Laura Hall | September 19, 2017
In response to the data breach Equifax, one of the three major consumer credit reporting agencies, recently announced, REDW Stanley is sharing some helpful tips. Although your data might not be at risk, here are some actions you can take to be proactive regarding your financial data. Read more. Read More
REDW | September 13, 2017
On August 31, 2017, Federal District Court Judge Amos Mazzant overturned the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Final Overtime Rule that would have doubled the annual salary level to qualify for exemption from overtime from $23,660 to $47,476. The same judge issued an injunction stopping implementation of the final rule nine months ago, and the Trump administration did not challenge the decision. Read more. Read More
REDW | August 29, 2017
For some taxpayers, requesting a tax return extension is a regular, yearly occurrence. Yet for others, the notion of requesting time beyond the original due date is outlandish. And there also are those for whom the decision to extend comes down to the wire, determined by whether the return can be filed by the original due date. However, an extension of time to file generally should be considered for every tax period for which an extension is available, regardless of whether you intend to file on or before the original due date of the relevant income tax return. Read more. Read More
Lupita Martinez | August 23, 2017
When the Governmental Accounting Standards Board issued GASB Statement No. 34 in June 1999, it made drastic changes to how state and local governments, including tribal governments, did financial reporting. Now GASB is revisiting that statement and seeking input from stakeholders on how it can improve the model. This is an incredible opportunity to make your concerns known about the current GASB Statement 34 fund financial statements and the proposed changes to those statements.
The fundamental issue GASB is addressing is the form and content of governmental fund financial statements, including their measurement focus and basis of accounting. The objective is to make the statements more understandable for those making decisions based on a government’s fiscal health. Read more. Read More
Sandy Abalos | August 22, 2017
The IRS is urging businesses to beware of a recent increase in email scams targeting employee Forms W-2. The W-2 scam – called a business email compromise or BEC – is one of the most dangerous phishing email schemes trending nationwide from a tax administration perspective. The IRS saw a sharp increase in the number of incidents and victims during the 2017 filing season.
A business email compromise occurs when a cybercriminal is able to “spoof” or impersonate a company or organization executive’s email address and target a payroll, financial or human resources employee with a request. For example, fraudsters will try to trick an employee to transfer funds into a specified account or request a list of all employees and their Forms W-2. Read more. Read More
Laura Hall | August 16, 2017
Many investors, including some of REDW Stanley’s clients, are a bit uncomfortable with the present state of the stock market. They feel that valuations are too high, that the extended life of the recovery is undeserved, and that, any day now, the other shoe is going to drop (meaning the market will experience a correction – which, incidentally, is a normal part of an economic cycle). What can we, as your financial partner, do to help improve your comfort level? Read more. Read More
Tim Tribe | August 14, 2017
Vendor fraud continues to be a major threat to organizations. In fact, vendor, supplier and procurement fraud is the second most prevalent fraud, according to the 2016-2017 Kroll Global Fraud Annual Report.
Who is the most at risk from vendor fraud? Read more. Read More
Alliance Benefit Group Southwest | August 14, 2017
Some companies in certain industries are using a new strategy to keep the best employees and motivate staff to save for retirement. According to an article in the July 17 edition of The Wall Street Journal, companies ranging from Microsoft Corp. to Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. are boosting contributions to their workers’ 401(k) plans, a move many firms have long resisted because of the greater costs. Read more. Read More
Daniel Yu | August 9, 2017
Perhaps one of the most common comparisons is the one comparing investing to gambling. The similarities are undeniable. You can lose all your money or end up with a great deal of money. Even the indicators of success and language are similar. We talk about being up or being down, being in the red or being in the black, the big loss or the big win. Both utilize statistics and we talk about the odds of certain outcomes. However, there are major, fundamental differences that we will explore. Read more. Read More
Sandy Abalos | July 27, 2017
The Internal Revenue Service issued a warning on June 15 about a new scam linked to the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS), where scammers call to demand an immediate tax payment through a prepaid debit card. This fraud is being reported across the country, so all taxpayers should be alert to the details. Read more. Read More