The federal government has told us that the more…and more quickly…people get COVID-19 vaccines, the faster the pandemic will disappear because of herd immunity. There are already favorable signs that the spread is slowing down. But employers may be wondering what they can or should do about their company policy and vaccines. There aren’t a lot of solid answers, but many good ideas to consider. Here are some questions that may be on your mind, with answers to help you decide on your course of action. Q: Can employers mandate that employees get vaccinated? A: Technically, it may be possible […]

The term “superwoman” was coined by author Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz in The Superwoman Syndrome to denote a woman who copes successfully with the demands of career, marriage, and motherhood. Mother’s Day is a time to reflect on what this term means for moms who run businesses or hold paying jobs. Pre-pandemic, this topic was explored in a blog several years ago. But times have changed. With COVID-19, many moms have stretched their super powers to the limit in working from home, helping children with virtual learning, and handling all the other challenges of the pandemic. Where do working moms stand […]

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and employers should take this reminder to examine their policies on what they can to do help employees who have mental health issues. Here are some ideas to help you help employees in this regard. Be aware of the facts According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year, but less than half get treatment. 8% of U.S. adults experienced both mental illness and a substance use disorder in 2019. 41% of Veteran’s Health Administration patients have been diagnosed with mental illness or substance use disorder. […]

With employees getting back to the office and other locations, company policies regarding business driving as well as employee commuting deserves another look. This is especially true in light of new technologies and  other changes in employee behaviors. This blog is adopted from an earlier post. Basic rules Whether the vehicle is owned or leased by the company or belongs to the employee driving on company business, the company may be financially liable for accidents. This why it’s essential to have a solid vehicle and driving policy. Your policy should include common sense advice to employees as well as actions […]

You gotta eat, right? But when it comes to meals, what’s business and what’s personal? If it’s personal, nothing is deductible, but if it’s a business meal, how much is deductible? The federal income tax rules are very confusing and were made more so by a temporary change under the American Rescue Plan Act. Here are 10 things to help you navigate the complexity of tax rules. 1. Eating alone is a business deduction only in certain circumstances. When you pick up coffee and a bagel on the way to the office or take a lunch break at the neighborhood […]

Long before climate change entered the vernacular, environmentalism was alive and well. Earth Day started more than 50 years ago to raise awareness of environmental dangers; the annual celebration continues today. (Those of you old enough will remember the PSA featuring the crying Native American.) The theme for Earth Day this year is “Restore Our Earth™”. Brief history of Earth Day Earth Day started on April 22, 1970. From EarthDay.org: “Senator Gaylord Nelson, a junior senator from Wisconsin, had long been concerned about the deteriorating environment in the United States.  Then in January 1969, he and many others witnessed the […]

“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade,” said Charles Dickens. It’s the start of Spring and a time that’s ideal for cleaning things in your business. It’s a subject I write on just about every year because I’m usually in the thick of my own Spring cleaning. Compelling reasons for Spring cleaning You may think that this activity is just another tedious chore. But if you keep in mind the benefits to be derived, you’ll be highly motivated to […]

Are taxes a joke? Certainly not when you have to complete a tax return and pay the taxes. But over the years, there have been many humorous quotations regarding taxes. On April 15, typically “Tax Day” (although the due date for filing individual income tax returns for 2020 has been postponed to May 17, 2021), here are 25 quotations, in no particular order, to amuse you: The hardest thing in the world is to understand the income tax. Albert Einstein Today, it takes more brains and effort to make out the income-tax form than it does to make the income. […]

As part of the CARES Act last year, Congress created a new tax credit to incentivize employers to keep workers on the payroll during the pandemic. The employee retention credit is an offset to certain payroll taxes; it is not an income tax credit (although there is a similar income tax credit explained later). The credit, which began on March 12, 2020, was originally set to expire at the end of 2020. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, extended it through the first half of 2021 and then the American Rescue Plan extended it through the end of 2021. Because of […]

The first installment of estimated taxes for 2021 is due April 15, 2021. This deadline applies even though the due date for filing 2020 individual income tax returns has been extended. A previous blog addressed some aspects of estimated taxes—when to pay them and what they need to cover. The following are some special issues to consider for estimated taxes in 2021. Who needs to pay If you don’t get a paycheck from which to withhold your federal income taxes (or a spouse with a paycheck and who is willing to increase withholding to cover your share of taxes), you […]