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Investing in mutual funds is an easy way to diversify a portfolio, which is one reason why they’re commonly found in retirement plans such as IRAs and 401(k)s. But if you hold such funds in taxable accounts, or are considering such...

Many of today’s businesses have taken to outsourcing various IT functions. The goal of doing so is usually to save money. But rushing into such an arrangement could mean losing money on the project itself while diminishing employee morale and...

Businesses fail for many reasons — dysfunctional management, insufficient working capital, insurmountable competition. Why they succeed, on the other hand, is often easily explained. Regardless of size and sector, most healthy companies share...

Shopping, anyone? If your business is in need of office equipment, computer software or perhaps an HVAC system, the purchase you make today could provide you with a tax break tomorrow — or, more specifically, when you’re ready to file...

Executives and other key employees are often compensated with more than just salary, fringe benefits and bonuses: They may also be awarded stock-based compensation, such as restricted stock or stock options. Another form that’s becoming more...

With health care costs continuing to climb, tax-friendly ways to pay for these expenses are more attractive than ever. Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs) all provide...

Are you thinking about turning a business trip into a family vacation this summer? This can be a great way to fund a portion of your vacation costs. But if you’re not careful, you could lose the tax benefits of business travel. Reasonable and...

What's the most common living arrangement for young adults today? For the first time in 130 years, more young people ages 18 to 34 opt to live with their parents, rather than move out on their own or with a spouse or friend, according to a recent...

If you travel a lot on business, you may make some international trips -- as well as trips within the United States. When traveling abroad, you may want to add a few extra days to a trip for relaxing and sightseeing. Keep in mind that the tax rules...

In today's economic environment, one major concern for businesses is maintaining a healthy cash flow. If your company is feeling the squeeze of a tight economy — and tight credit — its ability to manage cash flow is critical....

Nearly every physician has claims denied from time to time. Medicare, as a government program, has its own way of doing things. As you know, the process is different from insurance companies, which also have their own way of...

Numerous tax breaks have been retroactively expanded for 2015 and beyond — or, in some cases, been made permanent — under the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015. Now that the dust from the new law has settled,...

It can be a hard choice to make, but successful companies often have to make strategic decisions to "fix it or exit." In other words, every element of a business must earn its keep, be fixed or let go. Companies must have a growth and profitability...

Disasters never happen at a good time. But the timing is irrelevant. What counts is that your business can recover quickly with minimal long-term effects.And that means having a disaster recovery program in place so that your company is...

The Affordable Care Act established the health insurance premium tax credit (PTC). It first became available to taxpayers in the 2014 tax year. If you or a loved one is eligible for this refundable credit, it can be claimed even if the taxpayer...

For 20 years, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) has been publishing studies every two years to raise awareness of occupational fraud, and the role strong internal controls can play in limiting these schemes. The...

These days, anyone looking to form a new business relationship -- especially one that involves credit -- is wise to check out the risk involved first. After all, we know that even giant companies that once seemed untouchable, like Lehman...

Today's college students often leave school with an overwhelming amount of debt. In some cases, student loans are discharged (also known as being cancelled or forgiven). In other cases, these loans are paid off by an employer. Both actions have tax...

Early in the history of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), violations typically involved receiving a warning letter from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It was basically toothless and carried no...

Attracting and retaining qualified employees is a top concern for U.S. businesses, according to the Duke University / CFO magazine Global Business Outlook survey for the first quarter of 2016. Each year, thousands of positions go unfilled, often...