Author: Dawn Wagenaar

Family unpacking boxes from move.

What Does Affordable Housing Mean?

Government and city leaders speak about the need for affordable housing across the country. It is a broad term that has many expectations as well as workable solutions. In this article, we will cover ways to think about affordable housing, but also how government entities, private developers and not-for-profits help to create it. Defining Affordable

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Stairway from above, spiraling into wider triangles going downward.

Does Size of Firm Matter for Your Accounting Career?

Whether you are graduating with a finance or accounting degree, or you have decided mid-career to change accounting firms, there are many reasons that professionals choose a small, mid-sized or large accounting firm. First, let’s define small, mid-sized and large for the industry. A small public accounting firm is typically under $10 million in revenue

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business woman climbing side of mountain.

Ascending to Management in Your Accounting Career

The journey from a staff accountant to a managerial role is a path much traveled…yet it’s one that requires careful consideration. This transition, often viewed as a natural progression, brings with it a host of changes that can significantly impact your professional life and personal satisfaction. Let’s dig in and see if you have what

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Man buttoning is suit

How to change careers: to accounting… from anywhere

First off – we’re glad you’re here! Managing your career is not always easy. And if you’re newly graduated and thinking that accounting could be for you, let’s talk! But, even those of you with years of experience in other fields are welcome to apply for accounting jobs, too. Here’s why. To tell you the

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African American woman sitting on the floor doing yoga with her dog next to her.

Your Morning Routine Matters in Accounting Jobs

The first 15 minutes after you wake up are the most significant minutes of your day, setting the pace for how you perform and respond to life and work. A study on sleep inertia found that it can take up to two hours for the body to fully transition from sleep to alertness. Critical tasks

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dominoes lined up, view from above - Photo by Miguel Á. Padriñán

3 Skills for Project Management in Public Accounting Jobs

A recent survey of B2B firms in six different industry groups revealed that high-growth firms value project management as the top skill among new hires. Investment in operational software is also happening more rapidly at high-growth firms to create efficiencies among smaller project teams. How can you be a more attractive candidate for high-growth, public

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Your Accounting Career Plan

Let’s talk about your accounting career. If you know what you want, how do you get there? If you’re already on a path, how do you change directions? When you have your goals at heart, it makes the journey much easier to assess. Let’s take it one step at a time. In this article, we’ll

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Young woman being interviewed for an accounting position.

Public Accounting Jobs vs. Corporate: Pros and Cons

When obtaining your accounting degree or other related finance degree, you have options. One of those options is to work for a public accounting firm. You may also explore accounting careers within a business setting. As you consider your options for internships and accounting jobs, you should think about the best training opportunities that will

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Is Public Accounting a Good Career Move?

When thinking of a career transition, many people think that they must stay within the same industry. Not true. Whether you are a teacher, a healthcare administrator or a bookkeeper for a small business, you may have many transferable skills for a public accounting career. Accounting firms are also looking for more nonaccounting majors to

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Weight lifter with chalk on hands getting a grip on the weight bar.

Best KPIs to Select for Not-for-Profits

Measuring the success of your not-for-profit organization through key performance indicators (KPIs) can be confusing and time-consuming, especially when there are hundreds of metrics to choose from. It is important to choose meaningful KPIs that reflect your mission, growth goals and stakeholder expectations. In addition, you will need to establish a baseline metric for each

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Different colored gift boxes

Giving to the Future: Not-for-Profit Leadership Qualities

The nonprofit sector now employs nearly 10 million people and accounts for over 7 percent of U.S. national income, according to a recent article in the Society for Nonprofit Organizations magazine, Nonprofit World. In the last decade, leaders have shifted to a more entrepreneurial mindset through marketing, revenue diversification, collaborative partnerships and improved technology. This

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Accounting Career Advancement

Professional service firms are often different in their approach to promotions. This is certainly true in accounting career advancement. Most, but not all, CPA firms offer internships, and they will hire from the intern pool. However, some firms start with a pool of first-year staff who must complete training and performance requirements before they advance

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Woman holding a triple scoop ice cream cone

More Solutions for Affordable Housing Financing

With national housing at a crisis level, underproducing millions of units annually, public and private partnerships are getting more creative about how to solve this puzzle across the country. Traditional sources of government funding are limited, traditional lending is expensive and institutional investors are pulling back from housing investment. Now, developers and new funders are

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Accounting colleagues sitting around a table having a discussion

Culture of Learning: Preparing for a Board Presentation

Among the top concerns of nonprofit boards is how to maintain resiliency through economic pressures. As an auditor, accounting or tax professional preparing a presentation for a nonprofit board, it is important to discuss financial narratives through the wider lens of resiliency. If the nonprofit is part of a highly regulated industry, this is another

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Top view of sand dunes

Accounting for Forgivable Loans and Other Revenue

With the passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, 501(c)3 non-profit organizations and 501(c)19 veterans’ organizations with 500 or fewer employees (or that meet SBA size industry standards) were able to apply for emergency relief. Part of that relief came in the form of potentially forgivable loans through the U.S. Small

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Man on his laptop by a pool

Say Yes to Remote Audits, No to Remote Auditors

Written by Crisanto Francisco. Previously published in Accounting Today The accounting industry is offering evidence and opinions on why remote audits are here to stay. As an audit partner in California, I have seen first-hand that securely transferred documents can allow audit teams to successfully perform audits remotely. Videoconferencing technology can also handle remote audit

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Apartment building

Surplus Cash Calculation and Distribution

Written by Joe Li. Previously published in Multi-Housing News Surplus cash calculation and distribution is one of the most interesting parts of the financial statements of affordable housing entities. It determines the amount of residual cash available to make fees, distributions, ground leasing and deferred loan payments. Surplus cash distribution and the calculation itself are

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California silhouette and mailbox

IRS Balance Due Notice Update

Attention California Storm Victims If you received an IRS CP14 notice in the mail, please disregard any information pertaining to balances due within 21 days. Tax payments are not due until October 16 for qualifying California storm victims per the federal and states disaster relief provisions. The IRS acknowledges the error and sent this follow-up

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Lock in focus, with water droplets

Ethics for Public Accounting Jobs: Protect Your Reputation

Public accountants play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity and trustworthiness of their clients’ financial reporting. However, they often face ethical dilemmas when confronted with conflicting interests or client requests that could compromise their professional integrity. Here are some ethical areas to bear in mind for your accounting career and why they are important

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professional people communicating

Nonprofit Financial Management – Essential Stakeholder Communication

  Nonprofits have multiple stakeholders with varying needs and preferences for communication. Board members need consistent communication to focus on strategy and fiscal stewardship. Donors or members want updates on programming and activities, getting a sense that their investment in the organization is worthwhile. In some cases, there are also public and government stakeholders that

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Homeless person sleeping under bridge

Help the Homeless with Your Accounting Career

  When considering all the career options out there, accounting jobs can sometimes seem like they are all about managing money or helping the wealthy get wealthier. However, accounting is also about maintaining healthy balance sheets to support jobs as well as sustain funding for society’s most challenging social issues. In addition, proper accounting and

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Silhouette of recruitment candidate in the spotlight with other candidates looking on.

Hiring? You may be eligible for a valuable tax credit, the WOTC

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, you may find that your generosity has its rewards. Both taxable and certain tax-exempt employers in the U.S. and certain territories can now take advantage of a new credit. If you need to hire, be aware of a valuable tax credit for employers hiring individuals from one or more targeted

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Low angle of affordable housing units

Long-Term Strategies for Affordable Housing

Developers are seeking new financing methods to rehab and build affordable housing across the U.S. Combinations of public and private financing include traditional federal and state programs paired with venture capital, REITs and also private corporations that want to support and preserve affordable workforce housing in their markets. Affordable housing is comparably recession resistant. This

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Power switch

These 4 Technology Trends are Shaping Future Accounting Jobs

The accounting industry is experiencing advancements in digital automation and AI tools. These technologies are applied to increase efficiency, support proactive advisory guidance and improve data security. As you explore your career in accounting or the next stage of your accounting management opportunities, these technologies are already redefining and adapting job descriptions. The future for

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Runners at starting line

After the Audit: How to Assess Improvements

You may have had a “good” audit, but there is always room for improvement. Use what you’ve learned to your advantage by making improvements in your processes and controls throughout the year. When in doubt, ask your audit team! 1. Don’t wait Don’t wait until your next audit for audit planning. Reach out to your

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Homes in rainstorm

IRS Updates Tax Relief Again for California Storm Victims

On February 24, 2023, the Internal Revenue Service announced that disaster areas in California (and parts of Alabama and Georgia) now have until October 16, 2023, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.  Previously, the deadline had been postponed to May 15 for these areas. Please see our February

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