KOS Senior Tax Manager Christie Butcher to speak at Simple Strategies to Boost Your Business Workshop

Are you ready to take your business to the next level?

Thursday, July 10th
8:30am - 12:00pm
Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA)
820 North Michigan Avenue
Third Floor, Simpson Lecture Hall
Chicago, IL 60611

Check in and breakfast will begin at 8:30am followed by speaker presentations.

During this morning workshop, you will learn effective strategies to help you shift from start-up mode to growth mode. Industry leaders in the areas of legal, commercial real estate, insurance, taxes and technology will provide essential knowledge, tools and guidance needed to successfully grow your business.

Reserve your spot
$35 by June 26th
$50 after June 26th
http://SimplyBoostYourBusiness.eventbrite.com

Christie Butcher, CDFA, CPA, MST
Session Description: Having a clean set of financials is one thing, using them to get ahead in your business is another. In this seminar, Christie will discuss the importance of reviewing your financials frequently during the year and preparing for the tax impact of your day to day decisions. She will also address expiring tax provisions and the benefits of retirement planning for your small business. Never to be left out, there will also be a discussion around the provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

The Tax Deadline Has Passed...Now What?

Now that both the initial business and individual tax deadlines have passed (for calendar year filers), you may be thinking it is time to breathe easy until next year.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  There are several things you can be doing now, to prepare and plan for your 2014 tax filing.  

1. Top priority is to make sure your tax return is in a secure place.  In our paperless world, make sure you have saved a copy of your returns to an external hard drive, or to the cloud.  It's a good idea to keep the supporting documents for those returns in the same place. If you have a paper copy of your return and supporting documents, make sure they are locked up. While the IRS statute of limitations (the time limit for the IRS to audit your return) in most cases may only be three years from the time of filing, many states have different limitations.  Therefore, we recommend saving your returns for at least six years.  You also never know when you will be applying for a new loan, college assistance, or other situation that requires a copy of your prior year tax returns.
2. If you got a larger than expected refund for 2013, and especially if you owed more than anticipated, you should consider revising your Form W-4 with your payroll department.  This is the form that determines the amount of federal withholding that is taken out of your paycheck.  And don’t forget to adjust your state withholding also. Increasing your allowances will put more money in your pocket on payday, while decreasing your allowances will reduce your paycheck. 
3. Contact your CPA!  It's never too early to start tax planning.  Having a midyear status check to see how your day to day life changes are impacting your tax situation, as well as seeing how your business is doing and how any tax changes for 2014 will impact you, is always a good idea.  Be proactive about your taxes!
4. Keep a file folder for 2014 taxes, and make sure it is easily accessible.  Every time you get a document that you may need for your 2014 taxes, put it in the folder.  Examples include: charitable contribution receipts, closing statements from property sales or purchases, property tax receipts, rental expense receipts, etc.  When you start receiving your 2014 IRS tax forms, you will have everything in one spot, making your life much easier. 
5. If you have extended your return for 2013, make sure you are in the process of getting the final pieces of information together and to your CPA.  September 15^th and October 15^th will be here before we know it!

As always, contact our office with any questions or concerns.  We are always happy to help!

KOS Senior Manager Christie Butcher to Speak at Empowering Emerging Entrepreneurs: New Business Bootcamp

KOS Senior Manager Christie Butcher to Speak at Empowering Emerging Entrepreneurs: New Business Bootcamp

By: KOS Leadership

Christie Butcher, KOS Senior Manager, will be speaking at the Empowering Emerging Entrepreneurs: New Business Bootcamp to be held at the Loyola University Museum of Art. This event will take place on Friday, May 16th at 8:30am - 12:00pm. The Museum is located at 820 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611.

The morning workshop is for new business owners who want to learn how to be successful in launching and growing a new business venture. Valuable insights in the areas of legal, insurance, finance, taxes and marketing will be provided to help you avoid many common mistakes that new business owners tend to make.

Reserve your spot!
$20 by May 1st
$35 after May 1st
http://EmpoweringEmergingEntrepreneurs.eventbrite.com

ABC Newsviews Part 2: Taxes Featuring KOS Partner

ABC Newsviews Part 2: Taxes Featuring KOS Partner

By: KOS Leadership


Below is part 2 of ABC Newsviews talking about taxes and what filers need to know. The video features Geoffrey J. Harlow, KOS Partner.

The link below will take you to the Video

 http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=9425282

ABC Newsviews Part 1: Taxes Featuring KOS Partner

ABC Newsviews Part 1: Taxes Featuring KOS Partner

By: KOS Leadership


Below is part 1 of ABC Newsviews talking about taxes and what filers need to know. The video features Geoffrey J. Harlow, KOS Partner.

The Link below will take you to the Video

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=9425275