Your Full-Service Accounting + Business Growth Advisory Partner

Tax-Free Qualified Disaster Relief Payments to Employees in Connection With COVID-19 Will End May 11, 2023

The Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget, announced on January 30, 2023, that the COVID-19 national and public health emergencies declared in 2020 would end on May 11, 2023. As a result, COVID-19 cannot be the reason used to make tax-free “qualified disaster relief payments” to employees (or others) under Internal Revenue Code Sec. 139 for expenses incurred on and after that date. This wind-down aligns with the administration’s previous...

Continue reading

Innovative Businesses Require Forward-Thinking Financial Advisors

By Matthew Barbieri The founders of innovative businesses—ones making waves in technology, life sciences, and new media—are focused on impact. Unimpressed with the status quo, these talented entrepreneurs are working to drive change meaningfully. Many of these leaders bring specialized skill sets perfect for helping them carve out a new niche or even launch a new industry. They surround themselves with intelligent, creative teams and build businesses that allow their talents to shine...

Continue reading

Financial Reporting Considerations: Interest Rates and Inflation

By Arnold Macalintal Overview  As companies prepare for year-end financial reporting, it’s important to consider the implications of inflation and rising interest rates, which can affect financial reporting in many ways, as discussed below. Many of the financial reporting areas affected involve impairment or valuation analyses, which often hinge on discounted cash flow models. As a result, developing estimates of future cash flows and related inputs (e.g., discount rates) may be...

Continue reading

Reinforcing U.S. Leadership and Competitiveness in Digital Assets

By Cindy Sandomenico & Laura Zindel Recent volatility in the digital assets market doesn’t appear to slow its growth. In fact, Fidelity recently found that nearly 90% of institutional investors find characteristics of digital assets appealing.[1] As investor interest continues to grow, retirement plan sponsors should pay close attention to developments in the digital assets industry, as plan sponsors may soon need to decide whether to add digital assets to their plan’s lineup. In...

Continue reading

Rate Increases for 2023

By Jennifer Wettje As the new year begins, employers should prepare and plan for minimum wage rate increases. Both New Jersey and New York will experience minimum wage rate increases in 2023. The new minimum wage rate for New Jersey went into effect on January 1, 2023.  The rate will increase to $14.13 an hour up from $13 an hour for most employers.  Seasonal employers and small employers (fewer than 6 employees) will see the rate increase to $12.93 an hour.  Agricultural employers...

Continue reading

Is Your Mission Working? Let’s look at the data

By Paul Peterson In my previous post, I listed two missions without naming the organization they related to and asked you which one resonated more with you. Below are the actual ones with the entity included.  Mission Statements USA Basketball sets out to encourage a culture of “basketball for life,” where whether as players, coaches, officials, or fans of the game, people will be inspired to continue their participation in the game in some way throughout their whole life. The Federation’s...

Continue reading

Driving Growth with a Business Process Review

By Paul Ursich When a company is laser-focused on growth, it can take time and effort to analyze business processes. But when problems arise — or significant organizational changes occur — taking a hard look at strengths and weaknesses is often the best way to light the path forward. The reasons that a company might decide to do a Business Process Review are manifold. The CEO may be looking for help optimizing processes for compliance assurance, finishing an audit, or completing...

Continue reading

Customer Experience and the USA National Soccer Team 

By Paul Peterson It was a damp and grey Thursday afternoon on June 14, 1990. I convinced a college buddy of mine to join me in rushing to a bar in downtown South Orange as soon as class finished to watch the USA National Soccer team take on heavily favored Italy, in the host country of Italy, no less. Of course, beers would have to be on me. I played soccer my whole childhood, and this was the first time at the age of 19 that I would watch the USA team in a World Cup. American soccer...

Continue reading

Part 2: Measuring Success – Understanding the Project’s Key Variables

by Luis Vargas You’ve put time and effort into selecting the right IT project—naturally, you want it to be successful. But what does “success” really mean? Without a clear definition, knowing when and if your project is truly successful is impossible. Clear, measurable targets, also known as Key Performance Indicators, or KPIs, are critical because they provide data that helps you track your progress. Good KPIs help evaluate the success of a particular activity and even help you...

Continue reading

Your Guide to 1099s

by Tania Vallarta, Megan Goldstein & Leonor DiStefano Introduction Every January, businesses must issue Form 1099-Misc or 1099-NEC to non-incorporated entities or individuals who they paid at least $600 by a method of payment other than credit card for performing a service to their business. Keep reading for best practices to help you stay in compliance! Form W-9 As soon as you engage a service provider and before you pay them, have them complete a form W-9. This provides you...

Continue reading

Confronting the Onshoring Workforce Crisis

For decades, the goal was globalization. In the early 1990s, the end of the Cold War and the growing ubiquity of the internet ushered in an age of new possibilities for American manufacturing, which caused supply chains to sprawl worldwide. Recent years have provided strong incentives to reverse this trend and encourage investment in reshoring. As BlackRock CEO Larry Fink noted in a March 2022 letter to shareholders, we are seeing the “end to the globalization we have experienced...

Continue reading

$20 Million Dollar New Grant Program for New Jersey Manufacturers

By Russ Faye, Partner The New Jersey Manufacturers Voucher Program (“MVP”) which was  Announced by NJ Governor Murphy’s office on October 17, 2022,  aims to provide the state’s manufacturers with funding to access the equipment they need to grow operations, increase profits and enter emerging industries.  The $20 million pilot program offers NJ manufacturers grants ranging from 30% to 50% of the cost of eligible equipment, including installation, up to a maximum award amount of $250,000...

Continue reading

How Insulated is Technology M&A from Rising Interest Rates and Inflation?

Technology, media, and telecoms (TMT) mid-market M&A shows resilience to ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties, led by software deals. However, questions remain over how companies and investors are likely to react in coming quarters. Interest rate hikes, inflation, continued supply chain disruptions and Russia’s war in Ukraine all contribute to increased macroeconomic uncertainty. For companies and investors, the situation raises questions about future economic prospects. Are we,...

Continue reading

Mandatory Capitalization of R&E Expenses – The Impact on Life Sciences Companies

Life sciences companies engage in considerable, and often exclusively in, research and development activity. Not surprisingly, these companies often face unique challenges relating to R&D — from make-or-build vs. buy decisions, contract research and contract development, and manufacturing arrangements — as they progress through the clinical stages to commercial operations. The R&D landscape for life sciences companies is further complicated by additional challenges brought...

Continue reading

ASC Topic 842 & Government Contracting

By Jeremy Higginson, CPA Government contractors breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) pushed back the deadline for private companies and nonprofits to comply with new lease accounting rules in April 2020. Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 842, also known as Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-02, Leases is now applicable for the fiscal year and interim periods beginning after Dec. 15, 2021. Topic 842 applies to both...

Continue reading

Transform Your Talent Pool With 9 Recruiting Strategies You Need To Adopt or Drop

Talent acquisition is the heartbeat and foundation of any organization, says Wiss’ Practice Leader of Recruiting Kevin Kurtz. Plus, its long-term success and sustainability is directly correlated to its talent.  Yet this is a ball many companies fumble, as attracting, developing, and retaining talent continues to be one of the biggest challenges organizations face.  That’s why recruitment and acquisition will always be a hot topic — one social media only continues to amplify. On...

Continue reading

Mandatory Capitalization Of R&E Expenses – The Impact On Technology Companies

Featuring Frank Calabrese, CPA Businesses that invest in research and development, particularly those in the technology industry, should be aware of a major change to the tax treatment of research and experimental (R&E) expenses. Under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), R&E expenditures incurred or paid for tax years beginning after December 31, 2021, will no longer be immediately deductible for tax purposes. Instead, businesses are now required to capitalize and amortize...

Continue reading

Remote Employment 101: A Successful Compliance Structure

The number of remote workers has increased, and companies are going outside of normal state boundaries to find top talent. These quick changes have spotlighted the issues surrounding this employment relationship over the past two years. Throughout this series, we have highlighted some considerations that every business owner should pay attention to with remote employment. This final blog covers important compliance areas that should not be ignored. Separation of Employment Employers...

Continue reading

Remote Employment 101: Navigating Leave Laws

Employees often need to take time off from work for a variety of reasons.  Not many laws at the federal level provide employees with protected time away from work, however there are a number of states and localities with laws in place that provide employees with protected leave rights. Leave entitlements vary depending on factors such as the number of employees, the length of time needed, and qualifying reasons for the leave, however all of them provide some level of protection for...

Continue reading

Environmental Social Governance: What’s Trending in 2022

2021 proved to be an unprecedented year on many fronts, not the least of which was the explosion of ESG, in both urgency and visibility. Companies face changing expectations, not only from investors and regulators but from customers, employees and lenders, who are demanding greater accountability and transparency around ESG factors. The big question now is whether that momentum will continue. ESG remains a growing force and continues to be further embedded into both regulatory and...

Continue reading

Interim IRS Guidance on Research Credit Refund Claims

By Frank Calabrese, Senior Tax Manager The IRS has released two pieces of interim guidance on its revised administrative policy regarding valid research credit refund claims, as originally announced on October 15, 2021. On January 3, 2022, the IRS issued procedural guidance for applying the revised administrative policy and, on January 5, the IRS published a corresponding set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the policy. Both the procedural guidance and the FAQs are effective...

Continue reading

How To Distribute Authorized Stock to Startup Stakeholders

It’s not often that you hear entrepreneurs tell the truth about what it takes to get a startup rolling, especially about the nitty-gritty details of how to authorize shares of stock. In this article, we’re taking away the mystery of share distribution. If you’ve already decided to set up a C corporation and learned about initial valuation, the next step is to figure out how to split shares of the company fairly amongst stakeholders — and wrestle with the math behind those decisions. Determining...

Continue reading

U.S. Supreme Court Halts Private Employer Vaccine Mandate

The U.S. Supreme Court has halted enforcement of the Biden Administration’s vaccine mandate, citing that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) overstepped its authority. This mandate would have required private employers with 100 or more employees to ensure that their workers are vaccinated or adhere to weekly testing if unvaccinated. In doing so, the case returns to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for consideration. The Court, however, is allowing enforcement...

Continue reading

Incorporation 101: C-Corp vs. LLC

So you’ve decided to start a business. Once you get past the initial excitement of throwing ideas around with your co-founders, it’s time to make your first big decision: how you’ll structure your organization. Choosing a corporate entity type can feel overwhelming if you’ve never done it before. And even if you have, each industry and business has unique needs.  In this article, we’ll break down some important details you need to know about the two most common types of entities:...

Continue reading

Storytelling is Serious Business for Businesses Serious About Reaching Goals

Serious business people often think they have to stick to serious business facts to make their points. But introducing storytelling to presentations and meetings is an effective way to deliver a message to an audience rather than lecturing them. Think about your business goals and choose stories that support what you want to do right now. They have to be true, though. As with any other business skill, you can learn to tell stories. There are eight questions to ask yourself to help...

Continue reading

Heads Up, Restaurants: Federal Relief Could Trigger a Single Audit

By Arnold Macalintal, Partner Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the restaurant industry has been one of the hardest hit by the pandemic’s impacts, leading to spikes in business closures, continued capacity limitations, and unprecedented loss in both jobs and sales. However, many establishments were able to keep their doors open and continue to serve customers throughout the course of the pandemic with the help of federal aid issued through the CARES Act programs, Restaurant...

Continue reading

SBA Increases Max EIDL Loan to $2 Million

By Travis Miskowitz, Director, CFO Advisory The U.S. Small Business Administration announced major changes to its signature Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program on September 8, 2021. This includes an increase to the maximum loan amount from $500,000 to $2 million and additional permitted uses of the loan proceeds including business debt payments among other enhancements. The program updates are a welcome change as the administration continues to focus on supporting...

Continue reading

Biden’s Announcement on Employer Vaccine Mandates

Employers have been grappling with whether to enforce vaccine mandates in their companies, however President Biden’s recent Executive Order may now take that decision out of their hands. Late last week, the President announced his multi-level strategy for combatting the continued spread of COVID-19 – a key piece of which includes sweeping vaccine mandates for many employers. The mandate for private employers affects those with 100 or more workers.  The proposed plan stipulates that...

Continue reading

Tax Breaks for Casualty Losses

By Nicole DeRosa, CPA, MAcc, Senior Tax Manager Hurricane Ida has wreaked havoc since it made landfall in Louisiana just this past week and has since caused massive destruction for all things in its path as it traveled up the coast.  Between widespread power outages, flooding, fires, and more, the last thing on people’s minds (as it should be) is the tax implications of suffering a casualty loss but it’s important to know that (believe it or not) you could be eligible for...

Continue reading

5 Benefits of Implementing an ERP System to Your Business

By Alex Volpi, Technology Advisory Practice Leader At some point, companies will reach a point where spreadsheets, disparate systems and disjointed processes are no longer cutting it. This is where Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems come into the picture for many organizations. In fact, 96% of emerging businesses that are leaders in their industries use an ERP system, and 95% of companies saw an improvement in their business processes after implementing an ERP system,...

Continue reading

More NIL, More Taxes

By Nicole DeRosa, CPA, MAcc, Senior Tax Manager Up until recently, you probably thought of “little” or (literally) “zero” when the word nil was used in a sentence.  Over the past couple of months, however, the definition of this word has evolved into something much more meaningful.  The term “NIL” is an acronym that stands for “name, image, and likeness” and is now the center of attention for college sports. So why all the hype? On July 1st, various state laws coupled with...

Continue reading

An Interview with Taylor Parker, P.E., Branch Manager at Bohler

International Women in Engineering Day is dedicated to celebrating the achievements of female engineers. At Wiss, we’re privileged to work with clients like Bohler who support and recognize the importance of women’s contributions in this industry. Taylor Parker, P.E., Branch Manager at Bohler’s Miami office, shares what inspired her to pursue a career in Engineering and what it takes to succeed and stand out in a traditionally male-dominated profession. What sparked...

Continue reading

COBRA Model Notices Issued by Department of Labor

The Department of Labor has now released model notices as well as additional guidance regarding the COBRA premium subsidies provided under the American Rescue Plan Act.  You can review our recent blog for background on the original Act. The model notices and election forms can be found on the Department of Labor website, and are summarized below. These notices can be used to help employers satisfy the new notice requirements under ARPA. Model General Notice and COBRA Continuation...

Continue reading

What You Should Know About ERISA Plan Audit Changes

By Craig Erickson, Partner-in-Charge, Employee Benefit Plan Group In July 2019, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) issued a new Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS 136) designed to regulate and improve the audit quality for plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). The new standards were originally intended to apply to audits of financial statements for periods ending on or after December 15, 2020, but the...

Continue reading

Get Ready to Apply for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund

By Ilya Brodetskiy, Ilya Brodetskiy, CPA, MST, Senior Tax Manager In January, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, landmark legislation designed to help U.S. residents and businesses stay afloat in the midst of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. One under-reported element of the plan is the establishment of the $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), to be administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). This program will offer tax-free...

Continue reading

FFCRA Update – Tax Credits Extended to September 30

American Rescue Plan New Extensions One of the provisions of the recently passed American Rescue Plan covers paid sick and family leave, as originally provided by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).  While the requirement to provide leave under FFCRA expired December 31, 2020, the rescue package extends the tax credits until September 30, 2021 for employers who voluntarily continue to provide paid leave under the same terms as FFCRA.  You may recall that the stimulus...

Continue reading

New York State Paid Leave for COVID Vaccine

New York State employers will now be required to provide paid leave to employees who receive the COVID vaccine.  The recently passed legislation, already signed into law by Governor Cuomo, takes effect immediately and ends December 31, 2022. The new law requires all employers in New York State to provide their workers with a “sufficient period of time, not to exceed four hours”, for each injection.  Employees must be paid their regular rate of pay for the period of leave.  Employees...

Continue reading

Biden Administration Targeting PPP Aid to Smallest Businesses – 2 Week Delay Starting Wednesday Morning

By Travis Miskowitz, Manager, CFO Advisory Early Monday morning, the Biden Administration announced it is instituting a 2-week period targeting Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to small businesses only. The temporary freeze goes into effect Wednesday morning beginning at 9:00 am, and only small businesses with 20 or fewer employees will be eligible to apply for a PPP loan for the next 2 weeks. The move by the current Administration is an effort to provide much-needed funding...

Continue reading

SBA to Speed Up PPP Approval Process

By Travis Miskowitz, Manager, CFO Advisory In response to concerns from the small business community regarding delays and processing issues with the latest round of PPP funding, the SBA released a procedural notice on 2/10 implementing changes to speed up the loan approval process. As many as 30% of all PPP loan applications have been delayed due to Hold or Error codes as a result of stepped-up front-end compliance and verification checks. Late last week, we covered the issues causing...

Continue reading

PPP Processing Delays – More Communication Required from SBA

By Travis Miskowitz, Manager CFO Advisory When the Small Business Administration rolled out the Paycheck Protection Program in 2020, there was an immediate need to stem the losses and financial difficulties that small business owners were facing due to the pandemic and government-mandated shutdown orders. The early days of PPP were fraught with processing issues, incomplete or inconsistent guidance, and a lack of reliable resources for small business owners to reference when applying...

Continue reading

Capital Formation Advisory

Whatever stage your company is in, Wiss Capital Advisors can help you make the right financing decisions. We can advise on securing equity capital for growth-oriented companies, including expansion capital and pre-IPO financing. We can help you secure financing for a management buyout, management buy-in, or corporate divestiture.  And we have the experience and expertise needed to help you in special situations, including acquisition financing, public-to-private transactions, and...

Continue reading

What type of entity should my startup be (a C-Corp or LLC)?

CPA and Partner at WISS & Co., Matt Barbieri discusses the reason he’s doing this podcast (basically to answer all those questions he gets over-and-over) and then answers a question he gets ALL THE TIME from startup founders, which is, What type of entity should our company be? Listen to the episode here… Still need more guidance? No problem! Reach out to a Wiss expert for answers. Contact Us

Continue reading

Gain More Certainty About Surety Bonds

Looking to better understand the Surety Bond process? Join Tim Kennedy and Brian Reingold of our Construction Services Group for a 30-minute webinar to gain more certainty about your financial picture so that if you need a Surety Bond, you are better equipped. They’ll answer the top 10 most common questions and provide insights into your 3 keys to success: Building a well thought out Business Plan Ensuring quality Financial Management Selecting a Surety Agent Access the Webinar...

Continue reading

The Business Interest Expense Limitation under IRC Section 163(j): What You Need to Know for the 2020 Tax Year

By Jennifer Beceiro, Tax Manager & Eliezer Gross, Real Estate Tax Director The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) amended IRC Section 163(j) that limited the deductibility of business interest expense for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017. Business interest expense is limited to the sum of the Taxpayer’s business interest income, floor plan financing interest, and 30% of Adjusted Taxable Income (ATI). There are two situations that Taxpayers may not be subject to the 163(j)...

Continue reading

Straight Outta Congress: How to Maximize the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) & Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

By Travis Miskowitz, Manager, CFO Advisory This is a developing story; updates will be published as additional information becomes available. Update: March 3, 2021 As we enter March, we would like to remind our clients and friends that they may be eligible for 2 very beneficial programs: Employee Retention Credit (ERC) and a 1st Draw or 2nd Draw PPP loan. The ERC is a refundable credit which can now be claimed retroactively by PPP borrowers to 2020 if the company meets 2 main eligibility...

Continue reading

Payroll/HR End of Year – What You Need To Know

It has been quite a year, and most of us are glad to see 2020 come to an end.  Businesses have had to pivot pretty quickly in a number of areas due to the pandemic this year.  Before we ring in the new year, it is important to note the following changes, many of which result from the stimulus relief bill passed by Congress. While this bill is not yet law, employers should be aware of the provisions that may be applicable to them if and when these measures are signed into law. Paid...

Continue reading

Show me the money…again! Congress agrees to $900B Emergency Coronavirus Relief Act of 2020

By Nicole DeRosa, CPA, MAcc, Senior Tax Manager, and Travis Miskowitz, Manager, CFO Advisory Congressional leaders are close to finalizing the next round of stimulus, referred to as the Emergency Coronavirus Relief Act of 2020 providing for $900 billion in government funds aimed at supporting small businesses and the ailing economy. The coronavirus relief bill is expected to pass with bi-partisan support, and the President is expected to sign the bill into law quickly. The relief...

Continue reading

Preparing Your Company for Sale (Even If You Aren’t Ready)

By William Haemmerle, Director of Transaction Advisory Services “Luck favors the prepared mind.” – Louis Pasteur Most business owners never really worry about selling their company until something happens – they decide to retire, there is a succession issue, or they receive an unsolicited offer.  Unless preparations have been made, none of these situations provide significant time to get the financial, operational, or legal house in order. If you fall in this category, it is...

Continue reading

NJ Corporate Tax Update

by Azra Khan New Jersey enacted technical and substantive changes to 2018 Corporation Business Tax Reform On November 4, Governor Phil Murphy signed into law SB 3007 /AB 4809, which makes some significant changes to the Corporation Business Tax Act (“CBTA”) that may have both favorable and unfavorable results for corporate taxpayers based on specific circumstances. Many provisions of the bill are effective for the 2019 tax year so it will be important to analyze the impact as soon...

Continue reading

SBA Releases Long-Awaited Loan Forgiveness FAQs

By Travis Miskowitz At long last, the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Department of the Treasury have released guidance addressing Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness. This guidance can be relied upon as the SBA’s interpretation of Section 1106 of the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), as amended by the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (Flexibility Act). Consistent with previous updates, the SBA has decided to provide...

Continue reading

The 5 Proofs to Ensure Investment Readiness

By Mark Brenner, CEO and Co-Founder, WEST Growth 1. Progressive milestones Most early-stage companies don’t have much money unless the founders are independently wealthy. So when most companies come to us, they have maybe ten different things they’re working on, but they don’t have the resources to do those ten things. It’s a priority to identify how much the next raise should be and what needs to happen to get that raise. Those raising capital will need to tell that group of investors...

Continue reading

How Companies Can Plan To Reopen the Office

States have begun to ease restrictions put on businesses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including laying out timelines for when many businesses may open. Companies now face significant challenges regarding how to reopen their offices safely. A carefully planned approach to returning to work will be necessary to make sure workers are safe and confident and that the business can thrive. Planning the Approach The approach to opening is fairly straightforward — plan, open gradually, monitor...

Continue reading

Main Street Lending Program Expanded to More Businesses

By Travis Miskowitz Update 6/10/20 On Monday, June 8th, the Federal Reserve Board again revised the Main Street Lending Program, providing increased access to more small and medium-sized businesses. The $600 billion loan program has yet to fund a single loan, and criticism of the Fed’s latest stimulus effort in recent weeks has put pressure on the Fed to relax certain requirements, providing more flexibility to eligible borrowers.  The Fed has received a growing chorus of complaints...

Continue reading

PPP Flexibility Act Passes Senate, significantly decreases barrier to loan forgiveness

By Travis Miskowitz The Senate unanimously approved H.R. 7010 – Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020. By passing the House bill, the Senate avoids a long and drawn out reconciliation process. The President is expected to sign the bill into law quickly. While the bill provides much needed flexibility to small businesses, there is one change that can significantly impact a borrower’s ability to achieve loan forgiveness. The tersely worded bill provides for only 7 bullet...

Continue reading

Confusion as Stimulus Payments Arrive On Prepaid Debit Cards

By Craig R. Erickson, CPA, Partner, Wiss With cybersecurity breaches, identity theft and other cyber-crimes on the rise during this pandemic, the amount of skepticism shown in the exchange above is warranted and refreshing.   But have no fear: That prepaid debit card you have received is in fact an Economic Impact Payment Card (EIPCard), which contains your federal relief payment provided for by the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Over the past few days,...

Continue reading

Latest PPP Loan Forgiveness Guidance Released: Fails to Address Two Key Requirements

On Friday May 22nd, the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Treasury Department issued two new Interim Final Rules (IFR): one covering Loan Forgiveness and the other covering Loan Review Procedures.  The loan forgiveness guidance, which builds upon the loan forgiveness application and instructions that were released May 15th, still does not make changes to provisions for the 75/25 requirement to spend PPP funds on payroll and non-payroll costs, or the 8-week (56-day) covered...

Continue reading

PPP Loan Forgiveness Application – Overview of Required Documentation

By Tricia Meola On May 15th, the Small Business Administration released the highly anticipated Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness Application. The application is lengthy, the calculations are complex, and the instructions aren’t the most straight-forward. At first (and second) glance, the application process is quite overwhelming!  In order to assist you, we are going to break down the components beginning here with the four main areas of required documentation. Please...

Continue reading

SBA Releases Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness Application

By Travis Miskowitz On Friday May 15th, the Small Business Administration released the long-awaited Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan forgiveness application.  The forgiveness application includes detailed instructions for borrowers to calculate their eligible costs and determine the amount of PPP loan forgiveness. The form provides more guidance than previously available, but still not as clear as we’d hoped.  There are still unanswered questions and we anticipate additional...

Continue reading

SBA Clarifies Safe Harbor Status for Loans Under $2 Million

By Travis Miskowitz  On 5/13/2020, the SBA issued FAQ 46 which grants Safe Harbor status to all loans under $2MM. Small businesses received a welcome update today via SBA FAQ 46 which states that businesses, including their affiliates, that accepted Paycheck Protection Program loans of $2 million or less, will be assumed to have performed the required certification in good faith. The PPP application requires small business owners to certify in good faith that “current economic uncertainty...

Continue reading

Are You Applying For the PPP in Good Faith? How to Document Your PPP Loan Application Decision

By Travis Miskowitz One important aspect of applying for a PPP loan is certifying in good faith that your loan request is necessary. The PPP application asks you whether “current economic uncertainty makes your loan request necessary to support your ongoing operations.” We have put together this list of considerations to help you assess in good faith and officially justify your need for this emergency funding. Read this today to ensure your business has made an informed decision...

Continue reading

Frequently Asked Questions About the Families First Coronavirus Response Act

I’ve been forced to furlough my employees due to a slowdown in business operations.  Are they still eligible for the leave entitlements as part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act? Unfortunately no.  If you have furloughed your employees because there is not enough work for them, they are not entitled to take paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave under the Act.  They may, however, be eligible for unemployment benefits through your State. Many of my employees...

Continue reading

Do You Need to Return Your PPP Loan? SBA Clarifies Eligibility Guidance Through FAQ Update

By Travis Miskowitz Update: As of Wednesday, May 6, the safe-harbor deadline for returning PPP funds has been extended to May 14. Complete the application, provide supporting documentation, and you should be well on your way to a forgivable loan. All the better since you must spend the money on payroll costs in order to receive forgiveness. It is called Paycheck Protection after all, right? Not so fast according to recent updates published by the SBA. The SBA has recently issued...

Continue reading

The Path to PPP Loan Forgiveness: Start Preparing Right Away

Update: On Friday, May 15th, the SBA released the application for Paycheck Protection Program Loan forgiveness. Please see this article, which highlights key elements and guidance to the application process. By Travis Miskowitz Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans are designed to be forgiven, but it doesn’t happen automatically. It’s best to get a plan in place to work toward maximum forgiveness as soon as you receive your PPP loan. The SBA is expected to issue additional guidance...

Continue reading

Congress Agrees to Additional Funding for Small Businesses

By Travis Miskowitz This is a developing story and information contained in this article is subject to change. We will continue to provide updates as new information becomes available. Congress has agreed upon a Bi-Partisan deal to provide an additional $484 billion in funding for small businesses, hospitals, and coronavirus testing. The Senate and House are expected to quickly approve the bill with the backing of the White House. The bill is expected to be signed into law as early...

Continue reading

SBA Curtails Acceptance of EIDL Applications

By Travis Miskowitz The SBA  just announced they are unable to accept new applications at this time for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)-COVID-19 related assistance program (including EIDL Advances) based on available appropriations funding. Applicants who have already submitted their applications will continue to be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to incredibly high demand, the SBA had recently amended some key benefits of the EIDL Loan program. With millions...

Continue reading

Updated PPP Guidance: Self-Employed Business Owners and Partnerships

By Travis Miskowitz Paycheck Protection Program Updates – April 14, 2020 NOTE: As of April 16, 2020 the SBA is advising applicants that funds for the PPP loan program have been exhausted. Congress is currently negotiating and working to infuse an additional $250 billion into the program. This guidance is applicable when the SBA begins accepting applications again. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available. On April 14, 2020 the U.S. Small business...

Continue reading

Documenting Expenses to Support PPP Loan Forgiveness

By Travis Miskowitz The Paycheck Protection Program allows loans of up to $10 million at 1% interest to employers with fewer than 500 workers. The purpose of the program is for employers to retain their employees; the loan amount is intended to cover two months of payroll and overhead. The government will forgive most or all of the loan if the company keeps its workers and does not cut wages. The maximum amount of the PPP loan that is eligible for forgiveness is equal to the amount...

Continue reading

NYC Relief Available for Small Businesses

By Tricia Meola In an effort to help small businesses deal with the overwhelming impacts of COVID-19, New York City has launched the following two initiatives: NYC Employee Retention Grant Program Created to help companies retain employees as businesses face decreased revenue as a result of COVID-19 Eligible businesses will receive a grant covering up to 40% of their payroll for two months; maximum funding of $27,000 Eligibility requirements include: Must be located within the...

Continue reading

New Jersey Economic Initiatives for Small Businesses

By Tricia Meola Many small businesses are already aware of the options made available to them under federal programs enacted by the CARES Act. The State of New Jersey is also backing these businesses in an effort to stimulate growth through various economic initiatives. Small Business Emergency Assistance Loan Program Created to provide total of $10 million to NJ small businesses and non-profits to cover operating expenses and ensure continuity of business during COVID-19 outbreak;...

Continue reading

SBA Preps Banks for Mobilizing Around PPP Applications, Provides Further Clarity Regarding Parameters

By Travis Miskowitz Following President Trump’s signing of the historic Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza and Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin yesterday announced that the SBA and Treasury Department have initiated a robust mobilization effort of banks and other lending institutions to provide small businesses with the capital they need. The CARES Act establishes a new $349 billion Paycheck Protection Program. The Program...

Continue reading

COVID-19 Spawns New Phishing Scams

by David Singletary As the country and world are trying to deal with recent COVID-19 pandemic, cybercriminals are taking advantage of people’s quest for information. You’ve probably noticed a plethora of emails from every retailer, software company, or business you’ve dealt with in recent years. Cybercriminals see an excellent opportunity to slide in phishing scams amid all the information being sent your way. The following are two examples:                         What’s...

Continue reading

Anticipating COVID-19 Impact on Commercial Real Estate

By Russell L. Faye With the global pandemic caused by the COVID-19, the commercial office market has felt an immediate impact. For commercial real estate professionals,  please consider the following as you navigate through these challenging times: Be prepared for enhanced cleaning for an extended period. Government officials have suggested enhanced cleaning procedures and measures and building operators across the county have quickly implemented these enhanced measures. Consider...

Continue reading

The Economic Injury Disaster Loan vs. The Paycheck Protection Program

By Travis Miskowitz On March 27th, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a stimulus bill that includes a loan program to keep small businesses afloat during mandated COVID-19-related closures.  The CARES Act includes a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) which authorizes up to $349 billion of federally guaranteed loans to qualifying small businesses. This new loan program is based on the architecture of the SBA’s existing...

Continue reading

Economic Injury Disaster Loans & Emergency Economic Injury Grants: What You Need to Know

By Travis Miskowitz SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan THE BASICS What is the criteria for a loan approval? Credit History – applicants must have a credit history acceptable to SBA Repayment – SBA must determine that the applicant business has the ability to repay the SBA loan Eligibility – the applicant business must be physically located in a declared county and suffered working capital losses due to the declared disaster, not due to a downturn in the economy or other reasons How...

Continue reading

Paycheck Protection Enacted For Small Businesses

By Travis Miskowitz [Updated 4/3/2020] Congress passed “The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act” (CARES Act), which included the “Paycheck Protection Program” (PPP) for small businesses. PPP applications can be obtained from participating SBA lenders beginning today. Many banks have reported that they may be requiring submissions to come from current banking clients while others have been struggling to get all the necessary steps in place. While each bank is creating...

Continue reading

Key Tax Provisions of the $2 Trillion CARES Act

By Mike Bodrato The Senate voted last night, 96-0, to approve the Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security Act or the CARES Act, which has more than $2 trillion in spending and tax breaks to assist economically and fund a nationwide effort to stop the coronavirus.  At this writing, the CARES Act is still awaiting House approval and the President’s signature, which is not expected until tomorrow. The bipartisan legislation includes about $500 billion that can be used to back...

Continue reading

Managing Cash Flow During Crisis

By Travis Miskowitz, Manager, Wiss CFO Advisory Cash flow is the lifeblood of your business. During this (or any) time of crisis, it is imperative to keep an eye on your cash flow and regularly monitor your cash position.  Instituting effective cash flow management may be the most important action you can take to navigate through challenging times. The Wiss team has put together this list of recommendations to help monitor your progress: Monitor your cash flow regularly With the...

Continue reading

Coronavirus Relief Update for Employers in New York and New Jersey

Like many of you, we have been working to keep up with current news regarding information for businesses and their employees. The speed at which there are changes and announcements at the federal and state levels is rapid, and our goal is always to relay that information. Federal, state and local governments are working to develop financial aid packages to help businesses that are struggling as a result of the pandemic.  As companies struggle with how to continue their business,...

Continue reading

Continual Planning to Keep your Business Running Effectively During This Crisis

By David Singletary As we all continue to face the abrupt changes in the way in which we work and the pressures on all of us to keep our businesses going during this crisis, I want to share with you some key insights and things to continue to think about as we move through this “remote” time. Please know that I along with our team are here to help you in any way that we can.  There are some key elements that each of us needs to ensure are in place to create the most effective way...

Continue reading

5 Questions to Prepare Your COVID-19 Readiness

By Paul Ursich Beyond the immense impacts the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is having on public health, the pandemic directly impacts economic activity and poses unique challenges to businesses across industries because of its potentially compounding and unpredictable consequences. With massive quarantines, travel restrictions and factory shutdowns, companies are struggling to quantify potential exposure. Attempting to mitigate potential losses from an unknown number of variables...

Continue reading

A message to CEOs: When a CFO joins or leaves your company, it’s an ideal time to conduct a Business Process Review

by Paul Ursich A CFO entry or exit event, especially when it comes to mid-sized companies, is often an opportune time to conduct a Business Process Review. When a mid-sized company decides to bring on a CFO, it’s an indication of an important company life cycle shift.  Making the investment into this critical CFO role is a major one. It’s the perfect time to conduct a Business Process Review to provide valuable insight into this new hire. An immediate and independent review can drastically...

Continue reading

Common Accounting Terms Explained

By Louann Cassano Feel like your accountant is speaking another language? We won’t make you feel that way. Here are some common accounting terms to help you sound like an accounting pro: The Balance Sheet is the financial statement that includes your assets, liabilities and equity.  Assets always equal Liabilities plus Equity. Income Statement (also known as the P&L) is the financial statement that includes your sales and expenses.  The expenses are subtracted from sales to arrive...

Continue reading

Toss Your Paper Receipts for a Better Digital Solution

Is your wallet stuffed with business receipts that you just don’t have time to organize? Do you dread preparing expense reports? Does your bookkeeper spend an inordinate amount of time chasing down those tiny pieces of paper and explanations from salespeople in far-flung regions? How often do your employees feel cheated out of reimbursement because they lost proof of valid expenditures? In other words, is your business still being held hostage to the dreaded paper receipt? It needn’t...

Continue reading

2018 National Manufacturing Outlook and Insights

The LEA Manufacturing Steering Group oversees the development of this annual report. It is made up of members from the following firms: ABBB Anders CPAs + Advisors Bennett Thrasher LLP Blue & Co., LLC EKS&H LLP KPM CPAs & Advisors LBMC Lutz PKF Texas Schenck SC William Vaughan Company More than 450 manufacturing executives participated in the survey, which includes the opinions of respondents who produce industrial/machining, transportation/automotive, construction,...

Continue reading

New Leasing Standards: Key Elements of Changes Adopted by FASB

By Erin Silkowski Your company’s operation might rely heavily on leasing equipment or property as a way of using assets without the burden of purchasing or disposing of them when no longer needed. Due to changes adopted by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, many of these lease agreements that take place off the balance sheets will soon find their way on to them. As a result, it is essential to familiarize yourself with the upcoming changes sooner rather than later to avoid...

Continue reading

Conducting an Internal Audit: What Your Business Needs to Know

By Fatima Wallizadeh Updated 7/30/2019. When an internal audit is conducted, auditors set up in a conference room with boxes of files, stacks of binders and open laptops. They might stay for a day, a week or longer. But do you really know what goes on during an audit, and why doing one is so important to a company’s operations? Here is what happens during an audit, and how auditors work with their clients to help them improve their businesses. Learning the client It’s essential for...

Continue reading

You Cannot Automate a Relationship

By Ruth Raftery “Hello! My name is Samantha and I am an automated voice recognition answering service.  You can speak to me as you would with a live representative. Please tell me, what are you calling about today?” It seems many calls I make lately– whether to credit card companies or to other businesses – are answered by the type of technology that runs programs like “Samantha.” In my experience, these systems can never actually answer the types of questions...

Continue reading

Business Leaders: Give Yourself an 85 Percent Chance of Success

Dr. Nick Molinaro, Ed.D., P.C. CEOs and other top business executives have it tough. We read about their challenges all the time. Sometimes they are called heroes and sometimes goats for taking actions in the face of a possible downside – or for refusing to do so. Ah, the magic of 20-20 hindsight. An accountant’s main job consists of narrowly focusing on the specific task in front of them. CEOs, on the other hand, must have the ability to shift awareness to different items perhaps...

Continue reading

Top Business Leaders Learn to Shift Awareness to Maximize Performance

Dr. Nick Molinaro, Ed.D., P.C. As I have explained in this previous post regarding my work as a licensed psychologist with high-level athletes, awareness and focus are critical. Those same mental skills serve the leadership skills of the exceptionally performing business leaders I work with as well. Let’s drill a little deeper into how the performance abilities of both groups align. From a psychological viewpoint, there are two types of sports – closed and open – and many top athletes...

Continue reading

Valuing Your Company: What to Know Before Seeking Business Valuation

By Brittney Neal Updated 7/30/2019. Businesses change hands all the time, for a variety of reasons. Whether they’re sold, gifted, merged, passed on to next of kin, or divided among former partners, family members or divorcing spouses, ownership of even the most stable of businesses at some point will change. And when a business changes hands in whole or in part, the parties involved need to have an accurate picture of the value of the sum total of the company’s assets....

Continue reading

The Power and Pitfalls of Pressure

By Connor Doyle There are few things done in the business world that are performed at a leisurely pace. Owners don’t wander through their fiscal year, money doesn’t change hands without intent, and bosses don’t demand 10% of one’s abilities within a project. More often than not, there’s an urgency to requests. There’s an unspoken agreement that a concerted effort will be made towards completion in a timely manner. With that request comes pressure, and with that pressure often comes...

Continue reading

Utilizing a Triple Bottom Line Approach for your Future Success

By Arnold Macalintal Yes, businesses can do good while also maintaining a healthy balance sheet and income statement. That’s the premise behind a triple bottom line approach, also known in some circles as TBL, or 3BL. The intent isn’t just to meet the company’s financial bottom line—it’s to focus on two others as well: social and environmental impact. The idea is to give equal consideration to the importance of people, planet and profit for the overall betterment of the business....

Continue reading

Enhancing Business Leadership and Performance Through Awareness Training

By Dr. Nick Molinaro, Ed.D., P.C. Successful business leaders have a skill set that includes curiosity, wisdom, courage, creativity, tenacity and the ability to lead, motivate and energize others. But one key trait—and the one that serves as the foundation of all others—is awareness. Internal and external awareness makes business leaders more sensitive to their environment and the conditions in front of them, and to how they’re perceived by employees, partners, vendors, customers...

Continue reading

Safeguarding Accounting Ethics

By Brian Harden Across industries, the most effective managers understand that leading by example is the best way to influence corporate culture. In the realm of accounting ethics, this concept is known as Tone at the Top. The premise is simple: Employees look to management for leadership, and odds are high that their behavior will mirror the conduct of their bosses. If managers act with honesty and integrity, employees will generally follow suit. By the same token, if workers see...

Continue reading

Tips for Providing Quality Client Service

By Carrie Grotz I am a lover of coffee and I frequent Dunkin Donuts (DD). I know their menu so well in fact, that I could probably work there. From the moment I enter a DD, I can usually tell which have knowledgeable staff, good donuts (the ones that look fresh, large and full of filling), those that offer the “fun” munchkins instead of just the plain, chocolate, and powdered ones, and just by glancing at the staff, I can usually tell from the moment I place my order if the coffee...

Continue reading

Building Customer Relationships: Today’s Clients Demand More

By Paul Peterson Updated 7/30/2019. Your relationship with your customers has never mattered more than it does today. Customers no longer just expect you to sell them a product or service. Instead, they want you to be one step ahead of them, understanding their pain points and bringing issues — and solutions — to the table. To do that, you need to understand your customer and bring transparency to the relationship. Today’s consumers have more access than ever to information...

Continue reading

Fraud Prevention – A Necessary Evil

By Timothy Kennedy, CPA Do you trust your bookkeeper? This is a question you have to ask yourself periodically. Not only do you want to feel confident that they wouldn’t steal from you, but you also want comfort in knowing that they can properly journalize and manage the accounting information that comes through the door each day. Poor accounting record maintenance and overall sloppy accounting by a lackluster bookkeeper can take you to the point of no return—and force your hand...

Continue reading

Utilize Your Point of Difference to Stand Out Among the Crowd

By Paul Peterson How to Utilize Your Point of Difference Today’s marketplace has never been more competitive. The fierce combat for the preponderance of consumer attention has skyrocketed in the past decade. Consequently, it is imperative for establishments to acquire and apply the professional skills required to be distinct among contenders, add value to the profession, and assist in supporting clients with sculpting a more affluent future for their businesses. When casting your...

Continue reading

How to Find and Develop Top-Performing Millennial Employees

By Paul Peterson Attracting innovative, young hires is very essential to Wiss. These workers maintain the vibrant, creative culture we strive to preserve, which is why we often search for young professionals in their 20’s that exhibit these dynamic characteristics. Through numerous interactions with many millennials, there are several tendencies that are found within business youths of today, such as open-mindedness and the ability to harvest valuable relationships. Here are four...

Continue reading


Copyright 2022, Wiss & Company, LLP Accountants & Consultants. All rights reserved.