with incorrect name and Taxpayer Identification Number data.

• 8 Golden Rules Every Equity Partner Needs to Follow to be Successful

  January 29, 2013

  Many promising young partners fail to make the transition to equity partner, which is where the true rewards of partnership lie.

• Satisfied Staff Support Strong Branding Efforts in a Competitive Marketplace

  January 28, 2013

  Keeping your clients happy is one key aspect of positive marketing. Although it’s often overlooked, keeping your employees happy is another.

• Three Strategies to Obtain Buy-in for Change

  January 25, 2013

  How many times has your CPA firm implemented a process or technology change only to find out later that just a fraction of the firm is following the new process or leveraging all the features of the technology solution? If you answered something along the lines of “all the time,” don’t worry. You are not alone.

• Tax Reform: Where Are We Now?

  January 22, 2013

  Unfortunately, recent events make fundamental tax reform, already a heavy lift, much less likely.

• Energy-Efficient Building Tax Break May Sunset in 2013

  January 22, 2013

  While Section 179D of the Tax Code expires at the end of 2013, opportunities exist in two areas: accelerating future projects into 2013 and reviewing projects dating back to Jan. 1, 2006 that resulted in energy savings.

• Becoming a Tax Incentive Ambassador for Relocating Businesses

  January 16, 2013

  For businesses relocating or expanding into new markets, taxation is now one of the top 10 site selection factors that determine where companies decide to set up shop, especially in high-cost states like California, Massachusetts, New York and Illinois.

• Skype's the Limit, Part II: Tips for Video-Conferencing

  January 15, 2013

  Video conferencing can be a useful addition to a tax-prep practice. H&R Block’s Block Live, for example, offers consumers the chance to use video conferencing to have their returns prepared.

• Roadmap to Creating a Marketing Culture

  January 15, 2013

  Last November, marketing professionals at BKR International demonstrated the challenge that surrounds creating a culture.

• The Chain Reaction of Marketing

  January 14, 2013

  Marketing is many things, but one thing it’s not is one dimensional.

• Skype’s the Limit: Tips on Video Conferencing

  January 10, 2013

  Most tax preparers have heard by now of Skype or one of the similar video-conferencing services -- and some have tried such services, and report success when connecting with long-distance clients --some of whom the preparers have never even met.

• Will the Fiscal Cliff Lead to Fiscal Theft?

  January 10, 2013

  The Internal Revenue Service stated on Tuesday that they will begin processing individual tax returns on Jan. 30, 2013, marking the official beginning of “tax season” for tax professionals.

• When Good Tax Planning and Good Financial Planning Collide

  January 9, 2013

  Fresh from year-end tax planning meetings with clients, we’ve identified four areas where great tax planning and great financial planning collide, specifically for people accumulating wealth.

• Valuing Your Practice for Partner Retirements

  January 8, 2013

  I talk about the BBB with my clients a lot. No, this BBB is not the Better Business Bureau; it is the Baby Boomer Bubble.

• 3 Reasons to Assess Your Trade Partners’ Financials

  January 7, 2013

  Every investor is familiar with the legal caveat, “past performance is not a guarantee of future results,” but the warning is apt for business owners and credit officers evaluating their potential trade partners’ creditworthiness too.

• Fiscal Cliff Deal Will Have Far-reaching Tax Implications

  January 2, 2013

  Even though President Obama indicated only last Friday that the fiscal cliff deal likely to be produced by the January 1 deadline would be a basic package, lawmakers managed to come out with a surprisingly comprehensive set of tax provisions, some with long-lasting effects.