During the busy holiday season, not-for-profit executives may rely on staffers to purchase gifts and holiday party supplies for the organization. But before you hand over a credit card, you need to make sure that the employee is trustworthy and understands your nonprofit’s credit card use policy.
If your not-for-profit was well-established before 2020, it has probably weathered the pandemic and economic stress of the past year-and-a-half better than younger organizations. But as you transition out of “survival” mode, challenges remain, including those faced by most nonprofits, such as finding staffers and fundraising in an inhospitable environment. Then there are obstacles specific to mature nonprofits. Here are some to watch for.
The COVID-19 pandemic is still adversely affecting many businesses and not-for-profit organizations, but the effects vary, depending on the nature of operations and geographic location. Has your organization factored the effects of the pandemic into its financial statements? You might not have considered this question since last year if your organization prepares statements that comply with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles only at year end.
As we head into audit season for 2021, it’s time to evaluate whether your financial situation has gotten better — or worse — this year. Here are 10 financial statement areas to home in on.
Every business should prepare an annual budget. Creating a comprehensive, realistic spending plan allows you to identify potential shortages of cash, possible constraints on your capacity to fulfill strategic objectives, and other threats.
Whether you’ve already put together a 2022 budget or still need to get on that before year end, here are four red flags to watch out for.
The end of the tax year is fast approaching for many businesses, but their ability to engage in traditional year-end planning may be hampered by the specter of looming tax legislation. The budget reconciliation bill, dubbed the Build Back Better Act (BBBA), is likely to include provisions affecting the taxation of businesses — although its passage is uncertain at this time.
While it appears that several of the more disadvantageous provisions targeting businesses won’t make it into the final bill, others may. In addition, some temporary provisions are coming to an end, requiring businesses to take action before year end to capitalize on them. As Congress continues to negotiate the final bill, here are some areas where you could act now to reduce your business’s 2021 tax bill.
Negotiations continue in Washington, D.C., over the future of President Biden’s agenda. Tax law changes may be ahead under two proposed laws, the Build Back Better Act (BBBA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill (BIB), also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The final provisions remain to be seen, but the BBBA and, to a lesser extent, the BIB, contain a wide range of tax proposals that could affect individuals and businesses. It’s also unclear when the tax changes would become effective, if one or both of the laws are enacted.
Here’s a summary of many of the proposals that could change the tax landscape in the near future.
Timely financial data is key to making informed business decisions. Unfortunately, it’s common for managers to struggle with their companies’ accounting systems to get the information they need, when they need it. Often, it takes multiple, confusing steps to enter and extract data specific to customers and/or projects.
Businesses and accounting software solutions evolve over time. So, what worked for your company years ago may not be the optimal solution today. For example, you might prefer a different solution that’s more user-friendly, more sophisticated or customized for your industry niche. Here are four factors — beyond just cost — to consider when evaluating your current accounting system.
Whether your not-for-profit is continuing to hold videoconference board meetings or is back to in-person gatherings, you don’t want to waste members’ time. Board meetings need to be long enough to accomplish agenda items and keep your organization on track, but not so long that the meetings become tedious and unproductive. The key is good planning.
Related-party transactions and financial connections are a normal part of operating a business. But these arrangements have gotten a bad rap because dishonest people sometimes use them to disguise poor performance or dishonest activities. So, identifying related parties and evaluating your interactions with them are important parts of the external audit process — especially in today’s volatile market conditions.
The typical defrauded not-for-profit loses $75,000 per fraud incident, according to the Association of
Certified Fraud Examiners. And that doesn’t account for the negative publicity and subsequent lost
donations and support that often follow fraud. Although no preventive measure is 100% effective,
strong internal controls can greatly reduce the risk that a crooked staffer or outside criminal will find
gaps in your fortress.
Updated accounting rules for long-term leases took effect in 2019 for public companies. Now, after several deferrals by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), private companies and private not-for-profit entities must follow suit, starting in fiscal year 2022. The updated guidance requires these organizations to report — for the first time — the full magnitude of their long-term lease obligations on the balance sheet. Here are the details.
Someone might have once told you that human beings use only 10% of our brains. The implication is that we have vast, untapped stores of cerebral power waiting to be discovered. In truth, this is a myth widely debunked by neurologists.
What you may be underusing, as a business owner, is your accounting software. Much like the operating systems on our smartphones and computers, today’s accounting solutions contain a multitude of functions that are easy to overlook once someone gets used to doing things a certain way.
By taking a closer look at your accounting software, or perhaps upgrading to a new solution, you may be able to improve the efficiency of your accounting function and discover ways to better manage your company’s finances.