Essential insights into Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), financial statement preparation, and professional bookkeeping. Discover guides for maintaining financial transparency and business health.
Which Form 990 must your nonprofit file, and what happens if you miss it? Most tax-exempt organizations must file an annual return in the Form 990 series, due by the 15th day of the 5th month after the organization’s accounting period ends (May 15 for calendar-year filers). Which form you file — 990-N, 990-EZ, 990,…
What is a Trump Account and how do you open one? A Trump Account is a new type of tax-advantaged individual retirement account for children, created by the One, Big, Beautiful Bill (OBBBA, enacted July 4, 2025). A parent, guardian, or other authorized individual can establish one for a child who is under age 18…
Do states follow the federal QSBS exclusion under OBBBA — and why does state conformity matter? Not automatically. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA, Pub. L. No. 119-21) expanded the federal Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) exclusion under IRC §1202 — but states set their own conformity. Maine and Oregon have enacted legislation DECOUPLING…
What is the ISSB global baseline for sustainability disclosure, and why does it matter in 2026? The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) — established by the IFRS Foundation — issued IFRS S1 (general sustainability-related financial disclosures) and IFRS S2 (climate-related disclosures) as a global baseline for how companies report sustainability information to investors. By 2026,…
How should companies account for transferable tax credits under U.S. GAAP? The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) voted in May 2026 to advance a project on the accounting treatment of nonrefundable transferable tax credits — including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) clean energy credits under IRC §6418, CHIPS and Science Act semiconductor credits, and One…
How can you tell a Social Security imposter scam from a real government contact? The Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG) issued a fresh warning in 2026 about a rising imposter scam: criminals impersonate real federal employees by harvesting names from social media and sending doctored badge photos to “verify” their…
How does the IRS Offer in Compromise work, and how do you avoid OIC mills? An IRS Offer in Compromise (OIC) is a legally-binding agreement between a taxpayer and the IRS to settle outstanding tax debt for less than the full amount owed. You apply with Form 656-B (Offer in Compromise Booklet) plus a $205…
Who qualifies for the No Tax on Tips deduction under the final regulations? The Treasury and IRS issued final regulations on April 10, 2026 (IR-2026-49) implementing the “No Tax on Tips” deduction under the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Workers in 70+ occupations on the Treasury Tipped Occupation Code (TTOC) list can deduct qualified…
What does ASU 2023-05 require for joint venture formation accounting? Under FASB Accounting Standards Update 2023-05, joint ventures must record assets received and liabilities assumed at fair value at the formation date — adopting a new basis of accounting on day one. The guidance is in new Subtopic 805-60 and is effective prospectively for any…
What did the FASB decide on equity method targeted improvements at the May 13, 2026 Board meeting? The FASB tentatively decided to apply a single “significant influence” threshold for the equity method regardless of entity type, remove the 20% presumption, broaden the board-of-directors indicator to functionally-equivalent governing bodies, and require general-partner significant-influence treatment for noncontrolling…
