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Bridgers, Goodman, Baird & Clarke not only to help you manage and grow your business, but to help you achieve your business and personal financial goals, so that your business can be a means to enjoy all of your life’s passions.
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Bookkeeping, Computerized Payroll Processing, Cash Management, General Ledger Preparation and Payroll Tax Preparation and Reporting.
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We assist our tax clients through efficient compliance and effective planning to help them realize substantial savings.
Auditing & Assurance
Our goal is to improve information or the context of information so that decision makers can make more informed, and presumably better, decisions.
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With our depth, expertise, and flexibility, Bridgers CPAs is uniquely qualified to deliver any external peer review services you require.
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Bridgers is the perfect choice for your small business
We provide more than accounting and bookkeeping services; we take an active role in increasing profits for your business. We’ll deliver the accurate financial reports you need to watch expenses and the inventive strategies to manage your tax obligations. At Bridgers CPAs, we know that how you handle your money can make or break your business.
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Auditing and Assurance
What is Auditing and Assurance
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Assurance services are audit activities that provide an independent, objective assessment of financial statements or compliance efforts. ... These compliance, regulatory, and financial statement audits are all considered assurance services.
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Why do I need a tax accountant?
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An accountant is best utilized when you have a very specific tax situation, such as owning your own business, making above $200k, expect to give money to your children, owning rental properties, or anticipate receiving a large capital gain.
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Preparing for an Audit?
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Understand the standard. ... Identify your Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). ... Make sure to allocate sufficient resources to your experts. ... Determine your internal procedures. ... Gather documentation for your procedures.
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- Blog ·
What is Innocent Spouse Relief?
The word “innocent” in innocent spouse relief can be misleading. It doesn’t imply you’re perfect or blameless – it’s more about whether you knew or should have known about the tax issue. The IRS defines “innocence” in a specific way, and it hinges on the concept of reasonable ignorance. In short, the issue isn’t one of morality; it’s about whether you could have reasonably been unaware of a tax problem. Innocent spouse relief allows you to avoid being held responsible for tax debts, penalties, and interest stemming from a joint tax filing. In the case that a spouse (or ex-spouse) made an error that led to a tax issue, regardless of intention, you may not have to shoulder the burden. Say your income wasn’t reported, excessive deductions were claimed, or tax fraud was committed. If you meet the IRS criteria, you can request relief by submitting Form 8857. Qualifications for Innocent Spouse Relief To qualify, you must meet several conditions. Joint Tax Return: The tax liability must arise from a joint return. When you file together, both spouses are equally responsible for any tax issues that arise. Tax Underreporting: The tax issue must stem from underreported income or an incorrect claim for deductions or credits. This could involve unreported income (like from offshore accounts) or fraudulent deductions made by your spouse. Lack of Knowledge: You must show that, at the time of filing, you were unaware of the problem and had no reason to suspect it. Unfair Responsibility: Lastly, it must be deemed unjust to hold you liable. The IRS looks at factors such as whether you benefited from the underreported taxes (e.g., through extravagant spending) or if you’ve divorced. What Doesn’t Qualify for Innocent Spouse Relief? Not all cases involving a spouse’s financial mismanagement qualify for relief. The IRS…
- Blog ·
Calculating the CAC Payback Period
The CAC Payback Period looks at how a business needs to recover its investment in attracting new customers. It is especially crucial for companies that are in industries with large marketing and sales costs. It’s an important metric because it helps businesses measure their performance in a number of ways. First, it shows how well a business is managing its budget. Based on the resulting figure of the CAC Payback Period, the shorter the time required to break even on its customer acquisition costs, the more efficient a company is with its sales and marketing expenses. If, however, the result is high, this signals the company is doing something wrong and needs to analyze its current approach. Running this analysis can also identify a company’s financial perils. The more prolonged the CAC Payback Period, the more likely a company might be facing cash flow concerns. Whether it is caused by overall economic conditions or industry or company-specific challenges, this is another reason for a company to run the numbers to see how it can mitigate or turn around the costs associated with acquiring customers. The calculation also can help a business determine if it is able to expand to new products and markets and scale up existing product lines. The shorter the time needed to acquire new customers, the more likely a business can grow. When investors and lenders analyze a company’s financials, including this metric, the more efficient a company is, and the more likely it will attract investors or have lenders offer favorable financing terms. How to Calculate the CAC Payback Period This scenario looks at $300,000 in customer acquisition costs, such as marketing, sales, etc., for a three-month period. The company obtained 1,000 new customers and is expected to gain $200,000 in new monthly recurring revenue (MRR),…
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Tips for Tax Season
Whether you file your income tax return early or at the last minute, there are ways to simplify the process and reduce what you owe – or even increase your refund – before the deadline. Filing Simplification Tip Once you receive your W-2 and/or 1099 tax forms, see what income tax bracket you fall under to determine whether you should itemize expenses or take the standard deduction. Thinking about this step first can save you a lot of time. If you don’t come near the standard deduction amount, you will not be itemizing expenses. And if you are not itemizing expenses, you won’t have to gather all the receipts (e.g., mortgage interest, property tax, state and local income taxes, and sales tax paid in 2024). 2024 Tax Season Income Tax Brackets Single filer Married filing separately Married filing jointly (includes qualifying widow/er) Head of Household Tax Rate $0 to $11,600 $0 to $11,600 $0 to $23,200 $0 to $16,550 10% $11,601 to $47,150 $11,601 to $47,150 $23,201 to $94,300 $16,551 to $63,100 12% $47,151 to $100,525 $47,151 to $100,525 $94,301 to $201,050 $63,101 to $100,500 22% $100,526 to $191,950 $100,526 to $191,950 $201,051 to $383,900 $100,501 to $191,950 24% $191,951 to $243,725 $191,951 to $243,725 $383,901 to $487,450 $191,951 to $243,700 32% $243,726 to $609,350 $243,726 to $365,600 $487,451 to $731,200 $243,701 to $609,350 35% $609,351 or more $365,601 or more $731,201 or more $609,351 or more 37% 2024 Tax Season Standard Deductions Single filer and married filing separately Married filing jointly (includes qualifying widow/er) Head of Household $14,600 $29,200 $21,900 Retirement Saving Tips It’s not too late to contribute to an IRA. Both the traditional and Roth IRAs allow you to make contributions for 2024 up until the tax-filing deadline of the following year – which this…
- Blog ·
7 Ways to Start 2025 with Fresh Finances
Here we are in yet another new year. The obligations and celebrations are over. Chances are, you’ve spent a fair amount over the holidays and might need a plan to help kickstart 2025 with some actionable financial goals. Here are a few ideas. Create a Budget This one never gets old. Why? It’s one of the keys to successful budgeting. You can set up a budget for the year that includes essentials, entertainment, and nice-to-haves, aka your Wish Farm. Then place it in your planner or app – there are many good ones out there. In fact, there’s a TikTok trend called loud budgeting, where people openly discuss their financial goals on social media – why they do or don’t want to buy something. If this is your thing and it helps you stay on track, go for it! If not, a good old-fashioned planner works just as well. Bucket Your Money This is the next step after the aforementioned. Split your money into categories: food, rent/ mortgage, utilities, medical, entertainment, vacation, etc. Apps can help you parse out these groups. You might also set up separate banking accounts for some of the necessities so you’ll know to leave them alone and not dip into them, tempting as it may be. Set Up Auto-Drafts Let’s say you’re saving for your child’s college fund or a down payment on a car. When you create an auto-draft for a certain amount, you’ll never miss that deposit. If you need to tweak the amount during the year, do it. Here’s the bottom line: 1) You’ll learn to live on less, and 2) you’ll be on the way to making your dreams come true. Look for Savings Deals Don’t just settle for the interest rate your current bank is offering. There are many options…
- Blog ·
Securing Client Data: The Importance of Encrypted Apps
The Salt Typhoon cyberattack is among recent cyberattacks that reaffirm the urgent need for robust data security measures. This attack targeted major telecommunications providers, compromising critical infrastructure and potentially exposing vast amounts of sensitive data. With cyberthreats becoming more sophisticated, businesses and individuals must prioritize data security to maintain trust and compliance. The Role of Apps in Managing and Protecting Client Data Businesses need apps because they make the work easier and more organized. Apps help teams communicate better, manage tasks, and share information quickly, no matter where people are. The apps also simplify handling customer needs, improving service, and tracking business performance. Generally, apps save time while helping businesses work smarter and stay competitive. One of the most critical uses of apps is managing client data. This data includes personal details like names and addresses. It also includes financial information such as bank details, as well as business-specific data like contracts and project plans. Losing or exposing this sensitive information can lead to severe consequences, including financial losses, legal penalties, and damaged reputations. Clients may lose trust in your business, leading to lost opportunities and reduced customer loyalty. By using apps effectively, businesses can better organize, safeguard, and utilize client data to build stronger relationships and maintain long-term success. Encryption: A Critical Security Measure Encryption has become crucial in modern data security. It transforms readable data into an unreadable format, ensuring only authorized parties can access the information. There are various types of encryptions, including end-to-end encryption (E2EE), which protects data during transmission, and at-rest encryption, which secures stored data. Following the Salt Typhoon cyberattacks, the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a joint advisory urging individuals and organizations to prioritize using encrypted communication channels. Given the vulnerability of traditional communication methods, the agencies strongly recommended…
- Blog ·
National Security
Improving Federal Building Security Act of 2024 (S 3613) – The Federal Protective Service (FPS) contracts security guards to control access to government facilities and screen visitors to detect prohibited items, such as pepper spray and batons. Earlier this year, FPS investigators conducted a covert test at certain federal buildings in which the guards failed to detect prohibited items about 50 percent of the time. In response, Congress passed this bill requiring Facility Security Committees to respond to security recommendations issued by the FPS. It also mandates that the Homeland Security Department submit an unredacted report to Congress regarding FPS surveillance technology recommendations as well as summarize the FPS recommendations that buildings accepted or rejected. However, no additional funding for security is appropriated by the bill, which will sunset five years following enactment. The act was introduced on Jan. 18, 2024, by Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI). It passed in the Senate on March 23, the House on Dec. 10, and was signed into law on Dec. 17. Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (HR 5009) – This year’s version of the annual funding bill features a 14.5 percent increase in pay for junior enlisted servicemembers, as well as a 4.5 percent pay raise for all other personnel. The legislation also provides cost-of-living allowances per location, improved housing/barracks repair programs, more access to medical and mental health services, and increased employment support for military spouses. The legislation was introduced by Rep. David Joyce (R-OH) on July 27, 2023. This is a bipartisan bill that has passed in both the Senate and the House with various changes. It is currently awaiting signature by the White House for enactment. Coastal Habitat Conservation Act of 2023 (HR 2950) – Introduced by Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) on April…