IRS: Employee Retention Credit Extended

January 21, 2021By Smeriglio Associates LLCNews

The Employee Retention Credit has been extended. To encourage businesses to maintain their workforces, the CARES Act created the Employee Retention Credit, a refundable credit against payroll tax for employers meeting certain requirements. The credit equaled 50% of up to $10,000 in compensation (including health care benefits) paid to an eligible employee from March 13, … Read More

Assessing and mitigating key person risks

January 20, 2021By Smeriglio Associates LLCNews

Auditing standards require a year-end risk assessment. One potential source of risk may be a small business’s reliance on the owner and other critical members of its management team. If a so-called “key person” unexpectedly becomes incapacitated or dies, it could disrupt day-to-day operations, alarm customers, lenders and suppliers, and drain working capital reserves. Common … Read More

IRS: Families First Act Extension March 2021

January 20, 2021By Smeriglio Associates LLCNews

A valuable employer tax credit is extended, but modified, for 2021. Under the Families First Act, certain employers were obligated to provide paid sick and family leave to employees affected by COVID-19 from April through December 2020. Employers who provided such leave then qualified for refundable employment tax credits to help mitigate the cost. The … Read More

New law provides option to delay implementing the updated CECL standard

January 19, 2021By Smeriglio Associates LLCNews

The Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), signed into law on December 27, 2020, includes a variety of economic relief measures. One such measure allows certain banks and credit unions to temporarily postpone implementation of the controversial current expected credit loss (CECL) standard. Here are the details. Updated accounting rules The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting … Read More

IRS: Forms 1099-MISC

January 19, 2021By Smeriglio Associates LLCNews

Businesses that generally report payments to workers on Forms 1099-MISC will need to adapt. Beginning with the 2020 tax year, payments of at least $600 made for services performed by a non-employee must be reported on the new Form 1099-NEC (Nonemployee Compensation). Previously this information was reported on Form 1099-Misc, box 7. In addition, if … Read More

The COVID-19 relief law: What’s in it for you?

January 14, 2021By Smeriglio Associates LLCNews

The new COVID-19 relief law that was signed on December 27, 2020, contains a multitude of provisions that may affect you. Here are some of the highlights of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which also contains two other laws: the COVID-related Tax Relief Act (COVIDTRA) and the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act (TCDTR).   … Read More

IRS: Independent Contractor Classification

January 12, 2021By Smeriglio Associates LLCNews

When determining whether to classify a worker as an employee or an independent contractor, the IRS and the courts look at several factors. They include: 1) the degree of control exercised by the business over the work details; 2) which party invests in the facilities used in the work; 3) whether the worker has the … Read More