I was asked to contribute to a feature in a short video montage at Intuit’s QuickbooksConnect conference. Several accountants spoke about aspects of accounting. I was happy to answer “what do you love about your clients?” Any guesses as to what I replied? Here’s the gist: I love that I’m able to speak with my clients and they understand what I’m saying. At A. Parness Company CPA we believe in… Read more
For medical practices and other professional practices the risk of data breaches and fraud is high, so taking all the necessary steps to protect your patient’s or client’s sensitive data is a must. Unfortunately for many practitioners the decision to increase their company’s data protection comes too late – after they’ve been victimized by a malicious hacker. The good news is, simple and inexpensive steps can be taken to avoid… Read more
Is email the new silent killer? At one point in time everyone thought it would vastly improve communication while freeing up time. It still is a great way to communicate and under the right conditions can help create efficiencies for medical practice or small business owners and their staff. It seems like we wade through hundreds of emails in our inbox each day; the productivity killer arises from those who… Read more
These days, you can use technology to take care of almost any issue facing your business. If you have a task you don’t like to do, there’s an app or software program to take care of it for you. It might take a bit of your time to learn and understand how the software or app works, but doing so will save you valuable time and precious energy. It will… Read more
You and your staff can really benefit from using technology to handle repetitive administrative work; this will help free up staff time to be used for higher level tasks like speaking with customers and analyzing the data. These days, you can use technology to take care of almost any issue facing your business. Artificial Intelligence can be used as an interface with other software so that you and… Read more
No one really likes talking about their death, which makes updating—or even writing—a will an unpleasant experience. Often, people put off thinking about their will for another day, assuming they have a lot of time to deal with it. Along comes the SECURE Act and we see the importance of proactive planning, not just for your retirement, but for your beneficiaries as well. NEIL D. KATZ, J.D., LL.M., CPA Last… Read more
What comes to mind when you think about a business conversation? I picture sitting at my computer or surface, starting off my meeting with a wave and a smile. It’s possible that this is the first “in person” meeting we are having, so starting off with a video chat is a great way to fast track a relationship. I hosted a recent video chat meeting with a new contact while… Read more
I offered my top tip for accountants and their clients for an article which was published last week, then I googled communicate and this is what I found: com·mu·ni·cate verb 1. share or exchange information, news, or ideas. Similar: liaise, be in touch, be in contact, be in communication Use it in a sentence “We as effective tax advisers communicate with our clients so we can understand what their needs are… Read more
I was asked to contribute to this online article as posted by Intuit for other tax professionals. My tip: “We find that our business and individual clients are still confused about how the TCJA affects various issues, such as their overall tax liability, entity structure, retirement benefits and deductible expenses. We will continue to encourage strong communication and engagement with our team of professionals. Our clients are comforted when they see that we are there… Read more
You may feel overwhelmed by this new form and the calculations involved with setting up sufficient 2020 tax withholding. We certainly understand as it seems that to do it correctly you need to be a tax professional or have a really good grasp on how your income is earned as well as what deductions and tax credits you are entitled to. For more clarification: link to the IRS FAQ… Read more
I recorded this video over the summer (right, I am not standing on the beach in this gear in December!) A Plan with Small Actionable Steps Will Help Create the Goals we Have in Mind for Our Business and Ourselves and what better time to put this tip to use than now… This message is just perfect for this time of year. We are all hoping to start 2020 with… Read more
It’s been exciting to see how several of our clients were able to save some serious dollars and reduce or eliminate their fourth quarter corporate and individual tax estimates by instituting Year-End Micro Tax Minimization Plans. We will be rolling up our sleeves again in January to start working on full blown plans for the 2020 tax year. Click through to see a blog and video on the process and…… Read more
I was asked to write an article for Tax Pro Center for the Intuit ProConnect site, you can click through and read it here: “How to Channel More Positive Energy in Your Tax Firm”. Then watch this video about our firm: Final Thoughts Positive energy resulting from respect, appreciation and support of ideas can bolster most relationships. What works for accounting firms works for other businesses as well. Watch the… Read more
There is “No Time Like the Present” For You to Start Planning for an Amazing 2020 Have you thought about what 2020 holds? Now is the perfect time to book your Business Strategy Session. You’ll get guidance on updating or setting up your Business Plan. It’s hard to believe but the year is almost over! AND…there is “No Time Like the Present” for a Business Strategy Session. We sometimes call… Read more
Ready to retire? Worried that you can’t afford to? Your accountant may be able to help shed some light on your situation. Remember that your tax situation may change drastically after retirement and that change can have a positive effect on your spending dollars! Watch this video to see how understanding your after tax retirement dollars can bring you peace of mind. You CAN afford to retire with after tax… Read more
It’s year end, and time to reflect on the year gone by and plan for the year ahead. But thinking about your business and how to improve it can be stressful. We wrote about the importance of having a solid Vision Statement to help guide you and your staff to a more successful business, with a better business model, more satisfied customers and more focused staff. Need a little prodding?… Read more
There are some things in life that go together well and others that definitely do not! Business and personal finances are in that category of items that should not be mixed. Although it may seem like a headache to keep them separate—who wants to manage all those bank accounts?—your life will be greatly simplified once you separate your personal and your business finances, especially your expenses. Paperwork and taxes will… Read more
The holiday season is once again here, and with it comes time to relax, focus on family and friends and take stock in what is really important in life. What if you are a small business owner who has not worked through your processes to create a business rather than a job? Every small business owner knows that being away from the office can be just as stressful as being… Read more
It was great to end my conference travels right here in New York for the 2019 Long Island Tax Professionals Symposium. I followed my own advice on setting goals for the conferences I attend, but these takeaways and highlights were unexpected! Try to take at least one “in-person” update course per year on the software you use and depend on in your office. I was thrilled that this year we… Read more
Positive energy resulting from respect, appreciation and support of ideas can bolster most relationships. What works for accounting firms works for other businesses as well. Click through to read my full article published this week on Tax Pro Center | Intuit ProConnect site: “How to Channel More Positive Energy in Your Tax Firm” Looking to create a better work environment but need some help? You may also want to perform… Read more