Nonprofit Blog

The holiday season is coming to an end, which means now is the time people start thinking about thank you notes. The power of a thank you note is underestimated, especially in today’s technology driven society. These days, one can research and copy a thank you note from the Internet. However, the Internet can provide valuable information when it comes to grammar and sentence structure.

The Internal Revenue Services has issued the 2016 optional standard mileage rates which are used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. Beginning January 1, 2016 the standard mileage rates for the use of a car, van, pickup or panel truck will be:

Real estate industry CEOs and CFOs were the highest paid across eight major industry sectors during 2014, according to The BDO 600 CEO and CFO Pay Study. Last year, real estate CEOs and CFOs were the second most compensated, falling right behind executive leaders from the energy sector. The analysis was conducted by BDO’s dedicated Executive & HR Practice, and examined proxy statements of public real estate companies with annual revenues between $25 million to $1 billion.

Deal activity in the commercial real estate sector is growing amid soaring property values and an increased appetite for risk, according to the Wall Street Journal. While many post-crisis investments have focused on core properties—fully leased buildings—some investors are now looking for funds that buy into new developments and other riskier assets, often looking for 20 percent yield or more. Morgan Stanley, hit especially hard by the last housing crisis, recently raised a $1.7 billion higher risk fund, marking a recovery from the downturn, the Journal reports.

Your nonprofit organization can and should benefit from leveraging your social media accounts. Social media can help increase brand awareness, donor interaction, charitable giving and much more. Think about it: the visual real estate on social media platforms is endless and if used the right way, your nonprofit can increase brand perception in a meaningful and measurable way. It can also contribute to recurring donations – when donors see how their money is being used, they are more apt to continue to donate.

If your business has filed a Form 5500 with the audit of the employee benefit plan attached, you have or will receive an email or letter from the Chief Accountant of the U. S. Department of Labor (DOL). This letter discusses the importance of selecting a qualified accounting firm to perform your employee benefit plan audit.

The new Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 was bill signed by President Obama on November 2, 2015, which reflects changes to Social Security and Medicare laws. Here are the changes you need to know:

The decision to purchase technology can be rather difficult, especially if you don’t have the technical expertise. It’s often hard to tell whether your company really needs the latest tech tool or you’re just trying to keep up with the Joneses. Before you invest in anything, ask five questions:

With the end of the year fast approaching, it’s time to consider additional tax saving strategies for this year (and for the future). Tax planning can be challenging and is made even more so by uncertainty about Congressional action on the extension of several tax provisions. Still, there is planning and saving to be accomplished in the here and now, so let’s maximize your tax benefits and learn why 2015 may be a good year for you and your family to save taxes.

Congress is considering several measures that would extend tax provisions that were previously allowed to expire.