After the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (FASB’s) 2014 release of Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, many nonprofits were confused about whether grants and similar contracts were covered by these new revenue recognition rules. The FASB’s subsequent issuance of ASU No. 2018-08, Not-for-Profit Entities (Topic 958): Clarifying the Scope and […]
Coronavirus (COVID-19): Tax relief for small businesses
Businesses across the country are being affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19). Fortunately, Congress recently passed a law that provides at least some relief. In a separate development, the IRS has issued guidance allowing taxpayers to defer any amount of federal income tax payments due on April 15, 2020, until July 15, 2020, without penalties or […]
A SURGICAL APPROACH: Sharpen Your Project Accounting with Activity-Based Costing
Activity-based costing is an accounting methodology that identifies activities and assigns a cost to each one based on resources consumed. It’s often associated with manufacturing but can be applied to construction as well. Many contractors are pleasantly surprised by the results of activity-based costing in comparison with more traditional job-costing methods, which typically rely on […]
How Are You Going To Find Your Nonprofit’s Next Executive?
Every nonprofit needs an executive search plan. Even if you aren’t facing an imminent vacancy, your organization is smart to prepare for what can be a long process. In fact, executive searches generally take several months — even if you end up hiring someone already known to your nonprofit. So make plans now. Focusing energy […]
Lease or Buy? Changes to Accounting Rules May Change Your Mind
The rules for reporting leasing transactions are changing. Though these changes have been delayed until 2021 for private companies (and nonprofits), it’s important to know the possible effects on your financial statements as you renew leases or enter into new lease contracts. In some cases, you might decide to modify lease terms to avoid having […]
COVID-19 Update
At Wheeler Wolfenden & Dwares CPAs, the health and safety of our clients, staff, and business partners is always a top priority. We are closely following the COVID-19 outbreak as Delaware has confirmed its first case and the number of reported cases in our direct and surrounding areas, as well as globally, is on the […]
Writing Donation Acknowledgment Letters
Sending thank-yous to your donors doesn’t just make sense in terms of building and maintaining relationships. The IRS mandates that taxpayers substantiate single contributions of $250 or more with contemporaneous written acknowledgments. Here’s what you should include in those acknowledgments. The Essentials A written contribution acknowledgment should contain: The name of your organization, The amount […]
Matching Gifts Double the impact of Donors’ Contributions
A majority of large U.S. companies offer matching gift programs to boost the impact of their employees’ charitable gifts. Double the Donation estimates that $2 to $3 billion is donated through matching gift programs every year. At the same time, between $4 and $7 billion in matching gift funds goes unclaimed annually. Is your not-for-profit doing everything it can to claim […]
4 Steps to a Stronger Balance Sheet
Roughly half of CFOs believe an economic recession will hit by the end of 2020, and about three-quarters expect a recession by mid-2021, according to the 2019 year-end Duke University/CFO Global Business Outlook survey. In light of these bearish predictions, many businesses are currently planning for the next recession. Are you? Here are four steps […]
4 Ways AI Is Impacting the Construction Industry
Thanks in part to the Internet (of Things) and cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI) has transitioned from science fiction to everyday life. The impact of AI is already felt throughout our daily lives — from automated spam email detection to viewing suggestions on our favorite streaming service to smart speakers that put voice commands into […]