First-time Plan Audits: What to Expect

  |  September 18, 2018

Growing beyond 100 employees is an important landmark in a company’s history. While companies may view crossing this threshold as cause for celebration, the Department of Labor (DOL) may view it as a trigger for increased scrutiny of your employee-benefit plan. Certain employee benefit plans with 100 or more eligible participants may be required to engage an independent auditor (referred to as an Independent Qualified Public Accountant or IQPA) to audit the plan’s financial records.

Going through an audit for the first time can be a daunting task. Read more. Read More

The Potential Impacts of Tax Reform to Real Estate & Construction Companies

  |  September 10, 2018

On December 22, President Trump signed the tax reform bill, “An Act to Provide for Reconciliation Pursuant to Titles II and V of the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2018," into law, marking the largest change to U.S. tax policy since the 1980s.

With most of the provisions already in place, it is critical to understand the bill’s conference process and IRS regulations issued in 2018, as they will provide guidance on how to apply key provisions along with the intent of Congress in drafting the bill.

To help them navigate the key provisions affecting the real estate and construction industries, we’ve summarized the top considerations and industry implications below. Read more. Read More

Considerations for Business Entity Selection Under Tax Reform

  |  September 10, 2018

Ever since Congress enacted the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in December, many business owners are reconsidering which business entity makes the most sense for their particular business. With the new, lower tax rate for C corporations, many pass-through entities, including S corporations, are reconsidering their structure to take advantage of the substantially reduced 21% corporate tax rate.

The Act also provided tax relief to S corporations (and other pass-through entities) in the form of a temporary business income deduction (with some limitations), so that’s what makes it complicated. It may not be worth switching after all. When it comes to choosing business entities, one thing hasn’t changed—it all depends on a number of factors. Read more. Read More

NIGC Issues New Guidance on Class III Minimum Internal Control Standards

  |  September 4, 2018

On August 14, the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) announced the approval of non-binding guidance on Class III Minimum Internal Control Standards (MICS).

The NIGC’s Class III MICS were last substantively revised in 2005. In 2006, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that NIGC lacked authority to enforce or promulgate Class III MICS. Since that time, the Class III MICS have remained untouched. Read more. Read More

Upcoming Presentation: The Impacts of South Dakota v. Wayfair

  |  August 29, 2018

The Albuquerque chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants will host James Ortiz, REDW State and Local Tax Senior Manager, as featured speaker for its September meeting.

James will discuss the implications of the South Dakota v. Wayfair ruling on sales and use tax compliance requirements, sales and use tax systems, taxability, and nexus determinations.

Read more for additional information and registration details. Read More

Microsoft Office 365 Credential Theft

  |  August 29, 2018

Be on the lookout for a current cyberattack that tries to trick you into giving up your Microsoft Office 365 (O365) username and password.

This attack tries to steal your Microsoft® Office 365® (O365) login credentials so that criminals can access anything you have stored in O365. This could include your email, OneDrive files, and anything you’ve put in the cloud. An attacker sends a fraudulent email that contains links to an authentic-looking (but fake) O365 login page designed to steal your credentials.

Read more to access a training and inforgraphic on how to spot fraudulent emails seeking your O365 credentials. Read More

AZ Taxpayers: Federal Tax Opportunity Window Closes After August 27

  |  August 27, 2018

On Thursday, August 23, 2018, the IRS issued proposed regulations that would disallow the federal deduction for donations made to charitable organizations in which taxpayers receive a tax credit. The proposed regulation was needed to halt the many states that were putting in place credit programs to circumvent the recent tax law change limiting the deduction for state and local taxes to $10,000. 

The proposed regulation impacts donations made after August 27, 2018. The regulation is not final and a comment period is required; however, to secure your Arizona state tax credits for 2018, we are recommending you make your contributions before August 28, 2018. Read more. Read More

Independent Contractor or Employee? California Supreme Court Creates New Test

  |  August 20, 2018

On April 30, 2018, the California Supreme Court announced a decision in the case of Dynamex Operations West, Inc. v. Superior Court of Los Angeles, creating a new test that could make it much harder for companies to claim that a worker is an independent contractor and not an employee. As a result, as many as 300,000 California workers could be newly considered employees rather than independent contractors. Read more. Read More

Four States File Lawsuit to Nullify New Limit on SALT Deduction

  |  August 16, 2018

As part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Act), the limitation imposed on the state and local tax (SALT) deduction as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) has wreaked havoc in many states. In fact, four states – Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Maryland – have determined that the limitation is unconstitutional. On July 17, they filed a lawsuit in federal court that seeks to make the law unenforceable. Read more. Read More

Capital Conversations (Summer 2018) – So … What’s a Blockchain?

  |  August 6, 2018

Curious about blockchain? Like bitcoin, it’s a new digital technology term you may have heard bandied about recently. You may have even heard it described as a secure method for people and organizations to transact business with each other without requiring a trusted, central institution to verify the information. With a blockchain, there is no central authority, like a bank, involved in the transaction. What does that mean? Read more. Read More