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Dive into Sikich’s entrepreneurial thought leadership, for clarity on the recent trends affecting your business.
M&D Mini Series: Manufacturing Outlook: 2018 and Beyond
Fewer manufacturers and distributors say they’re more optimistic about the U.S. economy than the previous year. The number of manufacturers saying they’re more optimistic about the U.S. economy fell to 66 percent, down from 75 percent last year. In addition,
Potential Relief for Not-for-Profit Organizations Expected to Pay Taxes on Transportation Fringe Benefits/Parking
Effective since January 1, 2018 and under guidance of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, tax-exempt organizations will pay an Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT) on qualified transportation fringe benefits for employees. The flat UBIT of 21 percent
Great Managers and How They Manage Differently
In the competitive workplace environment of 2018, modern-day managers are making it a goal to collaborate with their team, focus on and encourage their employees’ strengths, and emphasize clear and positive communication. The defining difference between a manager and a
Real Estate and Tax Reform: A High Level Analysis
The recently enacted “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” (The Act) features numerous tax provisions impacting businesses in all industries. The following is a brief overview of selected major changes affecting the construction and real estate industry. Under the Act, the
Sikich Series on Tax Reform: Tax Reform’s Impact on the Construction and Real Estate Industry
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Act) was signed into law by the President on December 22, 2017. The comprehensive reforms contained in the Act impact industries and businesses of all sizes. As the main goal of the Act
Three Free Ways to Help Protect Your Identity
In the end, it doesn’t matter how much time or money we place into our security systems; nothing ends up being 100% secure. The most common "weakest link" in every environment ends up being based on our identity. It is
Economic Outlook for Contractors for 2018
The United States has been experiencing an ongoing construction expansion cycle over the past decade. The national economy remains buoyed by confident consumers, rising household incomes and the lowest unemployment rate in 18 years. The expectation is that in the
Tax Considerations for Real Estate Investors Mini Series: “The Land of OZ” Opportunities with the New Opportunity Zone Incentives
You may recall that the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” enacted last year was a comprehensive tax bill impacting businesses of all sizes in every industry, as well as all individual taxpayers. As with many tax bills, there were several
SQL Server 2008 Support Ends in 2019. Now What?
If your company is using SQL Server 2008 or 2008 R2, Microsoft is ceasing support next summer. The official word straight from Microsoft's mouth is that "on July 9, 2019, support for SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2 will end.
M&D Mini Series: More Business Leaders are Writing Exit Plans
One of the most overlooked yet critical business strategies is succession planning. Business owners know circumstances can change quickly. Economic trends, health issues and buyout offers can catch owners by surprise. That’s why an exit plan is essential. Most business
Polycom VVX Phone Sign-in Options
Polycom VVX phones are a popular choice when deploying a Microsoft Phone System and Skype for Business Online. All Skype for Business phones, including the Polycom VVX phones, require a user to authenticate with their Office 365 credentials. Polycom VVX
6 Tips to Consider When Dealing with a Data Breach
According to the Ponemon Institute report, “2016 Cost of Data Breach,” the average cost of a data breach is $4 million. For most organizations, this monetary loss can cause tremendous agony and yet, it's only a fragment of the damage felt
Sikich Series on Tax Reform: IRS Releases Proposed Regulations on New 20% Pass-through Deduction
One of the pillars of last year’s “Tax Cut and Jobs Act” (“TCJA”) was to make the tax code more competitive with the rest of the world. This was accomplished by reducing taxes on businesses, which led to a cut
2018 Sikich Business Transformation Conference
VIEW THE FULL AGENDA AND REGISTER HERE HOW ARE YOU REDEFINING INNOVATION? Business executives, leaders and corporate visionaries will gather for Sikich’s annual conference to discuss issues and challenges facing businesses
Sikich Series on Business Succession Planning: Make a Plan, Sell Your Business
The old adage, “If you fail to plan, then you are planning to fail,” is applicable in many aspects of life. Planning and preparation lead to a higher level of success in both personal and business endeavors. When it comes to high stakes activities like
FASB Proposes Accounting Standard Update
Proposed Standard Addresses Diversity in Accounting Practice that Exists Between the Application of the Definition of Collections On June 26, 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued a proposed Accounting Standard Update (ASU) intended to realign the definition and
M&D Mini Series: Domestic Activity and R&D Investment
Manufacturers and distributors appear to be focused on growing in existing domestic markets. Nearly 41 percent of respondents said organic growth in an existing domestic market presents their greatest opportunity for growth in the next 12 to 18 months. The
GASB 75 and OPEB: The Community College Guide
Effective for fiscal years ending June 30, 2018, GASB Statement No. 75, Accounting and Financial Reporting for Postemployment Benefits Other than Pensions, provides guidance on how Illinois community colleges and other state and local governments must account for other
Common Issues When Uninstalling Exchange 2010
If you follow the Sikich blog, you might notice a reoccurring theme in my past couple blog articles – Exchange 2010. Microsoft Exchange On-Premise Coexistence Issues Related To Time Fixing Exchange Server Message Queue Error “451 4.4.0 DNS QUERY FAILED” This
What Donors & Charities Need to Know About the 2017 Tax Reform Act
Download our guide on what donors and charities need to know about the 2017 Tax Reform Act and the tips they need to navigate the new tax landscape.
I Know This Is a Tech Blog, But Let’s Talk About Cars
Cars are something most Americans currently own or will own during their life at some point. Most of you used your car to get to work this morning, or to go on that last big family getaway. We drive our
M&D Mini Series: Robotics are Poised for Growth Amid Workforce Issues
Global spending on robotics is expected to reach $87 billion by 2025, up from a previous projection of $67 billion. In many cases, robots are not replacing workers, but actually working alongside them. These collaborative robots, or “cobots,” can perform
Sikich Series on Tax Reform: Another Round of Tax Legislation in 2018? Keep an Eye Out for Tax Reform 2.0
Last fall, Congress and the Administration enacted significant tax reform - the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”). This was the first comprehensive tax bill in over 30 years. It was a major political challenge overcoming many legislative hurdles along
eCommerce Shipment: Cost vs. Delivery
eCommerce shipment, which refers to shipment of products sold and bought electronically, is built not on price, but inventory availability and a promise of on-time delivery. An eCommerce order is direct from consumer to business, typically small in line count,
Network Recon – Identifying the Location of Equipment on a Network
Frequently, it will be required to identify where on the network a device or piece of equipment is connected. This type of reconnaissance can usually be accomplished using information gleaned from typical network protocols and applications. The process consists of
