Author: Tony Novak
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Legal requirements to release the tax returns of candidates for public office
In the aftermath of revelations about the president’s financial scandals, a number of states are moving forward with bills that would require all candidates for public office to release tax returns in order to be listed on the ballot. This blog post does not attempt to list the states, the bills or their status. We…
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Update on accounting business practices
In the normal course of business it is necessary to periodically update for changing trends, technology and legal and industry standards. This month I made the following six changes that will be reflected in future engagements: 1. Elimination of fax communications. Fax is just outdated, often insecure and inefficient. Instead, I encourage the use of…
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How to set up clergy payroll
The treatment may vary slightly under different states but this is how we set up clergy payroll in New Jersey: 1) Ordained clergy typically get a W-2 with Box 1 and 16 (federal and state) wages only. 2) Federal, State income taxes may be withheld. 3) FICA should be handled as if they are self…
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Business services checklist
While every small business has its own requirements for accounting services, this list compiles 20 of the most commonly requested help topics grouped in strategic groupings. Each contributes to overall success, but the needs typically vary over the life of a small business owner. The decision to perform each function internally, outsource or handle collaboratively…
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Butting heads on small business bookkeeping
I had unfortunate occasion to butt heads with an old-school bookkeeper. She is top quality with decades of experience. She knows her debits and credits and trial balances inside and out. She was quick to tell me that the accounting systems I use are worthless. The thing is: the world has changed. Not always for…
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Happy SBDC Day! March 20, 2019
Today is Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Day with over 1,000 events being held across the nation. I’m planning to attend an event at the Richard Stockton College office in Atlantic City later this morning. That NJSBDC office, led by dynamic director Carol Waties, has been helpful over the years in the development of Baysave’s…
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Electric power conditioners for small rural businesses
About a decade ago I began using power conditioner devices at my rural home and business location. These devices are also called “voltage regulators” or “surge protector s”or “battery backups”. I am aware that there are functional and physical differences in these categories of devices but for purposes of this discussion I am lumping them…
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15 features to ensure success of bill payment outsourcing
One of the best ways to use technology in your small business is to outsource bill payments. The time and expense savings that most can achieve puts this high on our list of recommended technologies. The simple fact is that a bill pay expert can do this more simply, reliably and at lower cost than…
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The new world of social investing
The financial world has changed dramatically over the past decade in ways we could not have imagined before the financial crisis. My investment banker training was suddenly not only useless; it was exposed as a liability. I remember trying to relate the shock I felt in October 2008 to my then teenage children. I said…
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Five reasons that you don’t know about tax-free stocks
Our government taxes most kinds of income. The exceptions list of tax-free income is short. One of the least known sources of tax-free income is gains on qualified small business stock ownership. Gains on qualified small business stock is completely exempt from tax. So why haven’t you heard this before? Here are five good reasons:…