Current market conditions around COVID-19 have reduced workload and forced difficult cost-saving decisions.  In addition, heightened marketplace competition makes it critical that you understand what really drives your profits.  A strategic cost review grounded in the knowledge of your cost structure, workflow and productivity measures can help managers focus on activities that bring the most value and allow you to align your pricing strategies to maximize profits.

Many of our clients have been impacted by Minnesota’s law which defers immediate write-off of federal Section 179 business assets. Now is the time to learn more about how upcoming state legislation may impact your business and groups that are advocating for reform.

Right now, you may be more concerned about your 2019 tax bill than you are about your 2020 tax situation. That’s understandable because your 2019 individual tax return is due to be filed in less than three months.

Many taxpayers make charitable gifts — because they’re generous and they want to save money on their federal tax bills. But with the tax law changes that went into effect a couple years ago and the many rules that apply to charitable deductions, you may no longer get a tax break for your generosity.

If you’re getting ready to file your 2019 tax return, and your tax bill is higher than you’d like, there may still be an opportunity to lower it. If you qualify, you can make a deductible contribution to a traditional IRA right up until the Wednesday, April 15, 2020, filing date and benefit from the resulting tax savings on your 2019 return.

The word “concentration” is usually associated with a strong ability to pay attention. Business owners are urged to concentrate when attempting to resolve the many challenges facing them. But the word has an alternate meaning in a business context as well — and a distinctly negative one at that.

The end of one year and the beginning of the next is a great opportunity for reflection and planning. You have 12 months to look back on and another 12 ahead to look forward to. Here are five ways to strengthen your business for the new year by doing a little of both:

If you save for retirement with an IRA or other plan, you’ll be interested to know that Congress recently passed a law that makes significant modifications to these accounts. The SECURE Act, which was signed into law on December 20, 2019, made these four changes.

The number of people engaged in the “gig” or sharing economy has grown in recent years. And there are tax consequences for the people who perform these jobs, such as providing car rides, renting spare rooms, delivering food and walking dogs. Generally, if you receive income from these gigs, it’s taxable. That’s true even if the income comes from a side job and if you don’t receive a 1099-MISC or 1099-K form reporting the money you made. You may need to make quarterly estimated tax payments because your income isn’t subject to withholding. Some or all of your business expenses may be deductible on your tax return, subject to the normal tax limitations and rules. Contact us to learn more.

Device policies pertaining to smartphones and other technology tools are evolving. Loose “bring your own device” (BYOD) policies are giving way to stricter “choose your own device” (CYOD) or “corporate-owned, personally enabled” (COPE) policies. A CYOD policy lets employees buy a device for combined personal/work use from a company-approved list. Generally, the employee owns the device while the business owns the SIM card and any proprietary data. Under a COPE policy, the employer buys and owns the device, which is intended for business use. The cost is higher, but it comes with greater control. We can help you analyze the potential costs of a device policy and make the right choice.

You may wonder if you can get a tax break for medical and dental expenses, as well as prescription drugs. Here’s what it takes and how you might be able to benefit by moving certain expenses into 2019.

There may still be opportunities to reduce your company’s 2019 tax bill.

The best salespeople are closers, who seal the deals and pull in the revenue that drives a company’s bottom line. And they all have these three things in common.

The 2019 Minnesota MANUFACTURING CONFERENCE Strengthen. Unify. Educate. Wednesday & Thursday, October 16 & 17, 2019 Minneapolis Marriott Northwest 7025 Northland Drive, N., Brooklyn Park, MN 55428 The Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association (MPMA) and the Manufacturers Alliance are co-hosting The…

LB Carlson was a proud beverage and hole sponsor at the Minnesota 63rd Annual PIM (Printing Industry Midwest) Golf Outing on August 8th, 2019 held at Bunker Hills Golf Club, Coon Rapids, MN.