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The Thomas Howell Ferguson Blog

FINREP Texas Kicks Off the Inaugural Conference in 2022! (Part Two)

November 18, 2022 – Austin, Texas – Noelle Codispoti from The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research discussed the opportunities for recruiting and retaining the next generation of professionals in the insurance industry.  She focused on three things that team members need: She discussed the importance of communication to the employees on the plan […]

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TDEM Division Chief Kicks Off the Inaugural FINREP Texas Forum in 2022! 

November 17, 2022 – Austin, Texas – The FINREP Texas Forum kicked off its inaugural conference with approximately 40 people from the insurance industry in Texas. The opening session set the stage for goals for the conference:  Education and Collaboration.  Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) Division Chief, Joshua Bryant, updated the attendees with facts […]

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Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs participates in the Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH) Foundation third annual PinkPower Flamingo Challenge

In honor of breast cancer awareness month, Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs (THF), the 135th largest accounting firm in the nation, continued its participation in the third annual PinkPower Flamingo Challenge. This is sponsored by Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH) Foundation and First Commerce Credit Union. THF challenged team members to support the breast cancer awareness […]

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Brandon Mott, CPA and Ben A. “Steve” Stevens III, CPA are admitted to the Shareholder group at Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs

Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs (THF), a professional accounting, assurance, governmental consulting, and tax services firm headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida admits Brandon Mott, CPA and Ben A. “Steve” Stevens III, CPA to the Shareholder group. “Brandon started his career with THF. We were the first CPA firm that he worked with, and he worked through […]

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Recap: What is impacting Florida’s Economy? A presentation delivered by Jerry D. Parrish, Ph.D.

Jerry D. Parrish, Ph.D. is an Economist and professor within the Florida State University- Center for Economic Forecasting and Analysis. He holds a research background in energy, the environment, health, and economic development and agriculture. Previously, he served as the Chief Economist and Director of Research for The Florida Chamber Foundation and Chief Economist and […]

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What local transportation costs can your business deduct?

You and your small business are likely to incur a variety of local transportation costs each year. There are various tax implications for these expenses. First, what is “local transportation?” It refers to travel in which you aren’t away from your tax home (the city or general area in which your main place of business […]

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ICYMI: Understanding Business Financials for Future Success, a presentation by THF Shareholder, Dennis Gallant, CPA

Shareholder, Dennis Gallant, CPA presented a discussion on understanding business financials to members of the Bainbridge-Decatur Chamber of Commerce in Bainbridge, Georgia. He explained in detail the basic principles that business owners should know, such as reviewing balance sheets and understanding assets, knowing a business’ income statement, determining if the business made a profit or […]

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THF Corporate Recruiter & University Relations Specialist LaQuisha S. Persak is appointed to the Tallahassee-Leon County Commission on the Status of Women & Girls

Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs (THF or “the firm”), a professional accounting, assurance, governmental consulting, and tax services firm headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida, is excited to recognize Corporate Recruiter & University Relations Specialist, LaQuisha S. Persak, on her appointment to the Tallahassee-Leon County Commission on the Status of Women & Girls (CSWG). The Tallahassee-Leon County […]

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Providing fringe benefits to employees with no tax strings attached

Businesses can provide benefits to employees that don’t cost them much or anything at all. However, in some cases, employees may have to pay tax on the value of these benefits. Here are examples of two types of benefits that employees generally can exclude from income: A no-additional-cost benefit. This involves a service provided to […]

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Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs promotes Peter Fleck and Rebecca Weitzel to Senior in the Tax Services Department

Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs (THF or “the Firm”), a three-time ranked Top 200 Firm by Inside Public Accounting, recognizes Peter Fleck and Rebecca Weitzel as they are promoted to Senior in the Tax Services Department. Peter Fleck is a proud double alumnus of Florida State University where he holds a Bachelor of Science degree […]

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Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs promotes Ben Moon to Manager in the Tax Services Department

Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs (THF or “the firm”), a three-time ranked Top 200 Firm by Inside Public Accounting, recognizes Ben Moon as he has been promoted to Manager in the Tax Services Department. Ben Moon brings to the firm six years of his expertise in tax and assurance services. He is a double-alumnus of […]

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Recap: Taking a look at the big picture: Where do we go from here? A presentation delivered by Charles Nyce, Ph.D.

During the FINREP Florida Forum in 2022, hosts, Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs (THF), and the Florida State University College of Business, the Dr. William T. Hold/The National Alliance Program in Risk Management provided participants the opportunity to hear from experts within the Florida insurance industry. Charles Nyce, Ph.D., a professor within FSU’s Center for […]

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Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs celebrates the promotions of Stacey Kolka and Ying Wang to Director in the Tax Services Department

Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs (THF or “the firm”) a professional accounting, assurance, government consulting, and tax services firm headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida, celebrate Stacey Kolka, CPA, and Ying Wang, CPA, on their promotions to Director in the Tax Services Department. Stacey holds 30 years of experience in providing tax and consulting services to a […]

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Worried about an IRS audit? Prepare in advance

IRS audit rates are historically low, according to a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, but that’s little consolation if your return is among those selected to be examined. Plus, the IRS recently received additional funding in the Inflation Reduction Act to improve customer service, upgrade technology, and increase audits of high-income taxpayers. But with […]

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Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs promotes several consultants within the Governmental Consulting Services Department

Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs (THF or “the firm”), a professional accounting, assurance, governmental consulting, and tax services firm headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida, promotes Amanda Campbell to Consultant I and Scott Ereckson, Ryan Hagen, Michael Horne, Chris Smith, and Casey Waddill to Consultants II in the Governmental Consulting Services Department (GovCon). The GovCon team directly […]

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Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs promotes Nicole Acosta to Senior Manager and Brittany Bechtel to Manager in the Governmental Consulting Services Department

Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs (THF or “the firm”), the 135th largest accounting firm in the nation by Inside Public Accounting, recognizes Nicole Acosta on her promotion as Senior Manager and Brittany Bechtel as Manager in the Governmental Consulting Services Department. Nicole Acosta holds 18 years of experience in disaster recovery, government consulting, and procurement. […]

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Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs promotes Phillip Bealor, CPA; Jenna Gray, MBA; and Devin Masson to Senior in the Assurance Services Department

Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs (THF or “the firm”), a three-time ranked Top 200 Firm by Inside Public Accounting, recognizes Phillip Bealor, CPA,; Jenna Gray, MBA,; and Devin Masson as they are promoted to Senior in the Assurance Services Department. All of them have met the firm’s requirements to be an In-Charge and have demonstrated […]

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Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs celebrates the promotions of Taylor Harmon and Leigh Jenkins to Director in the Assurance Services Department

Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs (THF or “the firm”) a professional accounting, assurance, government consulting, and tax services firm headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida, celebrates Taylor Harmon, CPA, and Leigh Jenkins, CPA, on their promotions to Director in the Assurance Services Department. Taylor has over seven years of experience in public accounting providing assurance and accounting […]

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Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs promotes Nicole (Nikki) Champion to IT Support Manager

Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs (THF or “the firm”), a professional accounting, assurance, government consulting, and tax services firm headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida, congratulates Nicole (Nikki) Champion on her promotion to IT Support Manager. Nikki Champion serves as the IT Support Manager for all four of the firm’s office locations, including Bainbridge, Georgia; Panama City, […]

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2022 Q4 Tax Calendar: Key deadlines for businesses and other employers

Here are some of the key tax-related deadlines affecting businesses and other employers during the fourth quarter of 2022. Keep in mind that this list isn’t all-inclusive, so there may be additional deadlines that apply to you. Contact us to ensure you’re meeting all applicable deadlines and to learn more about the filing requirements. Note: […]

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Separating your business from its real estate

Does your business need real estate to conduct operations? Or does it otherwise hold property and put the title in the name of the business? You may want to rethink this approach. Any short-term benefits may be outweighed by the tax, liability and estate planning advantages of separating real estate ownership from the business. Tax […]

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Year-end tax planning ideas for your small business

When is the best time for year-end tax planning for a small business? Now that Labor Day has passed, it’s a good time to think about making moves that may help lower your small business taxes for this year and next. The standard year-end approach of deferring income and accelerating deductions to minimize taxes will […]

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Inflation Reduction Act provisions of interest to Small Businesses

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed into law by President Biden on August 16. It contains many provisions related to climate, energy, and taxes. There has been a lot of media coverage about the law’s impact on large corporations. For example, the IRA contains a new 15% alternative minimum tax on large, profitable corporations. […]

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Self-Employed? Build a Nest Egg with a Solo 401(K) Plan

Do you own a successful small business with no employees and want to set up a retirement plan? Or do you want to upgrade from a SIMPLE IRA or Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) plan? Consider a solo 401(k) if you have healthy self-employment income and want to contribute substantial amounts to a retirement nest egg. […]

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Why an LLC might be the best choice of entity for your business

The business entity you choose can affect your taxes, your personal liability, and other issues. Limited liability companies (LLC) are somewhat hybrid entities. They can be structured to resemble a corporation for owner liability purposes and a partnership for federal tax purposes. This duality may provide you with the best of both worlds. Owners of […]

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Your Business May Be Required to Report Employee Health Coverage

Certain employers are required to report information related to their employees’ health coverage. Does your business have to comply, and if so, what must be done? Basic Rules Certain employers with 50 or more full-time employees (called “applicable large employers” or ALEs) must use Forms 1094-C and 1095-C to report the information about offers of […]

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How to Treat Business Website Costs for Tax Purposes

These days, most businesses have websites. But surprisingly, the IRS hasn’t issued formal guidance on when website costs can be deducted. Fortunately, established rules that generally apply to the deductibility of business costs provide business taxpayers launching a website with some guidance as to the proper treatment of the costs. Plus, businesses can turn to […]

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Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs moves up to the 135th ranking in Inside Public Accounting’s Top 200 Firms for 2022

Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs (THF) a professional accounting, assurance, government consulting, and tax services firm headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida, moves up to the 135th ranking in Inside Public Accounting’s Top 200 Firms for 2022. INSIDE Public Accounting (IPA) is a leader in practice management resources for the public accounting profession and provides assistance to […]

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Three Tax Breaks for Small Businesses

Your small- or medium-sized business may be eligible for some tax breaks that aren’t available to larger businesses. Here are some examples. 1. QBI deduction For 2018 through 2025, the qualified business income (QBI) deduction is available to eligible individuals, trusts, and estates. It excludes C corporations or their shareholders. The QBI deduction can be […]

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Morning Motivation: I Already Know that I’m Enough

“And I would ask what I should bring, but I already know that I’m enough.” In the ABC Sitcom, Abbott Elementary Principal Ava Coleman (played by comedian Janelle James) decides to assist educator Janine Teagues (played by comedian and viral sensation Quinta Brunson) with the Abbott Elementary step-team. Rather than saying she will bring a […]

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Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs Participates in The Second Harvest of the Big Bend’s Backpack Packing Blitz

Our THF Team members were fortunate to participate in the Second Harvest of the Big Bend’s Backpack Packing Blitz on Friday, July 22, 2022. THF staff gathered at the Florida State University Donald L. Tucker Civic Center to pack 20,000 backpacks to benefit students within the Big Bend community. This event was one of Envision […]

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Important Considerations when Engaging in a Like-Kind Exchange

A business or individual can dispose of appreciated real property without being taxed on the gain by exchanging it. You can defer tax on your gain through a “like-kind” exchange or the Internal Revenue Code Section 1031. What’s a Like-Kind Exchange? A like-kind exchange is a swap of real property held for investment or for […]

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Tax Obligations when a Business Closes its Doors

Has the ongoing pandemic put your business in a situation where you may have to close its doors? If your business closes its doors, we can assist you during this transition. A business must file a final income tax return and some other related forms for the year it closes its doors. The type of […]

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How do taxes factor into an M&A transaction?

Is your business considering an M&A transaction and wondering how it will affect your taxes? Although merger and acquisition (M&A) activity has been down in 2022, companies are still being bought and sold. It’s important to understand how the transaction will be taxed under current law. Here are some tips. Stocks vs. Assets From a […]

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2022 Q3 Tax Calendar: Key Deadlines for Businesses and Other Employers

Here are some of the key tax-related deadlines affecting businesses and other employers during the third quarter of 2022. Keep in mind that this list isn’t all-inclusive, so there may be additional deadlines that apply to you. Contact us to ensure you’re meeting all applicable deadlines and to learn more about the filing requirements. August […]

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Businesses Will Soon Be Able to Deduct More Under The Standard Mileage Rate

Business owners are aware that the price of gas is historically high, which has made their vehicle costs soar. The average nationwide price of a gallon of unleaded regular gas on June 17 was $5, compared with $3.08 a year earlier, according to the AAA Gas Prices website. A gallon of diesel averaged $5.78 a […]

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Julian Dozier Becomes 95th Chair of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA) is proud to announce that Julian Dozier, CPA, ABV, CFF, CFE, began his tenure as the Chair of the FICPA on July 1, 2022. “The FICPA has positively impacted every stage of my career, and I appreciate my fellow volunteers for entrusting me with […]

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