Here is a look at how one accounting firm has sought to boost diversity by offering flexible work-life balance initiatives as well as providing training and developmental programs meant to aid career advancement. To read the full article in The CPA Journal, click: Strategies to Retain and Advance Female Employees.
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Publicly sharing diversity numbers—positive and negative—can be beneficial to companies because it shows a willingness to openly address diversity issues. Sharing the numbers also allows for a company to be held accountable for future progress in reaching diversity goals. To read the full article in CNN, click: Why Sharing Diversity Data Publicly can be Good for Your Company.
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With Generation Z coming into the workforce, employers will need to create development programs that cater to the needs of this demographic group. These programs may involve self-directed learning and a focus on soft skills. To read the full article in Chief Learning Officer, click: Designing Development Programs that Work for Gen Z.
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With millennials constituting a significant chunk of the workforce, it is important for employers to avoid preconceived notions about this generation. Leaders should stay focused on the future and recognize that asking the right questions can encourage self-reflection among employees. To read the full article in Quartz at Work, click: Steps for Becoming a Better Leader for Millennial Employees.
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The Securities and Exchange Commission has approved amendments to Regulation S-K aimed at simplifying and modernizing disclosure by public companies, consultants and money managers. The amendments are required under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act of 2015. To read the full article in Pensions & Investments, click: SEC Simplifies Disclosure by Public Companies, Money Managers.
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On March 4, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Ninth Circuit’s expanded view of “full costs” in copyright cases was improper, going beyond the “costs” typically available to litigants in federal court. Rimini Street, Inc. et al., v. Oracle USA, Inc., et al., No. 17-1625, slip op. (U.S. Mar. 4, 2019.) This ruling overturns a $12.8 million award granted to Oracle USA Inc. for its “nontaxable costs,” which included expert witness fees, jury consulting fees and electronic discovery expenses. To read the full article in Taft, click: Copyright Litigants Entitled to “Full” Costs, Not “Extra” Costs.
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More than a third (35 percent) of employers intending to hire temporary workers expressed concerns over the availability of agency workers with the required skills—with the construction sector expecting the largest crunch in this area—while almost half (47 percent) of employers said they were using agency staff to manage uncertainty. To read the full article in People Management, click: Falling Economic Confidence Now Affecting Hiring Decisions, Says Survey.
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Two-thirds of business leaders fear that their organization could become irrelevant if they fail to move to a “hybrid” workforce. According to research by Capita People Solutions, a successful transition to a combined human and artificial intelligence, or hybrid, workforce is the most important priority for 72% of leaders in the next five years. To read the full article in Personnel Today, click: Business Leaders’ Top Concern is Moving to a Hybrid AI-Human Workforce.
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Many of us today work in a cross-cultural environment. In such a setting, meaning may differ greatly when a writer comes from a culture different from that of the reader, whether the communication is between colleagues or those doing business with one another. This advice can help you compose and interpret professional correspondence. To read the full article in Financial Management, click: Avoiding Cultural Mishaps in Your Business Writing.
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As the regulatory landscape has evolved, compliance departments and the chief compliance officer (CCO) have become increasingly important, helping organizations to adapt. Many CCOs sit on boards and report directly to the chief executive. They are no longer on the outside looking in on business development; instead, they are a key cog in the machinations of the C-suite. To read the full article in Financier Worldwide, click: The Evolution of Compliance.
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If clients fail to consider their heirs’ tax brackets when crafting estate plans, heirs could lose more money to taxes than they need to. Dividing taxable and tax-deferred accounts in accordance with the unique financial situation of each heir can lead to better results. To read the full article in Kiplinger, click: Equal Shares for Heirs? Not Unless You Take Taxes into Account.
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After the death of a spouse, a client has several options for handling the retirement accounts that belonged to the deceased. Here is a brief overview of the financial implications of different strategies for managing IRAs and Roth IRAs. This helpful chart shows the rules and requirements related to distributions for clients who inherit a Roth IRA. To read the full article in MarketWatch, click: Tips for Managing an Inherited IRA.
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The Internal Revenue Service has announced it is lowering to 80% from 85% the amount taxpayers must have paid to escape an underpayment of estimated income tax penalty for 2018. The usual rule requires at least a 90% payment of tax shown on the return. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: IRS Expands Relief from Underpayment Penalty.
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A survey found that most women prioritize planning for retirement and their family’s future, but more than seven in 10 believe they are not doing a very good job. Running out of money in retirement is a big worry for 70% of women, but only 20% of them have come up with a plan to deal with this challenge. The Women’s Resource Center, found in Broadridge Advisor, contains dozens of client articles, illustrations, and other resources to share with female clients, who often face unique financial challenges and circumstances. To read the full article in Plan Adviser, click: Women Fear…
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The Internal Revenue Service has proposed regulations meant to address inconsistent treatment that could arise as a result of the temporary increase in the exclusion amount for estate and gift taxes that was included in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: Estate and Gift Exclusion Clawback Addressed in Proposed Regs.
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It has been over a year since the law known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) was passed. Taxpayers and tax advisers are continuing to peel back its layers of complexity to understand the various provisions. Taxpayers with state tax obligations and state tax practitioners face an additional challenge of understanding the implications of the new or amended federal provisions on state taxation. To read the full article in The Tax Adviser, click: The TCJA and State Considerations for Business.
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Company retirement plans have changed significantly over the past few decades, with a few trends coming on strong. In light of the fact that 401(k) participants are famously hands-off, plans have increasingly added “nudge” features to get more people saving: Roughly two thirds of plans now offer automatic enrollment, for example, up from just about half in 2012. Roth accounts have also shot up in popularity. To read the full article in Morningstar, click: Is it Ever a Good Idea to Hold Company Stock in a 401(k)?
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The Internal Revenue Service has highlighted 12 abusive tax schemes it wants taxpayers and tax practitioners to be on alert for this year. Phishing and scam phone calls are the biggest repeat offenders. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: IRS’ “Dirty Dozen” Scams—2019 Edition.
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Changes in the tax code have doubled the standard deduction, meaning that clients who donate money to charity may not see the tax benefits to which they are accustomed. Advisers can help by encouraging clients older than 70½ to use qualified charitable distributions and having younger clients use gift clumping strategies. Volume 1 of The Adviser’s Guide to Financial and Estate Planning has several chapters dedicated to charitable and giving strategies. To read the full article in Financial Planning, click: How to Realize Tax Benefits for Charitable Clients.
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Financial advisors spend a significant portion of their time on back-office tasks and the search for new clients. New technology does not necessarily allow advisors to add more clients but may instead enable them to provide deeper services to their existing clients. To read the full article in Nerd’s Eye View, click: What Advisors do with their Time.