Savannah L. Greatting, CPA, Supervisor + Tax Services at Anders, was selected for the 2019 Wolters Kluwer Emerging Leaders Program.
As a supervisor in the Tax Services Group, Greatting works with individuals on their tax and estate planning. A member… Read More

The post Savannah Greatting Selected for Wolters Kluwer Emerging Leaders Program appeared first on Anders CPAs.

Giving back is part of our social responsibility and corporate culture at Anders, and we proudly support local charitable, civic, community and trade organizations. The Anders Community Impact Report takes an in-depth look at our commitment, connections and involvement in… Read More

The post Anders Releases Annual Community Impact Report appeared first on Anders CPAs.

As a firm, we strive to inspire people to be the best they can be, both personally and professionally. To help empower our employees’ overall health and well-being, each year Anders has a Wellness Initiative that focuses on helping improve… Read More

The post How Anders is Focused on a New Decade of Wellness in 2020 appeared first on Anders CPAs.

I’m a little late getting this post up, it’s been quarantine mood swing central around here. There are some days where I feel crazy productive and in a good mood like “hey I got this!” and then those days where I’m asking myself how much time is too much to spend on the couch because

My DIY project for the weekend is to build a planter box with trellis to support a climbing vine, and I think I’ll stain it black. Last year I built some vegetable trellises and before that a criss cross wall trellis. I still have them both and they still function and look amazing! April is

Between the planner and journal trend, the rise of mixed media, and growing interest in painting itself, there’s more and more interest in travel watercolor sets. They are an affordable way to invest in a basic set of watercolors for someone who is still learning to paint, as well as a great for taking along […]

David E. Hartley, CPA, CISA, partner and Director + Advisory Services, is speaking on a cybersecurity panel at the 2019 St. Louis CIO Executive Leadership Summit on Thursday, October 3. The summit, Future State 2025 – Driving the Digital Roadmap… Read More

The post David Hartley Speaking on Cybersecurity Panel at CIO Executive Leadership Summit appeared first on Anders CPAs.

Because of the government shutdown, the start of the 2014 tax season, which was scheduled for January 21, will be delayed by one to two weeks. This announcement was made by the IRS, they expect to start accepting and processing… Read More

The post IRS Delays Tax Season Due to Shutdown appeared first on Anders CPAs.

More delays in the Affordable Care Act will impact employers with 50-99 full-time equivalent employees in 2014. They will now have until 2016 to offer health care coverage to their employees or be subject to the shared-responsibility payments. The penalty… Read More

The post More Delays in the Affordable Care Act! appeared first on Anders CPAs.

The House signed the bill earlier this week and now the Senate has approved for the 45L tax credits to be allowable retroactively for projects placed in service from 1/1/2018 – 12/31/2020.  While this bill does not include fixes to… Read More

The post You May Be Able to Claim the 45L Tax Credit Retroactively Thanks to the New Home Energy Efficiency Act appeared first on Anders CPAs.

It’s crunch time for filing individual tax returns, which means tax-related identity theft is on the rise. Each year, more and more scammers plan to steal personal information of taxpayers to file a fraudulent return or claim a refund. The… Read More

The post Protect Yourself Against Tax-Related Identity Theft with a New Tool from the IRS appeared first on Anders CPAs.

The Situation The St. Louis Surge is St. Louis, Missouri’s professional women’s basketball team. In 2019, the team begins its eighth season with five Regional Championships and two National Championships under its belt. Suffice it to say that the Owner and General Manager, Khalia Collier, who purchased the elite team in 2011, commits herself 110% to success.  A...

The post Proactive Plays Make for a Winning Relationship with the St. Louis Surge appeared first on Anders CPA.

GagliardiPhotography/Shutterstock

• As spring passes by under lockdown, many Americans are wondering if it's safe to visit their mom for Mother's Day this year. 
• Claudia Finkelstein, a doctor and associate professor of family medicine at Michigan State University, says that if either you or your parent have a chronic illness, are over the age of 65, or live in an urban area, it's unwise to plan an in-person visit.
• If you are able to visit your mother, however, try to meet outdoors and avoid physical contact — which may be challenging if you have children.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

As a physician, mother, daughter, and socially responsible human, I'm finding Mother's Day to be complicated for me this year, as it is for millions. Questions of whether and how to see my adult children and my own elderly mother present medical and ethical quandaries. As an associate professor of family medicine with a focus on wellness, as Mother's Day approaches, I'd like to share with you my thinking about this using some tools to aid discernment.

Wouldn't it be great if choosing time with parents or offspring were ever an easy decision to make? However, the answer is rarely that simple. This year, in the midst of a global pandemic and the need to continue to practice social distancing, the decision is even more complex than usual.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: A cleaning expert reveals her 3-step method for cleaning your entire home quickly

See Also:

• Scott Galloway: Amazon can and should offer all of its Prime members COVID-19 testing 'at a scale and efficiency that makes America feel like South Korea — competent'
• 14 countries that are paying their workers during quarantine — and how they compare to America's $1,200 stimulus checks
• This is the most common zodiac sign among the world's richest billionaires

SEE ALSO: 5 ways for parents to motivate their kids and avoid tantrums at home during the coronavirus, according to a parenting expert

READ MORE: There's such a thing as having a 'social allergy' to someone you dislike. Here's how to keep the peace, no matter what situation you're in.

AP Photo/Evan Vucci

• More than a dozen people who may work near President Trump and Vice President Pence have tested positive for the coronavirus this week.
• On Friday, Pence's press secretary Katie Miller tested positive for the virus. Eleven Secret Service agents have also tested positive for COVID-19, along with one of President Trump's valets. Ivanka Trump's assistant has also caught the coronavirus, but that person has been working remotely for weeks. 
• Because the virus spreads easily when people are in close contact, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges anyone who's been exposed to someone who's caught the coronavirus to stay home for 14 days.
• FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, who worked with Miller recently, said he'll stay home for the next two weeks, but the President and Vice President remain out and about. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The coronavirus arrived at the White House this week.

Vice President Mike Pence's Press Secretary, Katie Miller, tested positive for the virus on Friday. 

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

See Also:

• The US taught the world public health. Now it's getting schooled.
• New research found coronavirus antibodies in over 99% of recovered patients. Here's what science says about immunity.
• The CDC is warning of potential measles outbreaks as kids miss getting vaccines while in lockdown

Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

• San Antonio City Council in Texas has unanimously voted to label terms including "Chinese virus" and "kung-fu virus" as hate speech.
• It was responding to a growth in racist and antisemitic incidents in the city, triggered by the coronavirus crisis.
• "Unfortunately, during times of crises, we do see the best of humanity and sometimes we also see the worst," said Mayor Ron Nirenberg. 
• Senator Ted Cruz called the decision "nuts," saying that the city council was "behaving like a lefty college faculty lounge." 
• It comes after Trump faced criticism for his use of the term "Chinese virus" at a White House Coronavirus Task Force press briefing.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The city of San Antonio in Texas has unanimously passed a resolution condemning the use of terms such as "Chinese virus" and "kung-fu virus" as hate speech.

It also encouraged residents to report "any such antisemitic, discriminatory or racist incidents" to the relevant authorities following several incidents in the city since the pandemic began, reports San Antonio's WOAI-TV.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: Inside London during COVID-19 lockdown

See Also:

• Shanghai Disneyland cast members told to wear face masks and avoid guest contact ahead of next week's reopening as China emerges from pandemic
• Half of all Brooklynites are white, but 97.5% of the borough's social distancing arrests were of people of color
• Russia is fast becoming a coronavirus epicenter, with health workers still reporting PPE shortages. Putin is already thinking about reopening.

Matthew DeBord/Insider

• I tested a roughly $33,000 Polaris Slingshot R, a three-wheeled "autocycle."
• The three-wheeler category includes vehicles from Can-Am and Harley-Davidson, offering a motorcycle experience in a less demanding package.
• My Slingshot R had a new, Polaris-developed, 203-horsepower engine and an automatic transmission.
• In all but three US states, no motorcycle license is required to operate the Slingshot (New York, Massachusetts, and Alaska continue to require the motorcycle certification).
• The Slingshot is insanely fun, with a modest learning curve — it's a great alternative to a two-wheeler, although the price is definitely steep for the Slingshot R.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Motorcycles are cool, but they aren't for everybody. Fortunately, there are some alternatives out there that offer an equally compelling, open-air experience.

One of the most popular is the the Polaris Slingshot, manufactured by the Minnesota-based powersports company. Until recently, Slingshots were available only with manual transmissions and GM-sourced engines, but for 2020, Polaris has updated the autocycle with an in-house motor and an automatic.

The automatic transmission in particular really broadens the Slingshot's potential. So I was excited to sample the machine, which I first saw about five years ago.

Polaris was kind enough to loan me a tester for a few weeks. Here's how it went:

The Polaris Slingshot is a three-wheeled autocycle/motorcycle that Polaris industries has produced since 2014. My 2020 Slingshot R tester cost about $33,000 and was outfitted in a menacing red-and-black paint job.

The cheapest Slingshot is about $20,000.

This wasn't my first crack at a Slingshot. Polaris brought the vehicle to Insider's New York offices when the vehicle first launched.

And I generally have a gander at the Slingshot when I visit the annual New York motorcycle show.

See Also:

• All the coolest features of every Tesla vehicle ever made or unveiled, ranked
• Here are 20 cars you can drive off the lot new for less than $20,000
• How Tesla's cargo capacity stacks up against other iconic front trunks in the car industry: From Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, and more

FOLLOW US: On Facebook for more car and transportation content!

Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images

• New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Saturday said at least three children have died in New York from a rare condition that's being linked to the coronavirus.
• The illness, called "pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome" has symptoms similar to the Kawasaki disease and toxic-shock syndrome, including fever, rash, stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting.
• Children in at least six European countries have also come down with similar symptoms recently.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Three children who had COVID-19 in New York are dead, after they developed rare heart issues that may be linked to the novel coronavirus. 

"The illness has taken the lives of three young New Yorkers," Governor Cuomo said at a news conference on Saturday. All three kids were under 10 years old. 

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

See Also:

• The US military is barring anyone who was hospitalized due to COVID-19 from enlisting
• Almost 12,000 meatpacking and food plant workers have reportedly contracted COVID-19. At least 48 have died.
• New York's coronavirus outbreak was a 'primary gateway' for the disease's spread around the US, a researcher says

Reuters

• Elon Musk says Tesla may leave its Palo Alto headquarters and Fremont, California factory. 
• In a tweet Saturday morning, the chief executive continued his outrage against shelter-in-place orders that have forced most non-essential businesses to close. 
• Last week, Musk likened the rules to fascism, and urged leaders to "give people their goddamn freedom back." 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

After a week of decrying coronavirus shelter-in-place orders that have left Tesla's main factory shuttered and unable to produce vehicles, Elon Musk says the company may move its factory out of the state.

"Tesla is filing a lawsuit against Alameda County immediately," the chief executive said on Twitter Saturday morning. "The unelected & ignorant 'Interim Health Officer' of Alameda is acting contrary to the Governor, the President, our Constitutional freedoms & just plain common sense!"

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: How waste is dealt with on the world's largest cruise ship

See Also:

• Tesla has secured a $565 million loan for its factory in Shanghai where the company just halted operations
• Elon Musk and Grimes gave their baby an unusual name with multiple hidden meanings, and it may have a hidden connection to the X-Men
• Watch Elon Musk pronounce his baby's name, which he says Grimes mostly picked out

Meeting planning in the face of COVID-19 can be very stressful. None of us are in control and no one can predict what is going to happen moving forward. The most important thing is to be patient. Do not make rash decisions, weigh all of your options and contact NECA National Staff if you need absolutely anything. If you can, try and look at meetings 30 days at a time because the news is changing daily and this can make a difference with your contract clauses.

Due to the cross-contamination challenges impacting our industry caused by COVID-19, Enespro has updated our Care and Maintenance Guidelines for Electrical PPE, incorporating important CDC guidelines and references to ASTM F496.

With many construction sites remaining operational during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is extremely important to maintain compliance with all social distancing guidelines and requirements. NECA developed recommendations that are specific to construction projects that continue to be operational. While these are fairly comprehensive, they are not all-inclusive. The needs of each site can vary. State or other local requirements can be more restrictive and would take precedent.

The Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter, NECA has donated to 20 health care facilities, systems, or foundations throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Electrical Contractors Association, David Long, issued a statement on being named to the Great American Economic Revival Industry Group for Construction/Labor/Workforce.

The recipients of the 2020 Recognition of Achievement in Safety Excellence and Recognition of Achievement in Zero Injury programs will be posted on the NECA Recognition of Safety Achievement Program website in the near future. There were 159 Recognition of Achievement in Safety Excellence and 90 Recognition of Achievement in Zero Injury winners for 2020. These recipients will each receive plaques commemorating their accomplishment and be recognized during a session at the 10th Annual NSPC in Chicago, IL later this year. Thank you to all the companies that submitted their applications and continue to strive for Safety Excellence and Zero Injuries in the Electrical Industry.

Mobile marketing platform AppLovin has made a undisclosed strategic investment in San Diego mobile studio Redemption Games.  ...

In this GDC 2020 virtual talk Supercell's Eino Joas discusses the two-year process that led to the development of a Battle Pass for Clash of Clans. ...

During the depths of the Depression in the late 1930s, 300 craftspeople came together for two years to build an enormous scale model of the City of San Francisco. This Works Progress Administration (WPA) project was conceived as a way of putting artists to work while also creating a planning tool for the city to imagine its future.

The massive work was meant to remain on public view for all to see, but World War II broke out and the 6,000 piece, hand-carved and painted wooden model was put into storage for almost 80 years.

Model City

This episode was produced by The Kitchen Sisters, Nikki Silva and Davia Nelson with Nathan Dalton and Brandi Howell. Mixed by Jim McKee

Subscribe to Kitchen Sisters Present

Waiting is something that we all do every day, but our experience of waiting, varies radically depending on the context. And it turns out that design can completely change whether a five minute wait feels reasonable or completely unbearable. Transparency is key.

Wait Wait...Tell Me!

There’s an idea in city planning called “informal urbanism.”  Some people call it “do-it-yourself urbanism.”  Informal urbanism covers all the ways people try to change their community that isn’t through city planning or some kind of official process. If you’ve put up a homemade sign warning people not to sit on a broken bench, that’s DIY urbanism. If you’ve used cones or a chair to reserve your own parking spot on a public street, that’s also DIY urbanism.

Gordon Douglas has written a whole book about this idea called “The Help Yourself City.” It looks at all the ways people are taking matters into their own hands. Both for good reasons and for incredibly selfish ones.

The Help-Yourself City

Throughout Joseph Weizenbaum's life, he liked to tell this story about a computer program he’d created back in the 1960s as a professor at MIT. It was a simple chatbot named ELIZA that could interact with users in a typed conversation. As he enlisted people to try it out, Weizenbaum saw similar reactions again and again -- people were entranced by the program. They would reveal very intimate details about their lives. It was as if they’d just been waiting for someone (or something) to ask. ELIZA was one of the first computer programs that could convincingly simulate human conversation, which Weizenbaum found frankly a bit disturbing.

The ELIZA Effect

Make your mark. Go to radiotopia.fm to donate today.

99% Invisible producer Katie Mingle had already been working on a series about unhoused people in the Bay Area for over a year when the current pandemic began to unfold. Suddenly, this vulnerable demographic was cast into the spotlight due to the virulent spread of COVID-19. It is clear from the data that this virus is hitting black and poor communities the hardest. COVID-19 has made American society’s racial and wealth inequities even more obvious. The disease is most dangerous to older and immunocompromised people, two groups to which those experiencing homelessness disproportionately belong.

Plus, hotels have long been used as crucial infrastructure during disasters. Now they’re being used to help fight the pandemic.

Unsheltered in Place

There have been over 200,000 deaths as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. All have been tragic, but there are two people in particular we’ve lost due to COVID that were part of the world of architecture and design that we want to honor with a couple of stories today. First, we are mourning the loss of architect Michael McKinnell. Along with Gerhard Kallman, McKinnell designed the unforgettable Boston City Hall, completed in 1968. They won the commission for Boston City Hall after submitting their brutalist, heroic monument in a contest when Michael McKinnell was just 26 years old. It was always a controversial structure, much of the public found it ugly and too unconventional, but architects and critics tend to love it. This is the often the case with Brutalism in general and that is the subject of our first story starring Boston City Hall.

Another voice who is gone too early was Michael Sorkin. Sorkin was a designer and the Village Voice architecture critic in the 80s. He brought a totally new kind of approach to writing about buildings, one that focused on people and politics. We spoke with design critic at Curbed, Alexandra Lange, about Sorkin's work, and Roman Mars reads excerpts from one of his pieces called Two Hundred and Fifty Things an Architect Should Know.

The Smell of Concrete After Rain

What does returning to business look like in a post COVID-19 world? Join us on Thursday, May 14 at 10:00am CDT for a webinar discussing the state of the world after we reach the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. You’ll learn about: Economic impact from COVID-19 Best practices for moving your business forward How to...

The post WEBINAR – The Great Viral Recession: Light at the End of the Tunnel? appeared first on Anders CPA.

On November 25, 2019, members of NECA’s Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter met with Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.). The group discussed small business issues, composite plans, and the importance of infrastructure investment. Pictured from left to right are PDJ Chapter’s Aaron Kelley, Dan Hahn of Furness Electric, Christine Meyer of Battaglia Electric, Rep. Blunt Rochester, and PDJ Chapter Executive Jeff Scarpello. 

This week in government affairs: NECA opposes bill to raise top tax rate for pass-throughs, NECA member testifies before the house small business committee and NECA Wins in NDAA.

On December 19, 2019, members of NECA’s Penn-Del-Jersey chapter attended a holiday event in Philadelphia with Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.). Pictured with Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter’s Aaron Kelley with Rep. Dean.  

On December 23, 2019, members of NECA’s Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter met with Rep. Fred Keller (R-Pa.) in the district. The group discussed NECA’s priority issues and the electrical contracting industry. Pictured from left to right are Matt Green of Appellation Construction, Rep. Fred Keller, and Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter’s Aaron Kelley. 

On January 14, 2020, members of NECA’s Penn-Del-Jersey chapter had the opportunity to meet with Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pa.) and the Secretary of Labor Scalia

On January 23, 2020, members of NECA’s Northern California Chapter met with Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.)

Last week, members of NECA’s Long Island Chapter met with Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.)

On February 11, 2020, members of NECA’s Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter met with Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.)

1. Hearing on Expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act

On Tuesday, February 11, 2020, the Workforce Protections Subcommittee held a hearing to discuss the issue of paid family leave. This hearing examined the different ways that the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) could be updated to best benefit employees, employers, and the American economy. Among suggested updates are expanding eligibilty under the FMLA, reducing exclusions, promoting tax cuts to businesses that provide paid leave, and increasing employee access to additional paid leave options.

NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA will continue to monitor this issue as different solutions to paid family and medical leave are presented, working with legislators to reduce the impact on the electrical construction industry. 

2. President Trump Releases Budget Proposal to Congress 

On March 11, 2019, President Donald Trump released his budget proposal to Congress, “A Budget for America’s Future”. The budget and detailed summaries are found here. 

NECA’s Look Ahead: The President’s budget in its current form will not be passed by Congress to become law. The budget is largely seen as a political document. Regarding government funding, the House is expected to introduce the twelve appropriations bills in Subcommittee by the end of April, with the full committee hearings expected in May. The goal is to pass the twelve bills through the House by July. The Senate is expected to pass their version in June.

3. Your Vote Counts!

The 2020 state primary elections are coming up, so be sure to make your vote count! NECA contractors are uniquely positioned to play an important part in our nation's electoral process. NECA is a diverse organization comprised of many voices and election day is your opportunity to make your voice heard.  

NECA’s Look Ahead: Be sure you are registered to vote in your state before election day and research the candidates on your ballot to see where they stand on issues important to you.

1. New Joint Employer Rule Issued by the NLRB

On February 25, 2020, the National Labor Relations Board released the details of a new joint-employer liability rule. This new rule, which began the regulatory process almost two years ago, reverts the regulatory language back to its pre-2007 form, requiring companies to exercise direct control over workers to be considered their employer. The new joint-employer rule creates a much higher threshold for the employers to be held jointly liable for violations; benefiting organizations and corporations structured around franchising and third-party hiring.

NECA’s Look Ahead: This rule takes effect April 27, 2020. NECA will continue to monitor this rule change, assessing its impacts on jobsites.

2. The Protecting Business Opportunities for Veterans Act Passes the House 

On February 25, 2020, H.R. 561, the Protecting Business Opportunities for Veterans Act, passed the House by unanimous voice vote. This legislation will aid veteran-owned small businesses by directing the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs to contract with those businesses. Veteran-owed small businesses will be required to perform a majority of the work they are awarded on these government contracts with large subcontractors and will be restricted from performing the work set aside for these types of small businesses. 

NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA applauds the House on the unanimous passage of this legislation and expects it to be received favorably in the Senate. We will continue to monitor this issue as it moves to the Senate and are confident in a positive outcome.

3. The Committee on Small Business Held Hearing to Discuss FY2021 Budget

On February 26, 2020, the House Committee on Small Business held a hearing to discuss the 2021 Budget with the Small Business Administrator. Recently appointed Administrator, Jovita Carranza, gave an overview of the administration’s budget requests and the committee was able to examine the potential opportunities and challenges that small businesses participating in the SBA’s programs will face. 

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