Resource Center

Accounting Automation

Are you still operating in outdated accounting workflows that require hours of manual data entry, bank statement reconciliation, document management, and paper...

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Human Capital Management

From process improvements to automation adoption, businesses everywhere are looking for ways to streamline their operations and improve productivity. And in...

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Cloud-Based Accounting

Cloud-based accounting is secure, convenient, and efficient. Download this informative quick-guide to get all the facts. The guide will...

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Payroll Data Metrics

Ensure you are not glossing over key payroll data metrics with our handy infographic. This convenient reference guide aims to educate you on the...

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Auto-Shop Back-Office Best Practices

Don't let your business slip into reverse—download our FREE guide that will help you save money and make...

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Back-Office Best Practices

Our goal is for you to understand the efficiencies of these best practices and implement them in your business. You will learn...

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Profit First for Auto Repair Shops

Even the most successful owners often feel like their profit is taking a back seat. We'll help you transform your business and put profit...

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Parts Pricing Matrix

With an auto parts markup matrix, you can streamline your process for marking up parts and grow your shop’s profit margin—without compromising on fairness...

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Labor Rate Calculator

Know what you can afford to pay your technicians to drive the profit you want.Using data from your P&L or shop...

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Hiring an Employee vs Hiring an Independent Contractor: What a CPA wants you to know

Learn the crucial differences between hiring an employee and hiring an independent contractor. Understand the IRS criteria for classification.

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Articles

How to get better restaurant reviews: deliver an ‘amazing experience’

Learn how to deliver an amazing experience at your restaurant to attract repeat customers and get better reviews. From setting the right atmosphere to ..

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Articles

Profit First is hard work. Here’s why your small business should implement it anyway.

Profit First is hard work. It's also a game-changer for small businesses. Find out how Profit First provides clarity on your finances, fosters ...

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Articles

Marketing for Restaurants: Where to Start

Learn how to effectively market your restaurant without breaking the bank. Find out where to start and how implementing these tips will help your ...

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Podcast

Entrepreneurial Navigation: Where Style and Success Converge

In this episode, we are thrilled to have Jose Vazquez, a visionary entrepreneur and partner at Match Kicks, guiding us through the fascinating ...

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Articles

Converting from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online: What does the process look like?

Making the switch from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online? Discover the process, benefits, and why seeking professional help is crucial for a ....

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Podcast

Crafting a Culture of Excellence in Automotive Repair

Brin Kline dives into crafting a culture of excellence in automotive repair—what sets Assured Auto Works apart in the world of general automotive ...

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Articles

Which Restaurant Pricing Strategy Works Best?

Learn which restaurant pricing strategy works best for your restaurant and how to optimize your menu prices for profitability and customer satisfaction.

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Articles

Top 3 Small Business Accounting Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Learn the top 3 small business accounting mistakes we see and how to avoid them to ensure accurate financial statements so you can make informed decisions.

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Articles

Why your business needs to switch from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online ASAP

Discover how QuickBooks Online makes your life easier and why your business needs to switch from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online ASAP.

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Articles

Why now might be the right time to change your accountant

Is now the right time to change your accountant? Discover the signs you need a new accountant and why now might be the time to switch accountants.

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Podcast

Navigating the Automotive Business Landscape

John and Eric sit down with Colten Ramsey, the founder of Ramsey Repair in Iowa. Colten opens up about his early career aspirations, his two ...

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Articles

How to set up online delivery for restaurants in 5 steps

Learn how to set up online delivery for your restaurant in 5 easy steps. Discover the importance of online ordering and how it can maximize your ...

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Podcast

The Power of Coaching in Automotive Business

In this latest episode, we have the pleasure of welcoming two incredible guests from the Institute of Automotive Business Excellence - Jennifer Hulbert …

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Articles

How to Cultivate Customer Relationships for Restaurants

Discover how to cultivate meaningful customer relationships for your restaurant, increase customer engagement, and create a thriving restaurant community.

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Articles

The 5 Ways Menu Choices Can Increase Your Restaurant’s Profitability

Increase your restaurant's profitability with these 5 menu choices. Learn how to identify your most profitable dishes, optimize your menu size …

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Podcast

Crafting a Legacy Business

Tom Jiaras shares the extraordinary tale of how his business was born and how his passion transformed into a mission to curate an unparalleled ...

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Articles

Bookkeeping vs Advisory Services

Discover the difference between bookkeeping and advisory services for your small business accounting needs. Learn how to choose the right CPA firm and ...

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Articles

How to simplify operations and increase profit for restaurants

Learn how to simplify operations and increase profits in your restaurant business.

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Podcast

Harnessing The Power Of AI

Rob and Mike provide invaluable insights that will empower business owners to harness the true potential of AI. Join us as we explore their ...

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Articles

Accounting for restaurants: 7 ways to increase their profit

Restaurant owners face unique challenges. Learn 7 ways restaurants can increase their profit potential.

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Articles

How to price parts for auto repair shops

Learn how to price parts for your auto shop so that your business can stay profitable, healthy, and ultimately grow.

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Articles

Accounting for Restaurants 101: 3 Things to Know if You're Just Getting Started

Learn the essentials of accounting for restaurants and set yourself up for success. Discover the unique challenges restaurants face and how to overcome...

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Articles

Accounting Tips for Auto Shops

Usually, folks don’t get into auto repair because they like accounting – they do it because they like to fix cars. The problem is that good accounting ...

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Articles

The 5 Best Business Books Every Small Business Owner Should Read: 2023

With these 5 books, any small business owner will have a great foundation for how to build their business the right way.

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Podcast

The Power Of Networking In Your Industry

Get ready to feel inspired with this week's podcast featuring Kim Hickey, the Director of Client Fulfillment with Automotive Training Institute (ATI).

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Articles

How can I afford to pay for an accountant or CPA firm?

Is an accountant an extravagance you can't afford for your small business? Understanding all that an accountant actually DOES for your business can ...

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Articles

The 3 Biggest Mistakes We See Small Businesses Make

You don't need superpowers to run a successful business – though it might feel that way at times. But, there are mistakes you can avoid to make ...

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Articles

How will AI replace my CPA?

With all the buzz about AI and the impact it will have on how we do business, we know the technology has amazing capabilities, but can it do it all? ...

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Podcast

Serving local business owners

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Mayor John Antaramian of beautiful Kenosha, Wisconsin as he shares his vision for building a vibrant ...

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Articles

What can you do when you have a bad-fit accountant?

A good relationship with your accountant is invaluable for your business, but it's important that your CPA's skills are aligned with your goals.

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What's it like working with a monthly accounting firm?

A CPA isn’t just there to crunch numbers — a great monthly CPA provides tools and guidance to help you grow your business.

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How much does monthly accounting cost for small businesses?

Accounting is complex but pricing doesn't need to be. We break down what affects your cost for monthly accounting with Kaizen.

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Too big or not big enough? When to hire in-house accounting help

When your accounting is a bottleneck for your business, you need help, whether it means hiring an office manager or finding an accountant to help you grow.

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Articles

Why some of our team is overseas

Our international team provides invaluable support, allowing our CPAs in the US to spend more time helping clients plan for bigger picture business growth.

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Podcast

Running a family business

Bill and Bob Seitz, brothers and the owners of Libertyville Car Spa and BP of Lake Forest, joined us to discuss their journey from taking over the …

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Articles

Hiring a CPA vs QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping: Which is right for you?

One major difference between QuickBooks Live bookkeeping & a CPA comes down to advice and planning for meaningful growth of your small business.

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Podcast

Running a nonprofit

Have you ever wondered if working for a nonprofit organization is for you or what it takes to be a part of a nonprofit? Tara Panasewicz, CEO at ...

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Articles

Can’t get ahold of your accountant? Why communication is SO important for a CPA

Communication is the key to any good relationship, so what does it mean when your accountant isn’t picking up the phone when you call?

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Articles

What's the difference between a monthly accountant and an annual accountant?

When you want to grow your business and avoid tax surprises, look to a monthly accountant for year-round guidance and real tax strategy.

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Articles

The 3 BIG reasons people fire their accountant

Should you fire your accountant? Breaking up is hard, but your business depends on accurate data, good advice, and communication with your accountant.

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Podcast

From Empty Nester to Business Owner

Heidi is a luxury brand designer whose dreams of starting her business were paused as she navigated motherhood.

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Articles

Who isn't a good fit to work with Kaizen?

Looking for small business services, like accounting and payroll? We aren't the best fit for everyone, and not everyone is an ideal client for our firm.

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Articles

Need advice? Why an accountant might be the best advisor you aren’t using (yet)

With experience, real numbers, and inside knowledge of your business, your accountant just might be where you get the best advice for your small business.

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Articles

What we do together in the first 90 days

It's important to have an accounting team that understands your business and your goals and that you feel confident your team is here to help you succeed.

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Articles

Why we’re a pro Profit First CPA firm

Why choose Profit First? Profit First is a budgeting process that is easily executed by small business owners, is relatively simple, and it works!

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Podcast

Finding Your Speciality In Business

Diane is a seasoned accountant with over 26 years of experience in accounting. Diane's success comes from her ability to find her niche in accounting ...

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Podcast

Serving Your Community

During the season of giving, we took a moment to speak with Greg Milligan from Habitat for Humanity in Kenosha County. Greg has served as affiliate ...

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Articles

Illinois Minimum Wage is increasing January 1

Illinois minimum wage is set to increase once again for tipped and non-tipped workers on January 1, 2023.

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Articles

5 ways to stay safe after a winter car accident

Keeping a cool head after an accident will do more than help everyone get through a stressful situation — it will help keep everyone safer, too.

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Articles

Why you shouldn’t wait until ‘crisis mode’ to hire an accountant

Planning with your accountant throughout the year—rather than waiting until end of year—helps you reach your goals and avoid unwanted surprises.

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Podcast

The Transition to Running Your Own Business

Dave Hinz worked 17 years as a automotive tech before making the leap into running and managing his own business. After 20 years running his own ...

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Articles

What does your accounting firm actually do for you every month?

An accounting firm that takes a comprehensive approach to your business can help keep you focused and on the path to creating your dream business.

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Podcast

Running a Business Without a Formal Education

Erik Vega is unique among our clients. As the owner of R.E. Burke Roofing and Sheet Metal, he routinely works with union employees for commercial ...

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Podcast

How to Implement Profit First Strategies into Your Business

Ron Saharyan is a co-founder of Profit First Professionals. Based on the book by Mike Michalowicz, Profit First is a way for running a profitable business.

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Articles

It’s time to outsource your payroll, here’s why

Working with a payroll provider is a better way to support compliance as your business grows and requirements become more complex.

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Articles

What you need to know about the Employee Retention Credit in 2022

ERC, a tax credit that encouraged business owners to keep employees on payroll during the pandemic, has helped many businesses survive the last few years.

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Podcast

Finding The Right People In Business

There’s always a fine balance between modernizing and keeping what people love when you own a family business. On this episode have on Mike Hagi to …

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Podcast

Finding Your Ideal Customer With Rob Stoner and Mike Sokolski

Do you have trouble finding your ideal customer? This week, we have on Rob Stoner and Mike Sokolski, co-owners of Horizon Managed Services, to ...

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Articles

How to use the pass-through entity tax in Wisconsin or Illinois

Pass-through entity (PTE) taxation can help counter negative implications of the cap on itemized SALT (state and local tax) deductions.

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Articles

How to calculate overtime in a bi-weekly pay cycle for Wisconsin and Illinois

It's important to get your payroll right. Calculating overtime in a bi-weekly pay cycle can add another layer of complexity, but there are tools to help!

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Podcast

The Power Of Referrals

The best marketing technique also happens to be free: word of mouth is one of THE greatest ways to spread the word and gain new business. That said ...

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Articles

How to pick an insurance carrier for your small business

75% of businesses are under-insured and under-protected. A good insurance agent will help you get the right types of coverage for your small business.

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Articles

How small businesses can cut costs & improve cash flow in a recession

Make sure your business is ready for anything. Step 1: Have at least six months of costs covered to ensure your business can survive an economic downturn.

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Podcast

Running A Woman Owned Business With Sue Dickson

This week we have small business owner, Sue Dickson on. We talked about a variety of topics including how to take advantage of a local workforce …

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Articles

Should your small business buy property?

Owning real estate for your small business has many advantages. If you're thinking about buying property, be sure it's right time and the right space.

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Podcast

Setting up your Chiropractic Business for Growth

You want your chiropractic business to grow, but how? You can’t just find more patients, right? We had Jeff Turnbull on to talk about the best way to grow.

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Podcast

Running a multi-restaurant business

Family-owned restaurants are common in our industry. What isn’t common is the success Dino Katris has had managing multiple restaurants.

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Articles

Creating a foundation for small business growth

Prepare your small business for growth: Meet with a CPA to be sure your financial statements are reflecting growth readiness & establish a growth strategy.

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Podcast

Introducing: Blood, Sweat & Business

A business needs to grow – but no two businesses grow the same way. Welcome to the Blood, Sweat, and Business podcast with Eric Joern and John Chiapetta…

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Articles

S-corp, Partnership, or C-corp: Which is right for your small business growth?

S-corp, partnership, or C-corp? Choosing the right tax entity for your small business depends largely on your long-term goals for your business.

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Articles

How to Grow Your Small Business Through Mergers and Acquisitions

Learn how an experienced CPA can help guide you to create meaningful, sustained growth for your small business through mergers and acquisitions (M&A).

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Articles

Why a CPA should be the first hire at your startup

There's a common misconception that a CPA simply prepares your tax return. But, a CPA can help ensure your startup is set up for long-term success.

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Articles

Managing your business growth organically

Growth should be a goal of any business. That said, not all growth is created equal. If not done correctly, it can be downright dangerous.

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Articles

Supply chain issues aren't always bad for auto repair shops

Supply chains issues often cause disruptions that can hurt or even completely shut down a business, but it's not always the case for auto repair shops.

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Articles

What a recession might mean for your restaurant

A recession can be especially rough on restaurants, so we're taking a deep dive into things you can do to keep your business open during a recession.

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Articles

How to read your financial statements as a small business owner

The purpose of good financial statements is to provide the financial narrative of your business over a span of time.

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Articles

How to Recession-Proof Your Business

Are we headed toward a recession? Maybe. Here's how to recession-proof your business when times are good, so you don't need to worry when things get hard.

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Articles

How to Organize Your Auto Repair Shop Income Statement

An income statement includes a list of all the money that goes in and out of your auto repair shop. It includes the following information...

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Articles

Improve Your Tire Store Profit Margin With These Simple Steps

If you're not sure why your tire store profit margin matters, let us break it down for you.

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Articles

Cook County Minimum Wage is on the Rise July 1

July 1, minimum wage for tipped and non-tipped workers will increase for the city of Chicago and Cook County. Another increase is scheduled for Jan 2023...

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Articles

Must-Have Features in an Accounting Software for Auto Shops

Accounting software for auto shops isn't just nice to have, it's a must-have.

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Articles

Why Shop Owners Are Outsourcing Their Automotive Payroll

Manual payroll and accounting processes don't work for auto shop owners anymore because of the number of documents and logistics that go into the process.

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Articles

7 Auto Repair Shop Tax Deductions to Save Money

Learn more about the tax deductions your auto repair shop may be missing out on so you can act proactively for next year!

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Articles

Are You Making These Costly Auto Shop Accounting Mistakes?

Poor accounting can negatively affect your auto repair shop in many ways, from things like penalties and fees to the impact of having a bad reputation.

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Articles

Augusta Rule: How to Master this Tax Loophole

If you're a homeowner, you could save thousands of dollars with a tax loophole called the Augusta rule. It's incredibly easy, but you have to do it right.

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Articles

The Past, Present, and Future of Cloud-Based Accounting

Cloud-based accounting is a process in which you use an internet-based system to access your accounting from anywhere at any time.

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Articles

Are You Doing Enough to Ensure Check Fraud Protection?

Businesses are still susceptible to check fraud. The key to reducing check fraud on your business is to know what it is and the best ways of avoiding it.

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Articles

Eliminate Phishing With Secure File Sharing for Business

How secure is your business? There's a good chance that it isn't as secure as you may think. This blog outlines how secure file sharing for business ...

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Articles

How Automated Onboarding Improves Your Bottom Line

Automated Onboarding cuts costs for businesses and optimizes employee experience.

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Articles

Our Team Has Grown! Kaizen Merges With SCL CPA PC

Kaizen CPAs & Advisors is excited to announce the merger with SCL CPA PC! Effective January 1, 2022, both firms will operate under the Kaizen name.

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Articles

Streamline Benefits Enrollment: Digital Tools, Expert Tips & Retention

Learn how to optimize benefits enrollment with digital tools, expert guidance, and strong communication to boost employee engagement and retention.

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Articles

Time is Money: The Benefits of Time and Attendance Tracking Software

Time and attendance tracking software for both salary-based employees and hourly employees.

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Articles

Human Capital Management Solutions for Scaling Businesses

The following Human Capital Management solutions will help businesses fuel growth more efficiently and reduce the headache of common challenges.

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Articles

11 Features to Look for in an HCM Platform

Automated HCM (Human Capital Management) solutions have numerous benefits. Thus blog details 11 features you should be looking for in your HCM platform.

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Articles

What Is Electronic Payment, and Why Does it Matter in 2022?

Accounting has many repetitive processes, so it can be beneficial to automate it, particularly with electronic payments over traditional payments.

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Articles

How OCR and Accounting Software Make Bookkeeping a Breeze

Discover how OCR and accounting software team up to streamline bookkeeping, save time, and keep your financials accurate and organized.

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Articles

How AP Automation Solutions Are Changing Accounting

Discover how AP automation solutions can transform your small business accounting by saving time, cutting costs, and boosting efficiency.

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Quickbooks

Connect Your Bank Accounts to QuickBooks Online

One of the most powerful features of QBO is the ability to import transactions from your online financial institution, also known as “bank feeds”.

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Articles

Lake County Workforce Development Program

If you’re an employer in or near Lake County, and you are having trouble finding qualified candidates to fill open positions within your company, and …

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Articles

Highlighting 5 Benefits of Using HCM and Payroll Software

As your business grows and flourishes, keeping everything running smoothly takes more work. Every individual part of your organization’s ecosystem ...

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Articles

Are You Overlooking These 7 Key Payroll Data Metrics?

As your employee pool grows, so too will the need to have efficient payroll processes. However, as you may well know, payroll professionals are ...

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Articles

HCM 101: What Is Human Capital Management?

Discover how Human Capital Management (HCM) software can streamline HR tasks, improve payroll processes, and enhance organizational efficiency.

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Articles

Employee Retention Credit (ERC)—You Might Still Qualify

People photo created by lookstudio – www.freepik.com Employee Retention Credit—what is it? Simply put, the Employee Retention Credit, or more commonly ...

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Quickbooks

How QuickBooks Can Help Your Business Recover

Discover how QuickBooks Online can assist with transaction tracking, online payments, expense categorization, time tracking, and essential reports.

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Articles

Employee vs. Contractor: Avoid Costly Misclassification for Your Business

Avoid costly fines and penalties by correctly classifying your workers as employees or contractors. Learn the key differences and compliance tips to protect your business.

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Articles

IRS Estimates the Tax Gap Totals Hundreds of $$BILLIONS

The Biden team is proposing $80 billion in new IRS enforcement funding to close the so-called tax gap.

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Articles

Millions of Backlogged Tax Returns

If you are one of the many people wondering what happened to the refund you expected from your 2019 federal tax return, you are not alone.

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Articles

REMINDER – Required IL Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

On July 1, 2020, Public Act 101-0221 amended the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA) requiring Illinois employers to provide sexual harassment prevention …

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Quickbooks

Easily Track and Bill Customer Expenses with QuickBooks Online

Learn how to track and invoice billable time and expenses in QuickBooks Online to improve cash flow and ensure timely reimbursement.

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Quickbooks

How to Create Recurring Transactions in QuickBooks Online

Learn how to set up recurring transactions in QuickBooks Online to save time, minimize errors, and automate your accounting tasks efficiently.

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Quickbooks

5 Resolutions QuickBooks Online Users Should Make for 2021

Discover the five resolutions that QuickBooks Online users should make for ...

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Quickbooks

Navigate QuickBooks Online Mobile App: Essential Tools and Tips

Master the QuickBooks Online mobile app with navigation tips and tools for managing transactions, records, and reports on the go.

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Articles

Widespread Fraud Scheme Impacting All State Unemployment Programs

WARNING Unemployment fraud is impacting Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) programs across the nation.

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Articles

Protect Yourself From Time Theft

30% of Employees Admit to This Crime No business owner wants to believe their employees are dishonest.

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Articles

Avoid Payroll Violations

Did You Know? In the past five years, business owners paid more than $1.2 billion in back wages due to payroll violations. Reduce ...

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Quickbooks

How to Record Customer Payments in QuickBooks Online

Learn simple ways to accurately record customer payments in QuickBooks Online to keep your finances on track and ensure accurate cash flow management.

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Articles

Illinois Employers: A Must Read If You Hire Independent Contractors

Are you aware that your independent contractor can file for unemployment insurance benefits? You probably thought that only W-2 employees could apply ...

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Quickbooks

How to Create and Use Vendor Records in QuickBooks Online

Learn how to create and utilize vendor records in QuickBooks Online to streamline your supply chain management and maintain healthy vendor relationships.

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Quickbooks

How to Use Rules in QuickBooks Online Transactions

Learn how to use Rules in QuickBooks Online transactions to automate categorization and save time.

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Articles

Do I Have to Pay Back My Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan?

Recently, the federal government signed into law the $2 trillion CARES Act, which provides financial assistance to individuals, families, and ...

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Quickbooks

Are You Following Best Practices in QuickBooks Online?

Improve your QuickBooks Online efficiency with these essential best practices.

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Articles

Managing Cash Flow During Difficult Times

Business owners are continually challenged with reducing costs and managing cash flow, even more so during difficult times. Lowering your insurance ...

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Articles

Illinois Employers – Don’t Take Your Employee’s Tips!

Effective January 1, 2020, the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act has been amended regarding employee tips/gratuities. The law states that ...

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Articles

Effective January – Sexual Harassment Training Required In Illinois

Effective January 1, 2020 Sexual Harassment Training Required In Illinois Beginning in January, as one part of a new law called the Workplace ...

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Articles

How the New Form W-4 Affects Employee Withholding and Your Payroll

Discover the key changes in the 2020 Form W-4 and how they impact employees and employers. Learn how to navigate the new form efficiently.

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Articles

Thinking About Selling Your Business?

15 Helpful Steps for a Successful Sale Are you considering exiting your business or desire the flexibility to do so at any time? From the moment you ...

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Articles

U.S. Department of Labor Final Overtime Rule

Effective January 1, 2020, nearly 1.3 million American workers will be newly eligible for overtime pay. The U.S. Department of Labor enacted the ...

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Articles

Employer Tax Credit for Paid Family and Medical Leave

As a small business owner, there’s a lot to manage and frankly, it can be daunting. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and all the rules ...

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Articles

Employee Meetings and Training: Paid or Unpaid?

Ensure compliance with FLSA when compensating employees for meetings and training sessions. Know when time is non-compensable to avoid legal issues.

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Articles

Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program

ILLINOIS BUSINESS OWNERS A retirement savings program is mandatory as of November 2019. You have options, and we can help. Please contact us today!

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Articles

Sales Tax Responsibilities Have Undergone a Seismic Shift Recently

Sales tax responsibilities have undergone a seismic shift recently due to the landmark court case known as the Wayfair case. This case could ...

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Articles

Do You Have More Credit Card Debt than Emergency Savings?

Putting away money for a rainy day and spending within your means makes great sense. Any financial planner, child of the Great Depression, your parents ...

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Articles

IRS Warns of Fraudsters Targeting HR Personnel

In December of last year, the Internal Revenue Service warned tax professionals of an increase in phishing emails that involved payroll direct deposit ...

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Articles

Can I Bank Overtime Pay or “Time In Lieu” for My Employees?

This blog post is to simply share information with you that we found interesting. The content was gathered from various online resources related to ...

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Articles

DOL Rescinds 80/20 Rule

The U.s. department of labor recently issued an update bulletin rescinding prior guidance known as the “80/20 rule”. Since 2009, this rule stopped ...

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Articles

Payroll Fraud: The Different Types, Detecting It and Preventing It

At first glance, payroll fraud might seem difficult to achieve–after all, shouldn’t theft be easy to spot? Well-hidden fraud is not obvious to most ...

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Articles

Resolve to Look Into QuickBooks Online This Year

Small business owners are always hunting for cost-effective business solutions. Which helps explain why so many are turning to QuickBooks Online...

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Articles

Avoid Penalties – Ensure Accuracy of Wage Reporting

The Social Security Administration has started mailing informational notifications to employers that submitted W-2s for 2017 that contained mismatched ..

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Articles

IL & WI Will Require Sales Tax Collection by Internet Sellers

Illinois and Wisconsin, along with 28 other states are acting to pass laws or regulations to require sales tax collection by remote sellers now or in ...

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Articles

Child Sales Tax Rebate

The Wisconsin Department of Revenue is offering a $100 (per child) sales tax rebate for dependent children. Sound fiscal management and a strong ...

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Articles

IRS Warns on ‘Dirty Dozen’ Tax Scams

With just over two weeks away until Tax Day, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is encouraging taxpayers to remain vigilant about the aggressive and ...

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Articles

Meals and Entertainment Changes Under Tax Reform

The Tax Cuts and Job Act (TCJA) enacted extensive changes to the deductibility of meals and entertainment expenses for companies. If you are in the ...

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Articles

A Healthy Start to the New Year!

Happy New Year! All of the guests have returned home, the holiday decorations are taken down and packed away, the hustle and bustle of the holiday ...

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Articles

Did You Receive a Notification from HHS?

On June 21, 2016, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued 500,000 notices to employers across the country, informing them of ...

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Articles

Using a Vehicle for Business: Q&A

Next to your home, your car is probably the most expensive investment you make. The costs of paying for and maintaining it can be considerable.

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Articles

5 IRS Audit Red Flags

You may have done nothing wrong, but the prospect of an IRS audit makes everyone sweat.

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Articles

What is a Tax Return Extension?

Learn about tax return extensions and how they can give you extra time to file your taxes. Find out what an extension does ...

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Articles

Five Simple Tips to Lower Your Tax Bill

Soon you will have filed or extended your 2015 tax return. Now it’s time to plan for next tax season. Here are five simple tax planning tips for 2016.

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Articles

Do You Owe Taxes to the IRS?

If you owe taxes to the IRS, your payment must be received by the due date, even if you apply for more time to file. Failure to pay on-time will ...

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Articles

Where’s My Illinois Tax Refund?

We get this question all tax season long. Where is my Illinois tax refund?

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Articles

Residential Energy Efficiency Property Credit

As of the 2015 tax year, the federal government extended the Credit through 2016. This tax credit is 30 percent ...

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Articles

IRS Warns of New Surge in IRS E-mail Schemes

IR-2016-28 – IRS News Release WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service renewed a consumer alert for e-mail schemes after seeing an approximate ...

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Who Can You Rightfully Claim as a Tax Dependent?

Do you ever wonder who you can rightfully claim as a dependent on your tax return and whether or not they qualify as a dependent? A dependent is a ...

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Donating to Charity

If you support certain causes throughout the year, your gift might be tax deductible and reduce any tax you owe. If you want to claim a tax deduction ...

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Papers, Papers & More Papers, Oh My!

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Should You Claim the Home Office Deduction?

One of the many ways to reduce your income tax obligation is by claiming the Home Office Deduction. However, to avoid any issues with the IRS, it is ...

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Articles

Are Your Child Care Expenses Deductible?

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to raise a child born in 2013 to the age of 18, it will cost an average couple $245,340. Luckily ...

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Articles

The 10 Tips to Know if You Get a Letter from the IRS

The IRS mails millions of notices and letters to taxpayers each year. There are a variety or reasons you may receive a notice. Please read the ...

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Articles

Fighting Identity Theft is an Ongoing Battle

Since 2011, the IRS has been involved with 19 million suspicious tax returns due to identity theft. Fighting identity theft is an ongoing battle as ...

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Last Minute Tax Planning Change

Last Friday, December, 19, 2014, the President signed into law the “Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014.” This Act contains last minute, retroactive ...

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Articles

New Repair Regulations Revisited

Now that the year is coming to an end, we would like to revisit the new repair regulations. The IRS has decided that we need to determine whether to ...

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Articles

Wealth Transfer

Even as Congress continues to tinker with year-end tax breaks and incentives, it is never too early to begin addressing legacy planning issues.

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Articles

IRS Reiterates Warning of Pervasive Telephone Scam

IR-2014-53 WASHINGTON — As the 2014 filing season nears an end, the Internal Revenue Service today issued another strong warning for consumers ..

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How do you Protect Yourself from Tax-Related Identity Theft?

A recently-released survey by taxAudit.com of 2,000 Americans on the subject of tax scams noted that nearly 80 percent of Americans feel vulnerable to ...

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Articles

Can I Deduct Home Improvements on my Tax Return?

For tax purposes, a home improvement includes any major improvements done that substantially adds to the value of your home, increases its useful life...

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Articles

Selling Your Business? Make Your Business Valuable, Marketable and Purchasable

Selling a business is one of the most important financial occurrences in a business owner’s lifetime. Selling a business should be a planned and ...

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Articles

Do you reimburse employees for health insurance?

Do you reimburse employees for individual health policies? If you do, you may be in violation of a recently issued IRS guidance notice. Until ...

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IRS fine-tuning audit efforts

Although you may have read recent news stories claiming the IRS will be conducting fewer audits than in years past, it’s too soon to breathe a ...

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Articles

New Repair Regulations

The IRS finally released long-anticipated regulations on when we can deduct repairs and improvements. The new rules went into effect on January 1, 2014.

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Accounting Automation

Human Capital Management

Cloud-Based Accounting

Payroll Data Metrics

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Employee Information Form

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Essential Year-End Payroll and Tax Moves for Big Savings

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Is an AI Accountant Any Good?

Small Businesses Save Time and Money with Employee Self-Serve

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Give A Competitive Advantage To Your Business

How to Save Big with Employee Self-Serve

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iSolved vs Quickbooks Online: A Fight for Your Payroll

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How Your POS System Impacts Your Business Financials

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Evaluate Your CPA's Performance

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3 Tax Strategies Your CPA Could Be Missing

Auto Repair Shop Communication Inside & Out

Tracking Mileage in QuickBooks Online

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