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Save money by hiring an expert, know when to ask for help Imagine this … A group of friends were invited to dinner hosted by a famous chef. In greeting one of the guests, a well-known photographer, the chef commented: “I love your photos. You must have a very expensive camera.” The photographer smiled to herself and walked into the dining room. After dinner, the photographer approached the chef and…  Read more

Top Issues Related to Tax Year 2018 Extensions. Although my staff and I worked hard to learn the new law and to inform our clients of the changes, we still had many returns either filed at the last minute or placed on extension.  Our software providers worked hard to incorporate the tax law changes and revenue rulings but were challenged by release dates so late in the filing season. Here…  Read more

What motivates you, your clients, your staff?  The answer may surprise you ….. Allow your clients or customers to help your define the value of your business services and build this into your business process.  Again I invite you to watch my 4th in the Intuit video series and then click on this link to access 7 Steps to an Effective Business Plan   a free resource on our website; need help…  Read more

I believe  that the workflow efficiencies gained by standardizing processes within your company can enhance profitability. Intuit video #3 is the story about how workflow efficiencies were achieved in A Parness Company CPA after we performed a “health check” on the practice and implemented better processes as consistent with our business plan. Please feel free to sign on to our 7 Steps to an Effective Business Plan  or contact us for…  Read more

When creating the firm or business that you want rather than the one that you have, best practices endorse starting with a business plan. Intuit Video #2,  I hope my story inspires you to step back & take a good hard look at your business, roll up your sleeves and get to work….   Are your ready to make a change in your business? Sign up for our online 7…  Read more

“I’m Andrea Parness, I’m a CPA, I’m the owner of my firm. I work along with five of my staff members, A. Parness Company. We’re located in Queens, New York City and I was a traditional firm up until that point.” Learn from Andrea Parness, CPA, CTC, on what are bundled services, and why should you consider implementing them in your tax and accounting firm?  Read more

Firm owners could benefit from taking the time to evaluate their firm as a business. As the owner of my firm, I did just that and realized some changes needed to be made, starting with bundling our services. Many firms follow the traditional model of accepting clients in various industries through recommendations. Others provide clients with valuable services along with business-related compliance services, but don’t highlight those. Read the full…  Read more

In our office, we say, “It’s not a problem; it’s an opportunity.” When issues arise, we take the time to evaluate the situation to determine the cause. Did we break an office rule, step around a procedure or was it a case of not being careful? At times, solving our clients’ problems definitely requires a creative approach, but the real creativity lies in truly listening to their needs and understanding…  Read more

The IRS has released its final rules on a key tax break for businesses — the so-called “pass-through deduction.” The background: The new tax law cut taxes for corporations from 35 percent to 21 percent. But that didn’t apply to certain kinds of businesses, like LLCs and S corporations. They’re called pass-throughs, and they pay taxes based on their owner’s personal income, not the corporate tax rate. So Congress came…  Read more

These days, accountants and tax preparers use software to prepare and file your taxes. It allows them to do the calculations faster and to file online with the IRS. But it’s not always like that. In the Market Place article, Marielle Segarra interviews our director Andrea Parness about double-checking the software and how accountants have to remember the software is just a tool, and they can’t let it do all…  Read more

Read about our director Andrea Parness in the new Intuit ProConnect article. Andrea explains why it is important being a member of Tax Customer Council and how can tax professionals keep up with all the changes in tax laws and regulations. Andrea Parness, CPA, CTC, is owner of A Parness Company CPA, a niche CPA firm in Belle Harbor, Queens, N.Y. She has written several articles as well a white…  Read more

Too much stress can be a true detriment to your tax practice, especially during busy season. According to the American Institute of Stress, 80 percent of workers feel stress on the job, while nearly half say they need help learning how to manage stress. Read more on Intuit ProConnect website  Read more

The new year brings with it new challenges and opportunities, especially considering the impact the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has on tax year 2018. Read more about what our owner, Andrea Parness CPA and other Intuit® ProConnect™ Tax Pro Center authors advise to clients in 2019. Read full article  Read more

We believe that your CPA firm, those professionals who review your accounting data and evaluate your processes should be tapped as your business coaching and strategic planning partners. When we work with our clients, our goal is to help create a plan that will achieve those goals while utilizing their existing staff. We start our journey with the intent of creating a business road map and write across our whiteboard:…  Read more

The form 1040 is the form most taxpayers use to file their annual tax returns.  In addition to supplying basic information about the taxpayer and his/her family, it acts as an overview or listing of various types of income, deductions, and exemptions.  It also acts as an index to other necessary schedules which support the items on each line. Of course we CPA’s, other tax professionals and the general public…  Read more

As I walked the monument trail on the last evening during my recent trip to DC, the puddles and sudden downpours did not dampen my sprits or thoughts about the great meetings I had participated in and would continue to have.  As I passed the Washington, Jefferson, FDR and Lincoln monuments, I marveled at the foresight of these great leaders.  Our tax system is voluntary and we do have representation…  Read more

If tax professionals are still scrambling to decipher tax reform and the various code sections of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, how do small business clients and individual taxpayers feel with all this uncertainty? What can we, as their trusted advisors, do to help make them feel secure and know that they have a partner to develop a strategy to deal with these tax law changes? In 2016 and…  Read more

I am wearing many hats these days. As the owner of a progressive CPA firm I am responsible to my staff and clients and their financial success. As the president of a chapter of my professional group I am responsible for the vision and leadership of the group and for enabling them to operate successfully while ensuring the wellbeing of the administrative staff and the financial stability of the organization.…  Read more

With another tax season on the horizon, we talked to several of our tax professionals and Intuit® ProConnect™ Tax Council members about what apps and software they love the most. Many of these apps save them time each day, while others help them make the most of their free time so they can truly focus while at work. We hope these favorite apps help make tax season a little easier…  Read more

Monica and Myriam are smart, loyal, self-motivated, conscientious, independent people; both irreplaceable members of my team. Years ago, they separately told me they were moving to different states. At the time, we had a decision to make: part ways or find a path to keep my indispensable team members. Today, I have two full-time employees who live in other states. When we first experimented with working remotely, we were relegated…  Read more