Lutz gives back + 12 days of lutzmas 2020
The “12 Days of Lutzmas” is a unique tradition that is designed to provide our employees with 12 different opportunities to give back during the holiday season…
Five Ways Coronavirus Impacts Your 2020 Personal Taxes
Congress passed a variety of tax-relief measures throughout 2020 because of the Coronavirus pandemic. Even income taxes did not escape the impact of COVID-19. Here are five ways that the…
Paycheck Protection Program Updates
The Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) passed at the end of December 2020 contained language reopening the Paycheck Protection Program…
January Retirement Plan Newsletter 2021
This month’s newsletter contains insights on 3(38) advisory services, former employee plan assets, plan committee charters, and more…
Growth Trounced Value in 2020 + Financial Market Update + 1.12.21
For the fourth consecutive year, growth stocks have outperformed their value counterparts. The degree of outperformance in 2020, however, was on a different level. Small and mid-cap value stocks trailed…
How to Mitigate the Risk of a Bad Hire
Hiring an outstanding employee is important for any company interested in scaling its operations. Sometimes, such employees are not a fit on paper…
2021 – Is This the Year to Sell Your Business?
Lower, middle-market business owners faced a number of challenges navigating through the pandemic in 2020. Many that were in the process of selling their business had plans put on hold…
Lutz adds Frei, Gaston and Stone to Omaha Office
Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, welcomes Will Frei, Annie Gaston, and Jana Stone to its Omaha office…
8 Reasons QuickBooks is the Automated Accounting Software Your Business Needs
If you’ve decided that it’s time to automate your company’s accounting procedures, you’ll find that there’s a lot of competition for your dollars. But there’s really no need to look beyond…
R&D Credits in the Agriculture Industry
America’s agricultural sector has been facing challenges in workforce availability, climate, technology, among many other issues. With the world…
6 Main Differences between an LLC and a Corporation
Approximately 543,000 new businesses are started each month in the U.S. Starting a new business can be an exciting undertaking that…
2020: Year In Review + Financial Market Update + 1.5.2021
There are decades when nothing happens: and there are weeks where decades happen. As I sit with clients and reflect on the year that was…
bitcoin back in the spotlight + Financial market Update + 12.29.20
Over the last few months, Bitcoin has recaptured the imagination of investors. While risk assets, in general, have had a strong quarter, Bitcoin…
Do independent contractors pay taxes?
If 2020 is the first year you’ve had to work as an independent contractor, you’re not alone. The pandemic has forced many Americans to take…
Lutz Launches Data Analytics & Insights Service Line
Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, recently announced a new service offering, Data Analytics & Insights. Offerings include data visualization, data and statistical analytics, analytics strategy…
7 Tips to Enhance Your Nonprofit’s Chart of Accounts
Nonprofits have it hard. Sure, they don’t have to pay taxes, but that tax-exempt status comes with a price: increased levels of responsibility to the general public. The focus, then, of their financial accounting…
QuickBooks Online for Nonprofits
As a nonprofit, minimizing your overhead expenses is essential. And while you may have very specialized accounting needs, a full-time bookkeeper might not be in your budget…
How To Avoid Being Negligent When It Comes To Risk
Risk is something that we all face in our day-to-day journeys, no matter who we are or what we do in life. If left unexamined, these risks could either create a small bump in the road…
7 Insightful Tips for a Successful Audit Preparation
As you close your books for the year, you scramble to ensure the debits and credits are balanced, your financials are organized, and all missing invoices…
Lutz Named a 2021 Best Tax and Accounting Firm by Forbes
Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, has been named a 2021 Best Tax and Accounting Firm in America by Forbes. The list identifies…
Does Your Business Have the Proper Internal Controls?
Internal controls are an integral part of the success of any company. Unfortunately, they are usually not given the due attention they need…
Enhance Your Management Style with Gallup’s CliftonStrengths
There are many ways to use Gallup’s CliftonStrengths assessment beyond just knowing your team’s strengths. To derive the most benefit from…
2020 + A YEAR OF CHANGE AND UNCERTAINTY FOR CONTRACTORS
For many obvious reasons, 2020 has been one for the history books. The current, ongoing, and future impact of the year’s events are at the forefront of everyday conversation, from the global pandemic…
24‐Hour Stay Rule: Bill LB 783
Those living in Nebraska and involved with ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) likely know about Bill LB 783, a major change to ASCs. Before this bill, ASCs in Nebraska had a length of stay requiring…
My Values or My Investments… Why Not Both? Implementing ESG
Most investors are familiar with the terms ESG, socially responsible, and sustainable investing. However, these investment philosophies can mean very different things. Over the past ten years, investors…
IPOs Approach Record Volume in 2020 + Financial Market Update + 12.15.20
The volume of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) is within striking distance of a record in 2020. Recently, investors have been willing to open their wallets for any stock offering growth as the global pandemic…
Chris Wagner Awarded NAPA’s 2021 Top Retirement Plan Advisors Under 40
Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, is excited to announce that Chris Wagner, Investment Adviser at Lutz Financial, has been selected as one of the National Association of Plan Advisors…
December Retirement plan newsletter 2020
This month’s newsletter contains insights on post-election investment commentary, annual retirement plan notices, savings goals, and more…
Preparing & Reviewing Medicare Cost Reports
This webinar covers important cost report preparation and review topics that can have a significant impact on Medicare reimbursement for your facility…
8 Ways First Time Job Seekers Can Beef Up Their Resumes
Getting a job for the very first time requires some song-and-dance to get over the starting hurdles. One of the biggest challenges in landing that first job…
Year-End Charitable Contribution Documentation for Nonprofits
As year-end nears, charities are often in a last-minute push to solicit contributions from supporters. This timing coincides with the year-end tax…
This Indicator Suggests Investors Are Too Optimistic + Financial Market Update + 12.8.20
Investor sentiment surveys are powerful tools that provide the ability to gauge the expectations of other investors. Survey results can be noisy…
Year-End Tax Update & Strategies + 12.2.20
Though there aren’t many days left in 2020, you still have time for a quick review of your financial situation. Join us for a virtual presentation led by…
Securely Exchanging Documents With Key Decision Makers
Threadworks is a collaborative tool that allows users to exchange, sign, and store documents online like never before. In this presentation, Ryan Wade…
Data. Analytics. Automation. Where Are We Now? Where Are We Headed?
Data is the fuel that drives your business, and automation keeps it running. In this presentation, Tony DeSantis takes a quick dive into the realm…
Take me to “The Cloud”
Cloud hosting is a great avenue for businesses that are looking for increased security, flexible work environments, and instant scalability. In this presentation…
Cybersecurity + Internet Safety for Your Business
Cybersecurity is an ever-prominent, continuously evolving topic in the business world today. With new technological advancements daily, it can be challenging…
Microsoft Office 365 Virtual Tour
There’s always a better way of doing things, and it all starts with the applications and programs you are utilizing. In this presentation, Alex Lutz and Steven Brabec…
Small Business Staff Planning Tips & Tricks
Business owners within every industry are facing the challenge of maintaining an efficient staff. Some difficult scenarios can come from not having…
Completing an M&A Deal 101
When it comes to selling a company, the business owners really should ask themselves – “Why would someone acquire my company? What are they really purchasing?..
Lutz Announces 2021 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…
What You Need to Know About Forming 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 attractive…
Will I Outlive My Assets? Finding the Retirement Sweet Spot
Will you be ready to retire when the time comes? Ultimately, one’s roadmap can be viewed as an algebra equation. There are many variables to this equation, some we can control and others we cannot…
The Magic of Compounding + Financial Market Update + 11.24.20
For many investors, successful investing means outperforming the market each year. This is a monumental challenge because current stock prices represent the aggregate expectation of all participants…
Prudent Investment Options for Company Retirement Plans
Company-sponsored 401k’s/403b’s/457’s have replaced traditional pension plans and become America’s retirement plan of choice. For many employees, their company retirement plan…
Year-End Tax Update & Strategies + 11.10.20
Though there aren’t many days left in 2020, you still have time for a quick review of your financial situation. In this presentation, Lutz experts Jeremy Evans and Tyler…
What is Form 990 & Not-For-Profit Hot Topics
Even though tax-exempt nonprofits do not pay federal taxes, they do have to file an information form with the IRS. Form 990 makes sure that nonprofits…
Financial Statements 101
Your balance sheet details your assets, liabilities, and owners’ equity, as well as provides a snapshot of your financial status. Data pulled from your financial statements can be used…
ImagiNE Nebraska Act Recording
On August 17, 2020, Governor Pete Ricketts signed into law Legislative Bill 1107, which includes a new business tax incentive program called the ImagiNE Nebraska Act. This Act aims to encourage high-wage…
Reporting Module for QuickBooks Desktop
This presentation covers customizing and memorizing reports, custom summary reports, the financial statement overview, and company snapshot…
Agriculture Tax Cuts & Jobs Act (199A) Update
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…
Accounts Receivable Module for QuickBooks Desktop
This presentation covers customer and job setup, item setup, billable time and expenses, reporting tips, emailing invoices, and how to use invoice templates for the accounts receivable…
Accounts Payable Module for QuickBooks Desktop
This presentation covers billable expenses, use of items, use of purchase orders, reporting tips, and how to use vendor invoices for the accounts payable module for QuickBooks Desktop…
Payroll Module for QuickBooks Desktop
This presentation covers employee setup, payroll item setup, state wage considerations, payroll liabilities, and reporting tips for the payroll module for QuickBooks Desktop…
Rural/CAH COVID-19 Financial Overview & Accounting Update
The COVID-19 public health emergency has impacted the healthcare industry in numerous ways. All healthcare providers, including rural providers such as Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and…
QuickBooks Desktop Overview
This presentation covers a general overview, new features, navigation tips, and reporting tips for QuickBooks Desktop…
Paycheck Protection Program + Loan Forgiveness
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on their payroll by offering financial assistance through a loan…
Physician’s Compensation
As often as the healthcare world is changing, updating physician compensation agreements tends to be further down on the to-do list. Just how often is it necessary to evaluate…
QuickBooks Online Overview
This presentation covers a general overview, banking center and receipt capture, new features, and reporting tips for QuickBooks Online…
External Financial Statement Audit + Medicare Cost Report Best Practices
The few months after a facilities’ fiscal year-end are always challenging. We have all been through the experience – at the time, we’ve all said “next year will be better” and “we will fix the bottlenecks”…
5 Ways to Use Technology in Your Business
Technology has transformed the way many businesses operate. According to the 2018 Digital Transformation Index, 77% of businesses describe…
Lutz adds Brady Sutfin and Tucker Zeleny
Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, welcomes Brady Sutfin and Tucker Zeleny to its Omaha and Lincoln offices…
Risk and Return + Financial Market Update + 11.17.20
When we advise clients about their investments, we always look at it through a lens of weighing risk & return. Take more risk, and one should expect higher rates of return. We believe that these two factors will…
Understanding Capital Gains Tax
To understand capital gains tax and how it may apply to you, it is crucial to first know what qualifies as a capital gain. A capital gain occurs when…
November Retirement Plan Newsletter 2020
This month’s newsletter contains insights on election year investments, retirement income surveys, retirement plan basics, and more…
Provider Relief Fund & Rural Health Clinic Reporting Requirements Update
HHS released new/updated PRF FAQs on 10.28.2020 and then again on 11.2.2020. There is a significant amount of content added and implications…
E/M Changes for 2021
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched their “Patients Over Paperwork” Initiative to reduce unnecessary burden, increase efficiencies…
Stocks Move Higher Post Election + Financial Market Update + 11.10.20
For months, investors have been fixated on the election, and many feared the result would seriously impair their portfolio. With the S&P 500…
Lutz adds Nine Staff Accountants
Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, recently added nine staff accountants to its Omaha and Grand Island offices…
Allocating Functional Expenses for Nonprofits
The changes introduced by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) in 2016 had a profound effect on how nonprofits prepare their financial statements…
Autocomplete Passwords: Are They Safe?
Passwords are the bane of many people’s existence. They’re inconvenient and often hard to remember. However, they are often the only protection our accounts have from cyber-criminals…
How to Reconcile Your Accounts in QuickBooks
There’s something satisfying about checking off transactions as you reconcile a bank account. The hard part is making those two numbers match when you’re finished – and that’s why many businesspeople avoid it…
Benefits of Temporary Staffing During Times of Crisis
Economic crises bring adverse effects on businesses, sometimes forcing them to downsize, cut employee hours, or impose a hiring freeze. This mostly happens when it’s not known how long an emergency will last…
Lutz adds Tony DeSantis to its Consulting Division
Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, welcomes Tony DeSantis to its Omaha office. Tony DeSantis joins Lutz’s consulting division and will be leading the charge for the firm’s data analytics and insights…
Get Your Budget on Track With These 8 Tips
Have you avoided creating a budget because it’s too hard to predict future income and expenses? The process can be challenging, but it’s easier if you approach it with the right mindset and tools…
What is the Form 1099-NEC?
Form 1099-NEC is used to report Non-Employee Compensation payments previously reported in Box 7 on a Form 1099-MISC. 2020 Due Date: February 1, 2021, as January 31, 2021, falls on a…
Lump-Sum Versus Dollar-Cost Averaging + Financial Market Update + 10.27.20
When thinking about market timing, the army of Robinhood day-traders is generally what comes to my mind first. There are, however, other more subtle ways one can engage in the practice. The temptation to time…
Lutz adds Tyler Hohenstein as Senior Accountant
LUTZ BUSINESS INSIGHTS Lutz adds Tyler Hohenstein as Senior Accountant Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, welcomes Tyler Hohenstein to its Grand Island office. Tyler joins Lutz’s tax department as a Senior Accountant. He is responsible for providing...
Black Monday – The 1987 Market Crash + Financial Market Update + 10.20.20
This week marks the 33rd anniversary of Black Monday, one of the most infamous trading days in market history. On October 19, 1987, the S&P 500 lost…
Tips to Set Up an Education Fund for Your Grandchildren
Fall is in the air, and kids are going back to school. For some of you, it may seem like you blinked, and last year’s school year had just ended…
October Retirement Plan Newsletter 2020
This month’s newsletter contains insights on traditional vs. roth plans, saving plan documents, budgeting for retirement, and more…
Hiring Interns: Pros and Cons Explained
Many businesses utilize internship programs to increase the team roster at little or no cost. In some situations, interns provide businesses with an array…
6 Benefits of Outsourcing Your Accounting During Times of Crisis
Whether your business is thriving or floundering during this pandemic, getting expert help with your accounting can be a smart move…
Case Study: FP Associates, P.C.
Our client, FP Associates, P.C., was experiencing issues finding and retaining a qualified individual with the appropriate skill set to replace their…
Do You Need Cyber-Insurance?
Ransomware attacks have crippled everything from major cities to school districts. Federal officials are even concerned they could be used to disrupt the current…
Lutz Financial adds Lily Rashid
Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, welcomes Lily Rashid to its Omaha office’s financial division…
Value Versus Growth + Financial Market Update + 10.13.20
The third quarter was strong for the markets with most major asset classes delivering positive returns. High growth stocks did particularly well, as the…
Cybersecurity Risk Assessment
A cybersecurity risk assessment is used to identify information assets that may be targeted by cyberattacks. It also helps you assess the current state of…
Economists Expect a Jump in Q3 GDP + Financial Market Update + 9.29.20
After experiencing the largest decline of activity since the Great Depression, the economy appears to have recovered some lost ground. Leading into the last days of the third quarter, economists have been projecting…
Financial Statements 101
Whether you are looking to purchase a business, sell a business, or ensure your current business maintains its financial health, financial statements are key to making the right…
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