Weinstein Spira’s blog, The Balancing Act, provides helpful information on technical accounting and CPA firm culture.
Top Categories: Culture Tax Audit Our Team Employee Benefit Plan Audits
A company’s financials provide important information regarding current economic wellbeing and, if you know what to look for, can provide information on potential future success or failure. Whether you’re an auditor, a tax accountant, a company looking to acquire...
In my 23 years of auditing Employee Benefit Plans (EBPs), I have found there to be several misconceptions surrounding the EBP audit process. In this article, I would like to help clear the air in hopes of making this process more positive and productive for all...
As you may know, the new lease standard, ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) on February 25, 2016, is now effective for public business entities, along with certain not-for-profit entities and employee benefit...
If you deal with Excel regularly, then you are probably searching for a quick and easy way to add immediate visual clarity to your spreadsheets. Many Excel files include large amounts of data which are not arranged or presented in any useful graphic fashion....
Frequent users of Excel are routinely looking for ways to condense an enormous volume of data into useful information. Proficiency with the pivot table feature in Excel can provide a pivotal method by which to encapsulate numbers into what you and your viewers are...
Are you tired of switching between tabs on your single Excel workbook? Want the ability to calculate backward? Fortunately, Microsoft Excel now has functions to solve these demands. In our newest addition to the Excel Hacks series, I will be showcasing the “New...
Independent, third-party audits have long been viewed as a necessary component of doing business. It’s something that generally must be performed in response to outside forces (i.e., banking institutions, external equity holders, etc.) in order to maintain a...
A fresh, new year always brings up resolutions. These hopes and dreams usually surround health, love and money (and follow with many questions). Some of the money questions you might be asking are: Do you know where your money is going and are you investing it wisely?...
“Success often comes to those who have the aptitude to see way down the road.” - Laine Burns Short-term and long-term planning is critical to the success of any company, as CFOs well know. At the beginning and end of each year, business owners and leaders are busy...
How often do you receive Excel spreadsheets from coworkers, clients or partners that have your head spinning? Incomplete or confusing spreadsheets often can result in incomplete or confusing data. Thankfully, with the right tools by your side, you can make any Excel...
With an office full of accounting professionals that spend more time in Excel than we’d like to admit to ourselves, we’ve racked up quite the toolbox of best practices in the program. We’re excited to share this wealth of knowledge with you. Because Excel isn’t simply...
It’s true what they say about accountants. We practically live in Microsoft Excel. We learned the basics as part of our collegiate and post-graduate training, but it’s in the workplace at top accounting firms like Weinstein Spira, where we’ve truly honed these skills....
Do you want long term success for your technology startup? There’s a lot to consider. Working through your accounting responsibilities can be a daunting addition to an already stressful time. Today, Shareholders Trina Painter and Taylor Neese are sharing important...
Are you behind the benefit plan audit eight ball? With the July 31st Form 5500 filing deadline fast approaching, are you missing your company’s audit report to attach to the filing? Perhaps you didn’t realize your company had an audit requirement or maybe the deadline...
Conducting proper due diligence is an important aspect of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals, and performing an audit can greatly improve the standing of both the buyer and seller. Generally, these services increase the reliability of financial information which...
Do you have a friend or family member that is an auditor? No - not an IRS auditor, an external auditor? Have you ever wondered what auditors do during their infamous busy season? The technical components involved in an audit – especially steps and procedures in place...