Federal Reserve Board: Beige Book January 2012 Update

Posted February, 2012

Summary Contact reports from the twelve Federal Reserve Districts suggest that national economic activity expanded at a modest to moderate pace during the reporting period of late November through the end of December. Seven Districts characterized growth as modest; of … Continue reading →

Posted in Business Advisory

Can you believe a Tax Increase of 30% over the next two years? The Congressional Budget Office says – Yes!

Posted February, 2012

Could the battle to minimize taxes and maximize the profitability of your business get any more challenging? You may not think its possible, but the Congressional Budget Office (“CBO”) answer this question with a resounding “YES!!” According to the Budget … Continue reading →

Posted in Business Taxation

401(k) Fees – Do You Know How Much You are Paying?

Posted January, 2012

Do you know how costs are affecting your 401(k) performance? You may be in for a surprise! According to a study produced by AARP in 2011, “When respondents were told that financial service companies that manage 401(k) charge fees for … Continue reading →

Posted in Employee Benefit Plans

Year of the Fiduciary … A December to Remember

Posted December, 2011

Remember St. Nicholas day as a child? You would put your shoes out before going to sleep and in the morning they would be filled with a surprise. On St. Nicholas day 2011, plan sponsors awoke to their own surprise. … Continue reading →

Posted in Employee Benefit Plans

In 2012, Many Tax Benefits Increase Due to Inflation Adjustments

Posted October, 2011

WASHINGTON — For tax year 2012, personal exemptions and standard deductions will rise and tax brackets will widen due to inflation, the Internal Revenue Service announced today. By law, the dollar amounts for a variety of tax provisions, affecting virtually … Continue reading →

Posted in Business Taxation

Average Cost of U.S. Health Coverage per Employee Expected to Exceed $10,000

Posted October, 2011

Average Cost of U.S. Health Coverage per Employee is Expected to Cross the $10,000 Threshold for the First Time in 2012, According to Aon Hewitt LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill., Oct. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ – According to Aon Hewitt’s analysis, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Employee Benefit Plans

The Cost of Small Business Tax Compliance

Posted September, 2011

A joint study by IBM and the IRS found that for businesses with one to five employees, the cost to comply with the tax code is $7,274 per employee. For businesses with more than 50 employees the cost is $296.50.

Posted in Business Taxation

The Year of the Fiduciary -August 2011- “The Quandary”

Posted August, 2011

Consulting firm Tower Watson surveyed plan sponsors and found “77% of them stated that the greatest challenge they face over the next few years: identifying retirement benefit costs.” Aon Hewitt recently conducted a survey of plan sponsors and this is … Continue reading →

Posted in Employee Benefit Plans

Highlights from Characteristics of Business Owners Report

Posted August, 2011

The Characteristics of Business Owners: 2007 is the only report in the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2007 Survey of Business Owners (SBO) publication series to provide data on selected economic and demographic characteristics of the owners of U.S. respondent firms. Data … Continue reading →

Posted in Business Advisory

Vanishing Health Benefits

Posted August, 2011

In 2009, the share of small businesses offering coverage dropped in 45 states, as premiums nationwide rose 82 percent over 2000 Just 42 percent of U.S. small employers offered medical insurance in 2009, vs. 47 percent in 2000. In 45 … Continue reading →

Posted in Employee Benefit Plans