SERVICES INDUSTRIES TEAM NEWS CAREERS ABOUT

Happy August! With all the summer picnics upon us and Labor day weekend right around the corner, we encourage you to check out our client, The Cellars Wines & Spirits.

The Cellars Wines & Spirits is a locally owned, specialty drinks retailer that opened in the late 1980's. Need help selecting a beverage for that special dinner occasion? Or pairing a wine with your favorite cheese? The Cellars pride themselves on having dedicated, knowledgeable staff who can make solid recommendations to fit your budget and taste preferences. There are currently five Metro area locations: Roseville, Woodbury, Eagan, Plymouth, and White Bear Lake.

Visit The Cellars Wines & Spirits website for current sale flyers, fun in-store events, or to join the mailing list!

Handy dandy Excel tip

Simplify that list and avoid duplication, Simplify that list and avoid duplication

Have you ever been working with a list in Excel and you KNOW that some of the same people or items are listed more than once. If you want to know how many different people or items are in the list, you can use Excel's "Remove Duplicates feature" to get your answer lickety-split!

Make a copy of your list in a new worksheet
Highlight your list
With your list still highlighted, go to the "Data" tab
Select "Remove Duplicates"

Excel will tell you how many duplicates have been removed, and leave you with a list of all your unique values!

Time to review your tax situation

A little review now will help in the coming months

It's that time of year again! With last minute summer excursions and shopping trips, it's easy to push your tax filing obligations aside. Sadly, summer is coming to a close and the tax return deadline is right around the corner.

Here are a few things you can do to make things go more smoothly:

Review your prior year tax return to make sure you gather everything we need.
Review your 2014 tax year. Were there any transactions or life events that aren't typical? If so, make sure to mention them to us.
To speed the process up you can send us information electronically via the SDK secure portal. If you have questions about this, please contact your SDK advisor.

Also, it's a good time to review your 2015 tax year to make sure you are paying enough, but not too much! Find some tips for reviewing your tax situation on the IRS website. Please contact your SDK tax advisor if you had or expect any life events or changes to your tax situation so we can help you plan for next year.

Back-to-School Education Tax Credits

Credits, expenses and forms, oh my!

If you, your spouse or a dependent are heading off to college in the fall, some of your costs

may save you money at tax time. You may be able to claim a tax credit on your federal tax return. Here are some key IRS tips that you should know about e tax credits.

Read the full article here

Overview of the Employer Shared Responsibility Provisions

Helpful information from the IRS

The Affordable Care Act contains specific responsibilities for employers. The size and structure of your workforce - small, large, or part of a group - helps determine what applies to you. Employers with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees will need to file an annual information return reporting whether and what health insurance they offered employees. In addition, they are subject to the Employer Shared Responsibility provisions. All employers that are applicable large employers are subject to the Employer Shared Responsibility provisions, including federal, state, local, and Indian tribal government employers.

Read the full article here

Happening at SDK

Parking lot and construction

If you plan a visit to SDK this summer, you may be confused by the amount of construction you

see close to the building. In particular, the space between the back parking lot and the building is undergoing a major renovation.

Rest assured, our parking lot is still open and accessible off Marquette or 2nd. The back stairway is closed, so to get to the building, simply take either sidewalk to the front door.

Promotions! Promotions!

Join us in congratulating Aaron Ruff and Emily Engels on their recent promotions. Both were promoted to senior accountant status.

Emily works in the accounting services department, Aaron is in tax. We celebrated with a DQ ice cream cake.

Managing shareholder Chuck Selcer congratulated them both and thanked them for providing excellent client service and dedication to their departments.

SDK's Employee Summer Golf Outing

It was a beautiful day in Golden Valley as 41 SDKers partnered together to play a rousing game of golf at Brookview.

From the hard-core league players to those who last played at the 2014 SDK golf outing, everyone agreed it was a great way to spend an afternoon together.

To see all the team photos, visit our facebook page.

We welcome your comments and feedback, and will do our best to answer your questions. Contact your SDK representative or send a note to one of us and we'll be sure to find the right person to assist you.

SDK's Editorial Board

Emily Engels, Accounting Services

Beth Johnson, Marketing

Ron Kelner, CPA, Tax

Oliver Langmo, Employee Benefits
John Lawson, CPA, Audit

Allison McCloskey, Tax

Casssandra Elgersma, CPA/ABV/CFF, CFE, Forensic & Valuation Services