Congress is enacting the biggest tax reform law in thirty years, one that will make fundamental changes in the way you, your family and your business calculate your federal income tax bill, and the amount of federal tax you will pay. Since most of the changes will go into effect next year, there's still a narrow window of time before year-end to soften or avoid the impact of crackdowns and to best position yourself for the tax breaks that may be ... more
Tax Reform Updates
It seems we may be closer to revised tax law for the 2017 tax year. At this rate, floor votes may still happen prior to the holiday break. But rest assured that legislators will pore over the published tax bill before a vote. Proposed Changes The House & Senate Republican Conference Committee have agreed in principle to a consensus tax reform bill that reconciles the differences between the bills passed by the two legislative bodies. The ... more
What You Need to Know About Year-End Charitable Giving in 2017
Charitable giving can be a powerful tax-saving strategy: Donations to qualified charities are generally fully deductible, and you have complete control over when and how much you give. Here are some important considerations to keep in mind this year to ensure you receive the tax benefits you desire. Delivery date To be deductible on your 2017 return, a charitable donation must be made by Dec. 31, 2017. According to the IRS, a donation generally ... more
Financial Literacy Programs Support Employee Retention
Studies coming out this year about Americans’ financial literacy and savings rates show that employers could do a lot to improve the financial wellness of their employees — at minimal cost. A survey of 1,000 adults this year by Bankrate.com showed that 31 percent of people now have emergency funds to cover six months or more of expenses, the highest percentage since Bankrate started the survey seven years ago. However, 32 percent of people age ... more
Repealing the Federal Estate Tax Can Be Bad for Giving
Two bills introduced in Congress in January 2017 called for elimination of the federal estate tax. One was introduced by a Republican Representative from South Dakota and another was introduced by a Republican Representative from Texas. Both bills were introduced to the House Ways and Means Committee, and that is all the action that has been taken to date. Now, President Trump’s “Unified Framework for Fixing Our Broken Tax Code” includes a ... more
Clarify Your Not-for-Profit’s ‘Story’ in Financial Statements
Over more than 30 years of work with not-for-profits, the team at Lindquist, von Husen & Joyce LLP has looked for new ways to help organizations share their unique story. Often, we help them tell it through their numbers. Numbers are a language, but sometimes they can become a foreign language in financial statements. When reviewing the financial statements of most not-for-profit affordable housing developers, for example, we’ve seen that ... more
Will Reinstated NFIP Mean Higher Costs for Multi-Family Housing?
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is slated to expire at the end of September. Since 2004, it has racked up more than $24 billion in debt — most recently due to 19 major flooding episodes across the country last year. This year’s tragic hurricane season is only more cause for worry among lobbyists and lawmakers on the topic of new NFIP legislation. As Congress negotiates a reauthorization package — or at least a short-term extension — ... more
Reporting Collaborative Activities: A Complex Issue for Not-For-Profits
More and more not-for-profits are joining forces to better serve their clients and cut costs. But such relationships can come with complicated financial reporting obligations. Starting with the simplest For accounting purposes, the simplest relationship between nonprofits may be a collaborative arrangement. These are typically contractual agreements in which two or more organizations are active participants in a joint operating activity — for ... more
Nonqualified Stock Options Demand Tax Planning Attention
Your compensation may take several forms, including salary, fringe benefits and bonuses. If you work for a corporation, you might also receive stock-based compensation, such as stock options. These come in two varieties: nonqualified (NQSOs) and incentive (ISOs). With both NQSOs and ISOs, if the stock appreciates beyond your exercise price, you can buy shares at a price below what they’re trading for. The tax consequences of these types of ... more
Major Gift Programs Can Offset Decreasing Donors Rolls
For every $100 gained in giving in 2016, $95 was lost through the absence of repeat donors, according to the 2017 Fundraising Effectiveness Survey conducted by the Fundraising Effectiveness Project. Donor retention has hovered around 50 percent for the past decade, but that dropped a bit to 45 percent in 2016, according to the survey of 797 American charities. Of those charities that showed healthy gains of 15 percent or more in the past year, ... more
5 Tips for Successful Not-For-Profit Succession
Every not-for-profit organization needs a comprehensive succession plan to ensure smooth leadership transitions. Here are five tips for making a written plan successful: Look within. It’s important to develop employees who can move up the ladder when an executive director or other senior manager leaves. But don’t rule out hiring an outsider. Promoting from within can be difficult for smaller organizations with limited “bench ... more
Universal Charitable Deduction Could Reduce Taxes, Boost Giving
Itemizing your charitable giving on your tax return has always been a great incentive to give — along with the warm feeling of supporting good causes. However, tax reform proposals by Republican lawmakers and the Trump administration that would increase the standard deduction for individuals and families may take away that incentive. After all, it’s easier to take a nice standard deduction than to spend time — or pay someone to — track and ... more
What Really Motivates Not-For-Profit Donors
What do charitable donors want? The classic answer is: Go ask each one individually. However, research provides some insight into donor motivation that can help your not-for-profit grow its financial support. Taxing matters The biennial U.S. Trust® Study of High Net Worth Philanthropy, conducted in partnership with the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, regularly finds that wealthy donors are primarily motivated by ... more
Does your Not-For-Profit’s Board Understand its Fiduciary Duties?
Interest in not-for-profits’ governance practices from lawmakers, watchdog groups and the general public has been growing in recent years. If your board hasn’t reviewed its roles and responsibilities recently, now is a good time. 3 primary responsibilities Not-for-profit board members — whether compensated or not — have a fiduciary duty to the organization. Some states have laws governing the responsibilities of not-for-profit boards and ... more