Every week reporters publish stories about companies that have lost thousands, even millions of dollars because of fraud. They recount the dreadful details of business owners who learned — too late — that a lack of basic controls left their companies vulnerable to pilferage, embezzlement, and other types of misappropriation. (more…)
Processes
Learning To Share At Work
The ease of sharing documents over email was a major advance over sending faxes or posting letters, but that convenience gave rise to other issues. When two or more people working on a document – editing a sales proposal or a design brief, for example – it became very difficult to stay on top of the latest version. (more…)
Better IT Security – For Less
The dangers of the internet are real and multiply every year. Viruses, Trojans, worms, hackers, phishing, spearshishing – the number and type of attacks by organized crime syndicates are growing so quickly that he actual figures become a little meaningless. Some perspective is offered by law enforcement agencies which estimated that by 2009 the profits from computer crime, estimated at $1 trillion, had surpassed those of the illegal drug trade. (more…)
How To Deal With An Audit Notice
The number of IRS audits has doubled over the past ten years. Coupled with the new informational filing requirements for businesses, your chances of an IRS audit notification are not insignificant. If the IRS should come calling, here are some things to consider. (more…)
Check Gift Cards Carefully Before You Give
For years, gift cards have been a popular way to solve the problem of what to give at holiday time. But too often the cards had expiration dates, inactivity fees, and other restrictions that cut into the joy of giving. (more…)
Get Rid Of Your Email Blues
Managing email has become a nightmare for many firms. Bloated inboxes, never-ending backups and unfindable emails waste team members’ time and patience. Luckily, there are several proven alternatives to running your own email server. (more…)
What The Financial Overhaul Law Means For You
So what’s all the fuss over the new Wall Street Reform Act? The headline-grabbing law raised quite a furor on Wall Street, but what does it mean for you and me? Here is how the law will affect ordinary folk. (more…)
What You Should Know About Debt Collectors
With the economy still climbing out of recession and unemployment hovering near 9%, a lot of folks are behind on their payments. They owe money to banks for auto loans, hospitals for medical bills, and credit card issuers for everything from electronics to clothing to home appliances. (more…)
Keep Score Of Your Finances With A Personal Balance Sheet
The recent economic downturn hit Americans’ net worth hard. “Net worth” is the value of assets (such as homes, bank accounts, and investments) minus debts (such as mortgages, loans, and credit cards). According to the Federal Reserve, Americans’ net worth hit a low of $48.3 trillion during the recent recession, but has since risen 13% to about $55 trillion. (more…)
