TaxDan not-for-profits

http://www.accountingweb.com/topic/tax/thousands-not-profits-could-have-tax-exempt-status-revoked is an interesting article to read relative to non-profits.

American Express Green Card and Plum

As a small business owner, I started using AMEX Plum for all of my purchases when I began the business in early 2009. I have used the green card for personal use for 20 years and always paid on time.

Recently, I was running late on the personal card and called to explain that I would be paying but needed time...and asked to be on a finance plan. I was told-we don't do that-you need to pay in full. After several calls, AMEX was paid in full and yet, the cancelled my account.

The Plum card was paid on time and often early-and yet AMEX cancelled that card too. I'm fed up with them-horrible customer service and trying to run people into the ground!

Live and Learn-working with recruiters

I have worked with recruiters over the past 20 years. As with any, there are good and bad.

I'm recently frustrated to understand more about their markup for project resources. A company may be paying $125 an hour, paying the person doing the work $25-$40 an hour. And, there's also enough margin to be able to provide a cut to other people in the middle.

It's a bit of a scam for companies and I hoped the access to information on the Internet would eliminate this...and it has to some degree.

Lesson for employers-know who you work with and try to cut out the middle men!

Advocate's Edge

From McGovern & Greene LLP

http://www.mcgoverngreene.com/advoedges/AE_pdfs/AE_sep-oct10.pdf

Verizon Palm Pre Plus spell check

I recently upgraded from a Blackberry 9630 to a Palm Pre Plus with Verizon. It took me several searches to find it-but the Pre doesn't have a good spell checker installed, which is unbelievable!

I finally found a great auto correct app that works similar to the Blackberry.
http://forums.precentral.net/homebrew-apps/193362-autocorrect-edit-7-28-a.html

Balancing services

Our services continue to grow at DGA. We're pleased to work with some very high caliber companies and CFO's and we expand through our marketing and networking efforts.

The risk services and process improvement business is our core and we will focus on strengthening our team and our service offerings.

Since the first quarter of the calendar year has been traditionally slow for our services, we're planning to begin a tax practice later this year-offering CPA quality tax preparation service at reasonable prices.

Our new website will launch in the next few weeks: TaxDan.com

Small companies and 404 compliance

With financial and regulatory reform underway, companies with market cap under $75 million won't need their auditors to sign off on the internal controls as part of SOx 404. However, management must still comply with meeting the requirements of their assertion as to the adequacy of ICFR.

And that means, that the public accounting firms need to cut their fees for SOx 404 assistance or let more agile and focused professionals and smaller firms do the work. CFO's are coming to realize they can save a lot of money on fees.

I recently talked with a CFO who is now paying less than 1/3 of what he paid last year-for virtually the same work!!