Whether or not our country is sliding into a double-dip recession, we are almost certainly facing a protracted period of sluggish economic growth.
Many prominent economists foresee stubborn high unemployment, disappointing GDP growth of between 1% and 2%, and weak consumer confidence for several years ahead....
[raw]The
most important tool in the effort to improve efficiency, prevent fraud, and
protect company reputation is an appropriately structured accounting department that is consistently applying strong internal controls. The accounting department is responsible for not only managing the company’s general finances, but also for...
Take a look at these quotes from press releases and statements made by members of Congress concerning the U.S. tax code (www.house.gov):
“The Internal Revenue Code and regulations add up to one million words…nearly seven times the length of the Bible.” John Hostettler (R-IN)
“At 3,458...
Though the number of financial restatements has decreased somewhat since 2007, the overall number has risen dramatically over the past decade. Passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in 2002 significantly increased the severity of rules and regulations related to corporate governance and accounting, which in turn has led to a marked...
Many business owners and company managers feel intimidated by the idea of an internal audit, thinking it akin to an external audit. However, these two processes are actually quite different and have very different objectives. Unlike an external audit that looks specifically at financial accounts, internal audits actually examine a...
Fortune Magazine’s 2011 ranking of the world’s largest corporations lists these top ten: Wal-Mart Stores, Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil, BP, Sinopec Group, China National Petroleum, State Grid, Toyota Motor, Japan Post Holdings and Chevron. Of these corporate giants, only Wal-Mart, Exxon Mobil and Chevron...
Like most financial professionals, I have a thing about numbers. I am often amazed by what numbers can reveal – how they can tell a story, indicate a trend or expose a looming problem. Right now our nation is looking at a set of numbers...
With correct buy-side due diligence, the acquisition of a company or division can help a firm broaden its product lines, increase geographical diversity, acquire key personnel, obtain access to patents and other intellectual property, and create cost synergies in production, sales, legal and purchasing activities,...
Successful companies look for payroll and payroll tax processing solutions that are fast, accurate, versatile, reliable and easy to use. For companies with multi-state, multi-regional or multi-national operations, solutions must also be able to deliver functionality across geographic jurisdictions. All businesses with employees have responsibilities relating to payroll taxes. Payroll taxes...
A business plan means a lot of different things to different people. There are software programs that assist a new business to map out its plan, strategy, and goals. Or professionals in business plan writing can craft complex documents that include such items as detailed financial analysis and forecasts,...