Bulloch, DuPertuis, Schulman, Seger & Co.

“It’s not too late to start a company health plan for 2014–or too early to prepare for big changes coming in 2015. Here’s what businesses need to know. With a new year comes a new set of healthcare-related deadlines to keep track of. The good news: with extensions and exemptions, you may have more time than you realize to implement a plan and get a handle on new paperwork requirements.”

“The best companies don’t differentiate their products and services on price. They don’t try to solve problems by cutting costs or staff either. Truly exceptional companies find success based on value, and they emphasise finding ways to make money before finding ways to save it.”

“Congress dangled an incentive for high-income Americans to convert their tax-deferred individual retirement accounts into post-tax plans. Their response was overwhelming.”

“This year, Congress let about 55 different tax breaks expire on Dec. 31. The full array includes everything from a credit for corporate R&D to tax relief for underwater homeowners. Every year, there is a raft of “temporary” tax breaks, credits and deductions that expire on Dec. 31. Lawmakers usually plan on extending them. But they don’t always get to it on time.”

“The minimum wage will rise in 13 states this week, and as many as 11 states and Washington, D.C., are expected to consider increases in 2014, according to the National Employment Law Project.”

“With companies outsourcing more responsibilities to third parties, the risks associated with outside firms are also increasing. While chief risk officers are often called upon to manage those risks, however, it is internal auditors who are responsible for setting up processes to identify third-party risk factors.”

“A PCAOB report released Friday instructs audit firms to take steps to ensure that engagement quality reviews detect the audit deficiencies they are meant to identify.
Although firms’ methodologies reviewed by the PCAOB were generally consistent with the requirements of Auditing Standard No. 7, Engagement Quality Review, the report says a number of audit deficiencies should have been identified by the engagement quality reviewer.”

“House and Senate negotiators were putting the finishing touches Sunday on what would be the first successful budget accord since 2011, when the battle over a soaring national debt first paralyzed Washington.”

“Even though the people in your unit are overstretched, scarred by the budget ax, and sick to death of change, you’re about to present them with a wrenching new challenge.
It’s your job to get them excited about it. What’s your plan?”

“Thanksgiving is almost here. There is, of course, no better time to thank all those people who help you run your business—from your employees or independent contractors to your strategic partners, vendors and clients, to the friends and family members who give you moral support. How can you thank them this holiday season?”