Author: Tony Novak
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Reduce business checking fees
Today’s banking services are less expensive in the past but banks’ revenues are actually greater today. Why? Banks add extra fees for add-on services that can be avoided but only with proper management oversight. For example, most of the nation’s bill payment processors charge a hefty fee for cancelling and replacing a lost check. Many…
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Philadelphia Folk Festival Checklist
Over the years I’ve put together this checklist based on experience, mostly learned the hard way, and am posting it here today – on this 50th anniversary of Woodstock and 58th launch of the Philadelphia Folk Festival – in the event that someone else might find it useful. As I approach 60 and celebrate the…
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Legal advice by an accountant
Avoiding the unauthorized practice of law I have added this clause to all engagement agreements for clarity on making distinction on the issue of authorized and unauthorized practice of law. Legal advice Advice regarding business strategies may involve an application of general principles of business law but my services do not extend to the actual…
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“To pay a vendor”
I’d love to discuss how your business can pay bills more quickly, with better management control and at a lower overall cost. Please the chat box below or the scheduling link to make an introduction. Businesses routinely pay vendors as part of normal operations. We commonly refer to our requirement to “pay the bills”. There…
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Exercise caution when changing your state of residence
Changing residence is an important legal issue with financial consequences. It can also be complex in some situations. I suggest giving this matter the attention it deserves in both your personal and business financial planning. Tax issues If you are moving from a higher tax state to a lower tax state be aware of the…
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Remote part time small business controller services: pricing model
I’ve been wrestling with the pricing of remote controller services for small businesses. I had, on my own, established a ‘rule of thumb’ that any business that does not spend one percent of its gross revenues on internal and external accounting will likely hit legal or financial disaster. The cost is closer to two percent of…
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Accounting considerations for handling cash
Some of my primary client groups depend heavily on cash transactions. The seafood and farming industries in rural southwest New Jersey, for example, are almost entirely run on cash. There isn’t a bank branch in our rural township; the closest bank is a 20-30 minute drive each way. Also, parts of our are do not…
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Tax lessons about statute of limitations
The recently issued court opinion in Finnegan v. Commissioner, No. 17-10676 (11th Cir. 2019) emphasizes two points for taxpayers: Intentional fraud by the tax preparer can extend and hold open the statute of limitations. If a taxpayer wants to make an argument about statute of limitations, it should be raised at tax court, not in…