8 Survival Techniques for Tax Time

8 Survival Techniques for Tax Time8 Survival Techniques for Tax TimeThe busy season for accountants is officially in full swing, and you could use some survival tips. Perhaps, you were tipped off to this fact by the piles of paperwork overtaking your desk. Or maybe its the recurrent nightmares about falling into a swirling sea of W-2s and 1099s.For accounting professionals, tax season is synonymous with managing epically large workloads, putting in extra-long hours and consuming copious amounts of coffee. But despite the inherently frenetic nature of tax time, there are steps you can take to avoid work burnout - and possibly even thrive.Consider unterstellung eight survival tips during the remainder of this hectic stretch, this crazy-busy season for accountants1. Give yourself a breakKeep burnout at bay by taking short breaks to relieve the tension of tax season. Collect your thoughts by going for a walk, stretching or briefly engaging in water cooler chitchat. If you cant leave you r work area, force yourself to rest your strained eyes, take some deep breaths and try to clear your head - even if only for a few moments.2. Go with the flowAdaptability is one of the invaluable soft skills accounting professionals should have, particularly in high-pressure situations. If priorities change, and your manager quickly asks you to move from one project to another, embrace the new challenge. Remember If youre always flexible, youll never get bent out of shape.3. Ask for helpEven with talent and tremendous effort, some things simply cannot be completed by one person during tax time. If youre doing everything possible to accomplish a task and still encounter problems, ask for assistance. Identify duties that can be delegated or request backup. Its likely your manager would rather divert resources or bring in reinforcements to help now than hear of a missed deadline later.Find out how staffing agencies like ours can help employers find top talent for temporary hiring need s.4. Stay coolEven the most affable and well-mannered people can become flustered and temperamental when under stress. Dont contribute to the tense atmosphere. Although its not always easy to display grace under fire during this busy season for accountants, try to take crunch-time criticism and perceived slights with a grain of salt. Think before speaking, and dont let anyone elses negative attitude drag you down.5. When in doubt, seek clarityDont be afraid of asking too many questions. If a hot assignment is dropped on you with no warning, its better to clarify all concerns, timelines and expectations with your boss on the front end, instead of making incorrect assumptions that prove costly later.6. Take care of yourselfWhen work becomes all-consuming, it can take a toll, mentally and physically. While youve no doubt heard this advice before, combat stress and fatigue by getting adequate sleep and exercise. Moreover, give your body the fuel it needs by eating healthy. Working throu gh lunch and scarfing down vending machine fare at your desk isnt a recipe for success, wellness or energy.7. Foster good office karmaIts always a smart move to generate goodwill with coworkers. If a colleague is facing a fast-approaching deadline and has files piled to the ceiling, offer to help if you can. By lending a hand, youll make an ally wholl likely return the favor when youre in a pinch.8. Put fun on the agendaLast but not least, meetings and deadlines shouldnt be the only items listed in your datebook. Schedule some fun, relaxing social events or a post-tax vacation from work so you have something to look forward to once the pace slows down. Focusing on the light at the end of the tunnel during this busy season for accountants can make even the craziest of workdays seem less, well, taxing. Tags

Using the FINRA BrokerCheck Database

Using the FINRA BrokerCheck DatabaseUsing the FINRA BrokerCheck DatabaseBrokerCheck is a FINRA service that allows investors to check the backgrounds of brokers (many, but notlage all, of which are called financial advisors these days) and brokerage firms. It also contains information on formerly registered brokers many of these people may still be working in the securities or investment fields, and thus information about them may be of use to investors. The service is free, and data searches may be conducted through a website. Reports on Brokers For brokers who have been registered with FINRA within the last 10 years, including brokers who are not currently active, a BrokerCheck report contains Summary data on the broker and his or her credentialsA list of his or her current registrations, licenses and industry exams passedRegistration and employment history all FINRA-registered securities firms where he or she ever has been registered and also, for the past 10 years, all other work (both inside and outside the securities industry), military service, unemployment, and full-time educationDisclosures about customer disputes, disciplinary events and financial matters on the brokers record, whether or not the broker actually was found to be at fault The brokers most recently submitted comments, if any Be aware that not all actions and allegations on a brokers record actually indicate wrongdoing. If the broker ceased being registered with FINRA more than 10 years ago, the only difference in the typical BrokerCheck report concerns the section dealing with disclosures. It includes certain criminal, regulatory, civil judicial, or customer complaint actions against the broker. Events are included in the report if the broker was Subjected to a final regulatory actionConvicted of (or pled guilty or no contest to) certain crimesPlaced under a civil injunction involving investment-related activitiesFound by a civil court to be in violation of investment-related laws or regulationsNamed as a respondent or defendant in an arbitration action or civil suit alleging that he or she violated sales practices, and which produced an award or civil judgment against him or her FINRA lists each event as reported by securities regulators, the individual broker, and any involved firms. Reports on Brokerage Firms The typical BrokerCheck report on a brokerage firm consists of An overview of the firm and its backgroundWhen and where the firm was establishedThe people and organizations with controlling shares or influence over the firms operationsA history of mergers, acquisitions or personenname changesThe firms active licenses and registrations, the types of businesses it conducts and other details pertaining to its operationsDisclosures about any arbitration awards, disciplinary events, and financial matters on the firms record Note that pending or unresolved actions may be included, and the presence of any such actions are not necessarily indicative of wron gdoing. Information Sources The information in BrokerCheck comes from the Central Registration Depository (CRD), which compiles the registration and licensing filed by brokerage firms and brokers. Regulators also supply information to CRD about certain disciplinary actions involving brokers and brokerage firms. Currency of Information Registered brokers and brokerage firms usually must submit updates to CRD within 30 days after he/she/it learns of an event. BrokerCheck reflects the new or revised CRD data immediately. Information normally is not updated for firms that are no longer registered with FINRA, or for brokers who are no longer registered with FINRA. What BrokerCheck Does Not Include Examples are Judgments and liens originally reported as pending that later were satisfiedBankruptcy proceedings filed more than 10 years ago.Social Security NumbersResidential history informationPhysical description information In general, BrokerCheck does not include any data that never flowed into CRD, nor does it include information that once did, but no longer. FINRA seeks to protect confidential customer information, exclude offensive or defamatory language, and suppress information that raises significant identity theft or privacy concerns. New Disclosure Proposals In 2012, FINRA has been considering increased disclosures in BrokerCheck, such as Reasons for and comments related to a brokers terminationEducational backgroundOther professional designations, such as CFA or CFPMore detail about investor complaints against brokers Meanwhile, calls from investor advocates to include the scores obtained on exams such as the Series 7, are being opposed by FINRA, and are highly unpopular among brokers. Experts quoted in The Wall Street Journal (Keeping Score Investor Advocates Push for More Broker Disclosure, Including Grades on Exams, May 29, 2012) question the utility of reporting test scores, since they show do not correlate with future investment wertzuwa chs or service quality, the main drivers of client satisfaction.

How to attract and hire Americas military spouses

How to attract and hire Americas military spousesHow to attract and hire Americas military spousesHow to attract and hire Americas military spousesWhile you might already be familiar with veteran hiring and military-friendly branded companies, the effort to hire military spouses is an initiative that is starting to gain momentum. Organizations that are implementing a military spouse hiring program agree that theyre tapping a talented group of dedicated people who bring great value to their organizations.What you need to know about military spousesLike their partners, military spouses often do not have traditional resumes because they move frequently. According to Monsters 2018 Veteran Spouses Survey, 74% of military spouses said they have found it difficult to get hired into a new job where they moved.Whats more, two in three respondents believe it is difficult to find a job that takes their military lifestyle into consideration, and half of military spouses who are currently working feel underemployed.Despite the nations sub-4% unemployment rate, this group also faces much higher unemployment numbers in the 20-30% range, says Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO and Board Presidentof Blue Star Families, a national non-profit which supports military families through a variety of programs.But heres the thing Military spouses are really talented, educated, skilled, experienced an excellent source of talent, says Roth-Douquet, and companies that dont realize that are missing out.In fact, military spouses represent one of the most underappreciated and overlooked talent communities, says Susan Fallon, vice president of global strategy and business developmentfor and Military.com.Around 33% have college degrees, and if you look at the cohorts under 34 years of age, their education levels are really high, she says, thanks in part to the free training and education benefits that many military spouses have access to.Military families are also known for their strength. There is a lev el of resiliency, leadership, and grit that this particular part of the workforce represents. You can train and educate on skills, but you cant train on those leadership attributes that many military spouses bring to the table, says Fallon.Heres how to get startedRead resumes with a different lensIts important for recruiters to understand that resume gaps are usually due to a commitment to a national mission, not an inability to hold down a job, says Douquet. Whether its successfully reintegrating into new communities, creating structure out of chaos, maintaining calm in stressful situations, or doing volunteer work, pay attention to those skills. People attached to a mission-driven focus can bring a lot of benefits to the workplace, says Douquet.Show that youre a military spouse-friendly employerTo reach this segment of the workforce, you need to let them know that youre interested in hiring them, says Fallon. The best way to do that is to say so, while also showing spouses in your workforce and highlighting positions that have flexible structures and portability.Have a point person who understands this population.Many companies that are successful in reaching this pool have a military spouse as a point of contact who can appreciate unique family situations and can help them navigate through hiring and onboarding, Fallon says.Discuss a long-term career pathMost spouses want to get into a career, not just a job, but because of the likelihood that they will be moving every three years, military spouses need portable jobs, says Fallon. That way, theyre not losing seniority, not losing pay, and the company can retain that talent and investment.Walk the talkDouquet recalls only getting one weeks notice that her husband was going to be deployed for a year. When something like that happens, you have to allow the family to take some time and make accommodations for that situation, she says.Partner with military spouse organizations and programsThere are a number of o rganizations that can help companies connect with military spouses. These includeMilitary.comand Monster.comThe Military Spouse Employment Partnership Programfrom the Department of DefenseThe Chamber of Commerce FoundationBlue Star Families SpouseforceprogramCan you combine your veteran and military spouse hiring efforts?Just three years ago, Booz Allen didnt even have a count of how many military spouses they employed, says Andrea Inserra, Booz Allens executive vice president and chair of veterans agenda. But with one third of its workforce being military connected already, and the fact that it has 80 locations worldwide, it clicked that a military spouse-specific initiative made sense.We had to step back and understand who are the military spouses at Booz Allen so we can help them in their transition, she says. Today, Booz Allen has over 400 military spouse employees, and a recruitment team that is dedicated to that segment. As soon as they have orders to move, we can help them id entify work they can do in their new region or telework, says Inserra.More important even than giving a military spouse a job is creating a corporate culture where hiring managers understand the value military spouses bring to the table and where those employees can find accommodation for their unique challenges, says Amy Bushatz, executive editor of Military.com.Understanding that a spouse may not have flexibility when it comes to which days to take as vacation thanks to deployment schedules or homecomings, or offering ways for employees who have built trust to either work remotely or, if possible, transfer to a new location, are great examples.Some companies like Starbucks and Walmart have really strong veteran and spouse hiring programs, says Douquet. And Prudential has taken their efforts a step further by helping to create policy that reduces barriers for military spouses who work overseas.Just as with veterans, recruiting military spouses can be a worthwhile investment that he lps you fill your talent gaps and youll be doing something good for the nation.