Nebraska Business Insights | Lutz

Denial Management: Are You Doing Enough?

“There’s tremendous pressure to reduce denials. According to CMS, 20% of all claims are denied, 60% of lost or denied claims will never be resubmitted, and 18% of claims will never be collected…

CMS Survey & Certification Emergency Preparedness Initiative

Following the devastating experiences by health care facilities during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Survey and Certification (S&C) Group established a series of internal…

Why Do a Chargemaster Review?

How pricing is set for a healthcare organization may have a significant impact on financial performance. In addition, if individual charge items in the chargemaster file contains errors payment for services…

Cash Flow Problems? 5 Ways to Improve It

You can fix some of the problems your small business faces and move on. You change couriers or banks or suppliers if services and fees aren’t acceptable…

2019 Tax Return: Why You Should Prepare Early & How To Do It

Filing your taxes isn’t always simple and enjoyable. For this reason, many people tend to put them off as long as possible. Unfortunately, delaying your tax preparation will only hurt you in the end…

Creating a Product Record in QuickBooks

If you buy and sell items, you need capable inventory management tools to track them. QuickBooks provides a solid base with its product record templates…

May Retirement Plan Newsletter

This month’s newsletter contains insights on ways to increase employee retirement contributions, investment options, reasons to roll into your employer’s plan vs. an IRA, and more…

Family Meetings + Strengthening the Bonds That Bind

We’ve all heard the saying, “The key to a good relationship is communication”. This is especially true for families who want to perpetuate their wealth and values over multiple generations. Research has shown that most…

EBITDA Adjustments + 5 Expense Categories You Should Review

When assessing how to value a business for an M&A deal, buyers will typically focus on adjusted EBITDA as their primary metric. This is simply reported EBITDA, with normalizing adjustments for expenses that are…

Lutz Announces Future Move in Lincoln, Nebraska

Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, has announced it will be relocating its Lincoln office to the second floor of the new “Olsson Building South” on 115 Canopy Street in January of 2020…

Everything You Need to Know About the Yield Curve

In recent weeks the financial markets have displayed a traditional warning sign that has garnered significant attention. Widely viewed as one of the most reliable and accurate predictors of an economic slowdown…

Lutz M&A Advises eX² Technology on its Recapitalization by Columbia Capital

Lutz M&A announced that it served as exclusive financial advisor to eX² Technology (eX²) in connection with its recent recapitalization by Columbia Capital (Columbia). Columbia is private equity group based in Virginia…

A Recipe for Job Happiness

For most of us, “work” is a necessary part of life. Some people live to work; dedicating much of their waking effort towards a chosen career path. Others work to live; putting forth just enough effort to generate a stable income…

5 Tips for Effective Business Writing

When Albert Einstein is mentioned, most people think of genius or science, rather than simple and writing. However, Einstein gave us some important advice for business writing when he said, “If you can’t explain something simply…

Lutz Recipient of 2019 Corporate Leadership Award

Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, is excited to be named the winner of the 2019 Corporate Leadership Award by the Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business…

What Your IT Helpdesk Technician Wants You to Know

When you need assistance from a professional IT helpdesk technician, you want need the experience to be as short and as productive as possible. If you follow these five basic tips, you’ll give your IT technician a fantastic starting…

Lutz Financial Surpasses $1 Billion in Assets Under Management

Lutz Financial, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor and affiliate of Lutz, has announced that it recently surpassed the $1 billion threshold for assets under management…

Issues During the Due Diligence Process in M&A Transactions

Completing a due diligence analysis is a critical step in the M&A process. Due diligence is conducted to validate value proposition assumptions, evaluate strategic and financial risks, and support deal decision…

What is a Family Office?

Modern family offices have been in existence since the late 19th century when John D. Rockefeller decided he needed a professional team to manage his wealth. The complexity of the financial landscape, coupled with…

April Retirement Plan Newsletter

This month’s newsletter contains insights on rolling over into your retirement plan vs. your IRA, a tax savers credit reminder, and more…

HRM in a Changing Environment + Benefits of Temporary Staffing

On the most basic level, HR is involved in recruiting, hiring, benefits, compensation, training, employee relations, terminations – just about anything that involves employees and their work lives…

Does Your Company Need a Business Valuation?

If you use QuickBooks or you’re a power Excel user, you know you can create reports that provide tremendous insight into your company’s financial status. They can tell you what you own and what you owe down to the tiniest detail…

Say-On-Pay Rule: Study Shows Shareholder Votes May Not Matter

A recent study found that CEO compensation at large public companies has continued to increase despite the “say-on-pay” rule that went into effect in 2011. But corporate research firm Equilar also found that, when a company fails…

Exploring Segment Reporting Alternatives

In February, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) discussed its ongoing project to improve how companies provide information around business segments. This article outlines the status of this project and possible…

Close-Up on Materiality

The Auditing Standards Board (ASB) has been working on a project to amend its definition of “materiality.” This article explains the subtle differences between the international standards and U.S. standards that are currently…

State Income Tax for Businesses and Individuals

Attendees will learn about state income tax issues relevant to Nebraska based businesses and their owners. This presentation, led by Russ Smith, includes a discussion of business income tax topics such as…

Financial Compliance Check-Up

Now that winter is here, what better way to spend some additional time indoors than doing a winter healthcare financial compliance checkup. In this webinar…

Revenue Cycle

As Healthcare institutions, we hear a lot of talk surrounding the Revenue Cycle. This presentation, led by Amy Evanich and Claire Thelen, will discuss helpful hints to help ensure your revenue cycle is operating…

Medicare Cost Report

This presentation, led by Kirk Delperdang and Julianne Kipple, discusses helpful tips to keep in mind as hospitals prepare and review their Medicare cost report…

An Intro to Artificial Intelligence

The market for artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is flourishing. Beyond the hype and the heightened media attention, the numerous startups and the internet giant’s racing to acquire them…

Social Media Strategies for Recruiting

Social media platforms can be used to advertise jobs, attract talent, and communicate with potential candidates. These platforms include Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and even Instagram…

Exit Planning Strategies for Business Owners

Business owners are good at dealing with everyday decisions, but they often forget that a main reason they are in business is to be rewarded for building a valuable business…

Best Practices for Plan Fiduciaries

Are you offering a competitive retirement plan? In this webinar, Chris Wagner of Lutz Financial covers the step by step process for making fiduciary decisions and administering…

Retirement Income + Distribution Planning

Most investment and financial advice has traditionally been focused on the accumulation phase (growing assets before retirement). But with the elimination of traditional pension…

Tax Planning + Updates

This seminar, led by John Kampfe, Joe Donovan, and Steve Nebbia, covers current year law updates that may impact your taxes. This informative course will bring you up-to-speed on the…

Revenue Recognition + Lease Accounting + NFP Update

The first presentation, led by Nate Hagge and Kyle Hofeldt, provides a thorough review of the New Revenue Recognition Standard and how to apply these new rules. The second presentation…

Financial Statements in the Construction Industry

This presentation, led by Ryan Cook and Shawn Wederquist, discusses the basics of Construction Financial Statements. You will gain an understanding of financial statements…

Changes in Nebraska Sales Tax Laws

Do you have questions about sales and use tax laws? You’re not alone. With 7,500 different tax jurisdictions in the United States alone, it’s easy to understand why our sales & use tax laws…

Nebraska Grain and Feed Association + Tax Reform

This webinar presentation, catered to the ag industry, will cover the ins-and-outs of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, a once-in-a-generation tax reform bill…

QuickBooks Techniques Every User Should Know

Getting up to speed on QuickBooks can be challenging if you’re just getting started. This software is popular for ease of use, but it is also one of the most comprehensive accounting software packages on the market…

How to Leave Your Job + The Professional Way

Decades ago, it wasn’t uncommon for people to land their first job, move through the ranks, and retire from the same company 30-40 years later. However, times have changed. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics…

Two-Factor Authentication: The New Standard in Online Security

In an age in which cyber threats are more vast and detrimental than ever, finding ways to keep your network secure is a vital component to every business. Given the prevalence of massive security breaches, as well as…

Lutz Named a 2019 Top 100 Firm, Regional Leader, and Fastest-Growing Firm

Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, has been named a 2019 Top 100 Firm by Accounting Today. As one of the four firms making their first debut on the Top 100 list, Lutz came in at number 97…

Lutz adds Jen Walde as Performance Advisor

Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, recently added Jen Walde to its Omaha Office. Jen joins the firm as a Performance Advisor with over 13 years of combined human resources and operations experience…

Is the Traditional Bypass Trust Outdated?

Many early-retirement Boomers feel comfortable that their estate plan is in order, having put their estate plan in place when they had younger children. With adult children and the increase in the estate and gift tax exemption amounts…

Lutz M&A Advises Fantasy’s, Inc. on its Acquisition by Casey’s General Stores

Lutz M&A announced that it served as exclusive financial advisor to Fantasy’s, Inc. in connection with its recent acquisition by Casey’s General Stores, Inc. (“Casey’s). Casey’s is a Fortune 500 company (NASDAQ CASY)…

Lutz Launches Family Office Services; Adds Lisa Strutzel

Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, recently announced a new service line, Family Office Services. Lutz’s Family Office team assists high-net-worth families manage their family enterprise by helping them determine…

Getting Started with QuickBooks: 5 Must-do’s

Whether or not you make New Year’s resolutions, you may have decided that 2019 is the year you’re going to organize your company’s finances by using QuickBooks…

March Retirement Plan Newsletter

This month’s newsletter contains insights on relief guidance for victims of California wildfires, visualizing retirement, conducting an RFP, and more…

QuickBooks + CRM = Better Customer Relationships

QuickBooks helps you maintain good relationships with your customers. Adding a CRM application can improve on that solid base…

The M&A Process + Timeline & Milestones

Selling your business can be time-consuming and unpredictable. Knowing what to expect will prepare you for what’s ahead and can help get your deal to closing. The M&A process can be broken down into four unique phases…

Personal Branding for Finance Professionals

Although the terms brand and branding don’t mean the same, people use them interchangeably. Your personal brand describes who you are and what you do. It is how people identify, know and remember you…

How XBRL Benefits Companies, Large and Small

Investors and accounting professionals have warned the SEC against exempting small companies from the requirement to add interactive data to their financial statements using eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL)…

Best Practices for Audit Committees

In January 2019, the board of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) published a report intended to promote audit quality. This article explains the audit committee’s role and key findings from the…

Is Your Finance Team Using AI?

A recent survey of financial professionals found that only 11% of executives are making use of artificial intelligence (AI) and over one-third of companies spend more time collecting data than analyzing it. This article discusses key findings…

Avoid the Profitability Leak + Software Solutions Your Business Needs

We’ve all felt the pain of software outages which virtually paralyze the business. You can imagine people sitting around, waiting for someone to “fix” it so they can go back to work. Management and IT springs into action…

Hiring an Independent Contractor? Your Responsibilities

It’s a gig economy, and that trend isn’t going away. Do you know what the IRS expects of you if your business employs independent contractors?…

Lutz adds Chase Morley to Lincoln Office

Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, recently added Chase Morley to its Lincoln office. Bringing over three years of experience in the financial and accounting industries, Chase Morley joins the firm as a Staff Accountant…

Why Investors Should Own International Stocks

There is a tendency for investors to focus their attention and investment dollars on assets located within the United States. This tendency is well documented and is referred to as Home Country Bias. People are generally more…

Lutz adds Gathje, Goodwin, Keenan and Lacy to Omaha Office

Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, recently added Jill Gathje, Kat Goodwin, Bob Keenan, and Kyle Lacy to its Omaha office. As a staff accountant in the state and local department, Jill is responsible for…

2019 Manufacturing Outlook Survey Results

This year’s survey report contains the expectations and opinions of more than 350 manufacturing executives who produce a wide variety of products including industrial/machining, transportation/automotive…

New Phase-In Option for Credit Losses Standard

Bank regulators have completed a rule that will allow banks to phase in the capital effect of the new credit losses accounting standard over a period of three years. This article summarizes what’s changing under the updated standard…

Identifying CAMs: The New-and-Improved Auditor’s Report

Public company auditors have been conducting test runs to help them add critical audit matters (CAMs) to the auditor’s report. This article explains the new Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) requirement…

AICPA to Align its Auditing Standards With Public Company Standards

The AICPA is taking steps to enhance the consistency of financial reporting between public and private companies. This article discusses a new omnibus auditing standard that will cover standards on related parties…

6 Things Your Accountant Needs to Prepare Your 2018 Tax Return

Tax season is just around the corner and it’s that time again to start preparations for your 2018 filing. Working directly with an accountant to help file your taxes is a great way to stay organized while ensuring you meet all federal and…

February Retirement Plan Newsletter

This months newsletter contains insights on repaying student loans, investment education for employees, risks of filing late, and more…

Primary Benefits of Selling Your Company to an ESOP

Business owners sometimes overlook the option of selling their company to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Although this option may not be right for all businesses, it can be a very…

Lutz Announces 2019 Lutz Learning Live Schedule

Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, is excited to announce its 2019 Lutz Learning Live seminar schedule! Lutz Learning Live is a series of free educational programs that offer up-to-date information on a wide range of topics…

Lutz Financial adds Austin Wells

Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, welcomes Austin Wells to the Omaha office. Austin joins Lutz’s financial division as a Retirement Plan Consultant and Investment Advisor, and brings over four years of experience…

Artificial Intelligence

There’s been a lot of buzz surrounding artificial intelligence (AI). You’ve probably heard about AI or IBM’s Watson on the news. AI is a new technology with quite a bit to offer, especially with assistance in the workplace…

Will I Outlive My Assets?

Running out of money is often cited as the biggest fear of retirees. Most investment and financial advice has traditionally been focused on the accumulation phase (growing assets before retirement). But, with the elimination…

What is a Qualified Opportunity Fund?

A Qualified Opportunity Fund (QOF) is an entity formed to invest in qualified opportunity zone property. These “Opportunity Zones” are designated by the state with the purpose of incentivizing investment via QOFs to…

Tips for Acing Your Interview

The interview is a major part of the hiring process, which means you need to ace it if you want a good chance of getting the job. After all, this is your opportunity to bring your resume to life and show the hiring manager that…

Analyzing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in the Agriculture Industry

“The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 contains numerous provisions that impact the agriculture industry. No provision has created more uncertainty and questions than IRC Section 199A, commonly referred to as the qualified…”

Reporting the Effects of Tax Reform

The FASB continues to monitor how companies and their auditors are tackling the financial reporting ramifications of the major new provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). This article highlights major TCJA…

FASB Project to Target Performance Reporting

The FASB is in the early stages of a project to develop guidance for performance reporting. The goal is to make it easier for investors and securities analysts to understand from reading a company’s financial statements…

Global Convergence Project: U.S. GAAP is Alive and Well

SEC Chairman Jay Clayton recently announced that a consideration to require or allow U.S. public companies to use IFRS is “not a focus” for him. His lack of interest contrasts with the “high priority” former Chair Mary Jo…

Lutz adds Austin, Butler, Chavez and Olson to Omaha Office

Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, welcomes Adam Austin, Elizabeth Butler, Abraham Chavez, and Kay Olson to the Omaha office…

Paid Family and Medical Leave Under the New Tax Law

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act created a credit for employers when they give qualified employees paid family and medical leave. This act is currently in effect for 2018 and 2019 and applies to businesses covered…

Is Your Business Transferable?

Does your business rely on you to generate revenue? Does most of your revenue come from a few customers? Does your company lack depth of management? Do you have short term or no contracts with customers or suppliers?

The One Page Business Plan

Traditional business plans usually consist of dozens of pages of text and data tables. They can take many days or even weeks to produce. But if your small business is seeking financing, you may need one…

How Often Should Public Companies Issue Financial Statements?

In August, President Trump tweeted in favor of a six-month reporting system to replace the three-month quarterly and annual filing requirements that U.S. public companies have followed for years…

Small Banks Get Extra Year to Implement Credit Losses Standard

In November, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) published an update to U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) that gives community banks and credit unions until 2022 to apply…

Private Companies Can Elect Out of the Complex VIE Guidance

In October, the FASB gave private companies long-awaited relief from the variable interest entity (VIE) guidance — one of the most complicated areas of U.S. GAAP. This article explains the consolidation rules and why private companies…

January Retirement Plan Newsletter

This month’s newsletter contains insights on records and their expiration dates, easy steps to keep your plan assets safe, hardship suspensions, and more…

Updated IRS Guidance on Entertainment Meal Deductions

In relation to our first blog, “Understanding the New Rules Regarding Business Entertainment Deductions,” the IRS has since issued a notice with updated guidance on the expenses deductibility of meals purchased for entertainment…

6 Helpful Steps to Transition to Outsourced IT

Do you find your growing business suffering from a lack of support in the technology department? Your company may benefit from outsourcing IT. Some businesses struggle to find room in the budget to add support staff…

What You Need to Know About Accounting to Use QuickBooks

Whether or not you use the word “accounting,” your business already does it. You manage accounts, pay bills, receive payments – all tasks that are a part of the process. When you use QuickBooks, though, you are following the same…

Lutz Combines Grand Island Offices + New Location

Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, is excited to announce that our Grand Island North and Grand Island South offices are merging into one location at 3320 James Road, Suite 100, Grand Island, NE, 68803…

Lutz Financial adds Mathison

Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, welcomes Pam Mathison to the Financial division in the Omaha office. Pam joins the Lutz Financial team as a Client Service Associate. She is responsible for working closely with clients…

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