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New per diem rates were recently announced by the IRS and are effective for per diem allowances on or after Oct. 1, 2023. These updated rates include changes for the transportation industry, incidental expenses as well as the high-low substantiation method. Before we dive into the detailed changes impacting per diem rates, let’s revisit the concept of the per diem in general. To Per Diem or Not to Per Diem There are two basic ways that employees can be reimbursed for business travel expenses. The first is a direct reimbursement of the actual expenses. The second is the per diem method. Direct actual expense reimbursementRead More →

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When it comes to measuring revenue, it’s essential that businesses analyze it from a variety of perspectives. While there’s revenue and net income on an income statement to show a company’s quarterly financials, another way to measure it is through ARPU (average revenue per user) and ARPPU (average revenue per paying user). Defining ARPU ARPU is the average revenue per customer or per unit. It looks at how much revenue is earned over a particular timeframe (multiple times a month, quarter, half-year, or 12 months) divided by the average patron during the same timeframe. This can be applied to many different types of companies, includingRead More →

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In one year’s time, the U.S. inflation rate dropped by more than half, from 8.2 percent in September 2022 to 3.7 percent in September of 2023. If there is a downside to lower inflation, it’s a lower cost of living adjustment (COLA). This year, the inflation rate plummeted from 6.4 percent in January to the current 3.7 percent. While food prices, both grocery and dining out, continue to increase. Between February 2020 and September 2023, grocery store prices rose 25%. That was slightly above the 23% increase in menu prices during the same period. But a number of consumer goods prices had decreased by midsummer,Read More →

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Next year, something called Peak 65 is happening. This moniker refers to the fact that more Americans will reach the traditional retirement age of 65 in the same year than at any time in history. Crazy, right? However, many of these people don’t feel like they’ve saved enough to live comfortably after they retire. Here are some ways to maximize your savings and cut costs so you can be prepared and retire with less financial worry. Use a retirement calculator. This is key. You’ll be able to see if what you have in retirement so far will be enough to actually live on. Here’s theRead More →

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As technology advances, users crave convenient and feature-rich solutions. In mobile app development, the concept of super apps is taking the tech world by storm. These apps include a wide range of services within a single platform, such as messaging, payments, ride-hailing, food delivery, and more. Super apps have disrupted traditional business models by providing a more convenient, personalized, and cost-effective user experience. Defining Super Apps Super apps are powerful, multifunctional platforms that offer numerous services, from transportation and finance to e-commerce and social networking, all within a single application. This is unlike standalone apps, where each focuses on a specific function, like the video-sharingRead More →

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Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act (HR 5110) – This bill was introduced in the House on Aug. 1 by Rep. Mark E. Green (R-TN). The purpose of this bill is to ban federal funds from being used for weapons training in public schools, except in the case of training students in archery, hunting, and other school sports that involve shooting guns. The bill passed in the House on Sept. 26, the Senate on Sept. 27, and was signed into law by the president on Oct. 6. Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act (HR 5860) – This last-minute continuing resolution (CR) authorizes fiscalRead More →

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Recently, IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel spoke of changes within the IRS, announcing several initiatives focusing on high-income earners and partnerships, as well as integrating the use of AI within the agency’s work. According to the commissioner, the initiatives were made possible by additional IRS funding provided by the Inflation Reduction Act. Without the funding from this bill, the agency would not have the budget to implement these ramp-ups in enforcement. Millionaires with Tax Debt The new initiative on millionaires is not just because they are high-earning taxpayers; it will focus on those with open tax debt. Currently, the IRS has identified approximately 1,600 millionaires whoRead More →

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With accounting fraud and financial reporting mistakes creating a lack of confidence, understanding how financial reporting mistakes occur and are detected is an important topic. According to the Association for Federal Enterprise Risk Management and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the first nine months of 2018 saw 8.8 percent more accounting fraud enforcement action cases versus 2017. Controls are procedures implemented to lower the chance of financial reporting issues. While these mechanisms are meant to prevent an overload of problems, they are not always foolproof. Corporations also are required to show that sufficient financial oversight is in place for financial records and assets byRead More →

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You can work and still receive Social Security benefits, but how much you receive depends on a number of factors. First, if you do plan to continue working after becoming eligible to receive benefits, you might consider delaying filing for benefits for as long as possible. That’s because the earlier you begin drawing benefits, the lower the amount you will receive. In fact, your monthly payout will be permanently reduced from what you’ll receive if you wait until full retirement age (FRA). Your FRA depends on the year you were born (note that for people born on Jan. 1 of any year, they should referRead More →

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Since tax time isn’t until next April, organizing your documents right about now might not be top of mind or even something you want to do. However, if you don’t want to have to scramble come springtime, you might want to organize your paperwork all year long. Here’s why: It expedites the process when you really do have to begin your tax prep, and it’s actually pretty easy. Start with simple categories (listed below), grab some folders, and put them in a filing cabinet – or any safe place. This way, when tax time comes around, you’ll be ready. Income This is pretty obvious, butRead More →