The COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t the first to sweep the globe, nor is it likely to be the last one. Throughout history, pandemics have shaped our world, as this historic lookback in the Washington Post explains. One such plague likely contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire, when disease –likely measles and smallpox – swept through the ancient world and killed 5 million people over 15 years. The Black Death… Read more
Until scientists develop an effective and safe vaccine, and that vaccine is administered to millions of people, our best means of protection from COVID-19 is herd immunity. Recent models hint that the protective effects of a population that has already been infected by the COVID-19 virus may exist at much lower percentages than previously thought. Instead of requiring that 70 to 80 percent of a population be immune, that threshold… Read more
It’s no surprise to most Americans that the U.S. economy has suffered greatly from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. But what may surprise you is the extent of the decline: a record 32.9% contraction during the second quarter of 2020, the biggest drop since 1947. The virus is still spreading across much of the country, and for 19 straight weeks, more than 1 million people have submitted new claims… Read more
The July 15th deadline is coming up, but it’s not too late to make an IRA contribution! Even though tax filing season is well underway, there is still time to make a regular (traditional) IRA contribution for 2019. You have until your tax return due date (not including extensions). For most taxpayers, the contribution deadline is July 15, 2020. Watch the video to see what actions to take now: Making a last-minute… Read more
In the six months since the coronavirus began spreading around the world, doctors have learned many lessons. For example, placing patients on their stomachs seems to alleviate pressure on the lungs, and prevention is crucial. However, some unknowns remain, such as long-term effects of COVID-19 infections and how long it will take patients to recover. A big surprise to medical professionals was how widely asymptomatic carriers could spread the virus.… Read more
As a New York City accounting office, I like many have been looking forward to seeing our staff and co-workers in person starting this week with the “Phase 2 re-opening”. We are happy to see that as businesses across the country slowly reopen, the IRS is also beginning to send employees back. So far, employees in seven states (Kentucky, Texas, Utah, Georgia, Minnesota, Tennessee and Missouri) are back at work,… Read more
Every country around the world has its own strategy for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Some countries, like Sweden, are relying on the development of “herd immunity.” However, that approach is not without risks, and shouldn’t be adopted by other countries without consideration of those risks. On the other end of the spectrum, New Zealand effectively eliminated coronavirus. Like Sweden’s approach, New Zealand’s won’t work everywhere. Here in the U.S.,… Read more
This video is a portion of a recent panel discussion with Andrea and other tax professionals on how they set up their offices and were able to support their clients during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Andrea also discusses how cloud software, payroll portals, and document portals enabled her team to support their clients’ grant applications. We are not sure what the new normal will look like once we “open our doors”… Read more
Check out our weekly Digest for April 29th located in the Latest Updates and News sections our Covid-19 resource center which includes a link to the SBA’s PPP policy guide and the SBA’s PPP FAQ’s (as updated April 28th) among other great resources … Check out our recent blog post & video Will I Ever See the Stimulus Money I was Promised?, which details how to update your banking information for… Read more
Posting this a bit later in the day, I wanted to make sure that I had the most up to date information to share. I have attended 3 webinars today, including a U.S. Chamber of Commerce Town Hall meeting where the discussion was focused on potential additional funding for both the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and EIDL, other small business grants. “The PPP is out of money: On Thursday morning,… Read more
I am so glad to share this photo from another beautiful morning run on the beach today, I hope you are all doing something for YOU each day, it really does help. The reports are coming in about the stimulus checks. It seems that only those eligible individuals who had an over-payment direct deposited into their (current) bank account when they filed their 2018 or 2019 tax returns… Read more
You may have missed our announcement about our CARES Act Overview and Resource Center This post has many critical resources that are also in our resource center which I wanted to highlight, as well as updated information we have put together from all of our research. We believe that the “PPP loan to grant” program is worth reviewing. We have gotten word that our banking partners do not have complete… Read more
Hoping you can spot the dolphins playing in the stormy water today. In times like this it’s the little things that make a difference, like spotting dolphins swimming by during my morning walk. Last night I hosted the first of what I hope will be the first of many valuable and informative webinars: “Successful Personal Cash Flow Strategies During Times of Uncertainty” and as the news keeps changing I will update… Read more
Today’s “to do list” started with a walk on the beach at sunrise and a deep breath. It’s time to start planning; the Senate passed the relief package the C.A.R.E.S. Act and expectations are high that the bill will pass in the House and then be presented to President Trump for his signature by Friday. So now the questions start: “What do I have to do to get this money… Read more
I have been checking the New York Times Morning Briefing daily as well as my online accounting and business newsletters, the IRS and NYS website, et al, to see what’s going on with our country, our government, our economy, taxes and of course, the Coronavirus. Here’s the link for today’s NYT briefing My team and I have also been researching valuable resources for loans, grants, and best health and business… Read more
On Tuesday, March 17, the Treasury Department announced that taxpayers will be able to defer paying their taxes for 90 days past April 15th. BUT…there are some things you need to know: The filing deadline has not changed, it is still April 15, 2020. An extension is required to extend the filing of your 2019 tax return. Income tax payments for returns with a due date of April 15, 2020,… Read more
There are special deductions and credits which help working parents defray some of the bite from child care costs. Follow the specific rules and receive tax benefits for qualified child care while you are at work and breathe easy knowing your child is in a safe secure environment. Interested in finding out more about this and other employment related benefits and how they can reduce your taxes, contact us,… Read more
It’s tax season and it seems that the rest of the country finally figured out that Tax Simplification is anything but… Now the big question is how do I find the best CPA or Tax Professional for me. The question seems “simple” too. But is it? Today was the second time this article was published in the last few weeks, click through to read it. How to Find the Best… Read more
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