SERVICES INDUSTRIES TEAM NEWS CAREERS ABOUT

For those who made the choice of a "stay-cation" this year, congrats - the weather is reinforcing your decision! We have two events this month that we hope will motivate you to get out of your office and down to the north end of downtown. On Wednesday AND Thursday of next week, we'll be hosting events at our favorite venue, The Depot Minneapolis. Scroll down this page to see the details for our welcome reception and our next quarterly roundtable. Join us for one or both, as your schedule allows.

And if you need a little video entertainment, check out the SDK team who participated in the Skyway Open golf tournament (our folks are the ones in the background, missing the shots).

The Research & Development Tax Credit

An important feature in the tax code to foster research and experimentation

The Research & Development (R&D) Credit was first introduced in 1981 as a temporary tax credit. With the credit being temporary, it has been an issue of concern among businesses as to whether or not they would be able to fully utilize the credit that was generated in earlier years. As a provision of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015, the R&D credit was made permanent.

Here are some important factors to know about the R&D Credit:

Companies who make investments in qualified research & development activities are eligible.
The R&D tax credit is for companies of virtually any size.
For research and development activities to qualify, they must comply with a four-part test:

Rely on the principles of physical science, biological science, computer science or engineering.
Relate to a new or improved business component's function, performance, reliability, price or quality.
Include a process of experimentation.
Intended to discover information to eliminate uncertainty.

Click here to read the full story

Ready for a software upgrade?

Consider moving your practice to Quickbooks Online

SDK has discovered a rising trend among clients this past year - the upgrade from Quickbooks Desktop to the Quickbooks Online version. While similar and fairly efficient to transition, a little assistance from the accounting services team at SDK could make the transition much more seamless.

Visit the Quickbooks website to discover more advantages of working online.

As noted on the Quickbooks website, the four key benefits to upgrading are:

Instant collaboration - Work securely from anywhere and on any device. Sync files in real time!
Total security - Never worry about saving files to an external device, the online version is always backed up and accessible.
Latest software - The cloud automatically updates your software to the latest version.
Eliminate manual data entry - Transactions automatically download when connected with your bank and credit card accounts.

SDK can help convert your files to the online version, train your staff on the new software, and answer any questions you may have. If you are interested in learning more, please email Pam Brackeen, or call her at 612-332-9315.

Get smart before your luck runs out --stories of fraud in business

SDK's Quarterly Roundtable - March 17, 3-5 PM at the Depot

St. Patrick's Day is a perfect day to talk about luck - or the lack thereof. Join the forensic team of SDK as they partner with members of Fidelity Bank's business team to present three stories of fraud followed by best practices and tools you can implement to reduce your risk.

External Fraud: the story of vendors and scammers who have successfully (or almost successfully) stolen money from unsuspecting business owners.
Internal Fraud: the story of weak internal controls and how they allowed employee fraud.
Responsibilities: real situations that show how much responsibility for fraud prevention goes to the business owner, and how much the employees are taking on.

More information and registration

Business Apps to help your business

While SDK does not endorse specific apps, we've done research on some that have gotten good reviews in business magazines.

Evernote

Looking to store your notes, ideas, images and tasks all in one place? Evernote is the must-have note-taking app full of useful features and third party add-ons to keep you organized. You can write notes, clip web articles, capture handwritten notes and more! Share your information across devices and among coworkers - right from within the app! Check the website for more information and unlock even more features by upgrading to plus, premium, or business levels. www.evernote.com

Happening at SDK

Welcome reception for David Riley and Ron Zilka

We invite you to join us in welcoming

David Riley, Principal & Ron Zilka, Principal

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

4-7 p.m.

The Depot Minneapolis (1 block from SDK)

225 South 3rd Avenue, Minneapolis

Convenient parking is available at the Depot

If you are unable to join us, feel free to send a note to David or Ron via bjohnson@sdkcpa.com

CONSTRUCTION ALERT-WASHINGTON AVENUE WESTBOUND CLOSED

For clients visiting SDK offices, please allow extra time to get up to our suite. In addition to building upgrades, the westbound lane on Washington Avenue will be closed between 2nd Ave S and Hennepin Avenue through late November.

Clients are encouraged to consider alternate methods for delivery, including having your SDK rep or another team member pick up your documents, or mailing documents to us.

Click to see detailed map.

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

John Lawson, CPA, Audit

Matt Schreiner, Tax

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