All Articles
Showing 8481–8496 of 10245 results
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Fiduciary 101 – Responsibilities of being a plan sponsor or administrator
October / November 2010
Newsletter: Employee Benefits Update
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 813
Abstract: Fiduciary responsibility. It’s a term used a lot, but what does it really mean? Many plan sponsors don’t fully understand the scope of their fiduciary responsibilities. Yet failing to comply with ERISA’s fiduciary requirements can affect the company that sponsors the plan — and even result in significant personal liability and penalties. This article reviews the basics of who is considered a fiduciary and what actions a fiduciary should and should not take.
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Market Niche Insider – Professional practice pointers
October / November 2010
Newsletter: Commercial Lending Report
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 420
Abstract: Lawyers, accountants and other professional services firms occasionally need financing to purchase equipment or fund seasonal shortfalls — just like any business. But they differ from retailers, contractors and manufacturers in noteworthy ways. This article shows why it’s important for lenders to examine a professional firm’s accounting method, succession plan and earnings trends.
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Cost segregation studies, your clients and you
October / November 2010
Newsletter: Commercial Lending Report
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 772
Abstract: Although a cost segregation study doesn’t increase the depreciable base of a building, it may highlight additional value that a lender might not have otherwise seen in an assessment of its customer’s assets. This article shows how a cost segregation study identifies building components that qualify for accelerated depreciation, and how the IRS and Tax courts examine several factors to determine if an item is properly classified.
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Asset vs. stock sales – Let’s make a deal
October / November 2010
Newsletter: Commercial Lending Report
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 575
Abstract: When it comes to mergers and acquisitions, the selling price takes center stage. But how the deal is structured can make or break the sale. The structure affects not only how much cash the seller receives, but also the business’s future profits, liabilities and banking relationships. This article explores the different effects of asset vs. stock sales for buyers and sellers.
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Lend to win – Score big with an approach that exceeds profit and loss
October / November 2010
Newsletter: Commercial Lending Report
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 816
Abstract: Instead of considering only a business’s credit scores and end results, savvy lenders look at the full range of quantitative and qualitative factors when approving credit. This article offers a fictitious example of a company that was denied a loan by a bank that emphasized profits over other indicators. But the loan was approved by a different bank that had a long-term relationship with the client and took a more sophisticated look at its overall situation. A sidebar discusses the pros and cons of factoring as a way to access instant cash.
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Contractor’s Toolbox – Want to improve your financial performance? Track the WIP!
Fall 2010
Newsletter: Construction Industry Advisor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 415
Abstract: To avoid unpleasant surprises, it’s important that contractors continuously monitor their work-in-progress (WIP). WIP reports can track key information about each project, such as contract price, projected final costs, costs incurred and amounts billed to date, estimated gross profits, and the value of pending changes. This article shows how timely, accurate WIP reports can, early in a project, help identify problems with profit fade and underbilling, and help strengthen bonding relationships.
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Bonding: Subprime is not a dirty word
Fall 2010
Newsletter: Construction Industry Advisor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 282
Abstract: The term “subprime” has been associated with predatory lending practices, but it’s not bad by definition; it simply means extending credit to less qualified borrowers, who pay a higher interest rate to compensate the lender for its increased risk. This article shows why, in construction, subprime bonding works essentially the same way as traditional bonding. It shouldn’t be one’s first choice, but it offers a viable option for contractors that don’t qualify for traditional bonding in today’s tight market.
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Go on the defense with an escalation clause
Fall 2010
Newsletter: Construction Industry Advisor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 656
Abstract: Contractors everywhere have experienced the pain of rising construction materials costs and less work, putting their businesses in financial jeopardy. This article shows how an escalation clause in job contracts can help contractors fight back. It shows how such clauses work and how they’re calculated, and how to fend off risks that can be involved.
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Revenue recognition – Proposed changes mean big impact on contractors
Fall 2010
Newsletter: Construction Industry Advisor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 1173
Abstract: The Financial Accounting Standards Board and the International Accounting Standards Board are proposing a new revenue recognition standard that would have significant implications for construction firms. This article looks at how revenue recognition works now and how it could look in the future. A sidebar reveals that the Small Business Jobs Act, passed in September, includes a tax provision extending 50% bonus depreciation to 2010, and shows how it affects calendar-year taxpayers using the percentage-of-completion method of accounting.
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BANK Wire – Bank reform — the good, the bad and the assorted
Fall 2010
Newsletter: Community Banking Advisor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 401
Abstract: The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act made sweeping changes to U.S. banking law. Many of these changes affect the nation’s largest banks, but this article looks at which changes help community banks and which may hurt.
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Keeping an eye on your customers’ cash
Fall 2010
Newsletter: Community Banking Advisor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 621
Abstract: Obtaining current financial information from borrowers — and properly analyzing it — is more important than ever in light of today’s regulatory environment. Banks need to regularly evaluate a borrower’s ability to repay — and a statement of cash flow can reveal clues about an existing or prospective borrower’s performance. This article explains the three sections of a cash flow statement, and how it shows changes from one accounting period to the next.
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Constraints on capital – What’s holding your bank back?
Fall 2010
Newsletter: Community Banking Advisor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 904
Abstract: A struggling economy affects bank capital on both sides of the equation: It hurts earnings and it increases risk. But this article shows that downgraded securities, deferred tax assets, and new rules requiring certain assets to be reflected on balance sheets can have a direct impact on bank capital levels. The article also discusses new proposals that would significantly impact bank capital requirements. And a sidebar explains why the SEC might regard a small community bank as public even if it never makes a public stock offering.
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Distressed assets – Online auctions ease sales
Fall 2010
Newsletter: Community Banking Advisor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 559
Abstract: Banks looking to sell troubled loans should consider online auctions as a part of their strategy. These auctions can streamline the sales process and expose the bank’s distressed assets to a large pool of potential bidders. But they require careful due diligence. This article lists several auction sites, explains how an auction house works, and offers ways to minimize risks.
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Postrecession move – Determining your dealership’s value
Fall 2010
Newsletter: Auto Focus
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 738
Abstract: Stock prices and real estate values have plummeted over the last three years. What about the value of an auto dealership? Knowing this is especially important for those thinking about selling the business or getting ready to pass ownership to children. This article shows how appraisers value both hard assets and goodwill, and the wide range of valuation multiples and cap rates they use for auto dealerships.
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Report cards for dealerships
Fall 2010
Newsletter: Auto Focus
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 832
Abstract: Many principles commonly applied to manufacturers — such as financial “report cards” and continuous improvement — also apply to dealers. This article describes metrics that proactive owners watch to stay ahead of the competition: return on assets, the customer service index, and productivity. A sidebar explains how a CPA gains intimate knowledge of how a dealership runs — and can use that knowledge to help the dealer make more money.
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5 tips for managing inventory
Fall 2010
Newsletter: Auto Focus
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 595
Abstract: Now, while business may be on a plateau as the industry recovers, it’s more important than ever for dealers to keep their eyes firmly planted on inventory. This article offers five tips to help a dealership keep its supply at a realistic level, including evaluating its Web site and determining whether the best inventory data is being obtained and properly assessed.