Weinstein Spira’s blog, The Balancing Act, provides helpful information on technical accounting and CPA firm culture.
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In my 23 years of auditing Employee Benefit Plans (EBPs), I have found there to be several misconceptions surrounding the EBP audit process. In this article, I would like to help clear the air in hopes of making this process more positive and productive for all...
Resumes are living, breathing documents that need to be kept up-to-date with your latest accomplishments while still fresh in your mind. With online profiles, like LinkedIn, it is ever more important to make changes in real time, so that recruiting search engines are...
As you may know, the new lease standard, ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) on February 25, 2016, is now effective for public business entities, along with certain not-for-profit entities and employee benefit...
According to Webster’s dictionary, to procrastinate is “to put off intentionally (or habitually) the doing of something that should be done”. The truth is most of us suffer from bouts of procrastination, especially regarding non-preferred tasks. In my experience...
If you have experienced identity theft, you know how devastating it can be. Unfortunately, it’s on the rise, so it behooves us all to pay attention to prevention methods, as no one is immune. The month of January is a high activity period for such scams since thieves...
Need a quick, last-minute recipe to round out your Thanksgiving table? The folks at Weinstein Spira come to your aid with some of our favorite, easy-to-make family recipes. While it’s not an exhaustive list, these mouth-watering dishes are sure to enhance any feast....
If you deal with Excel regularly, then you are probably searching for a quick and easy way to add immediate visual clarity to your spreadsheets. Many Excel files include large amounts of data which are not arranged or presented in any useful graphic fashion....
From working as a corporate receptionist for the last several years, I’ve learned so much about telephone etiquette that I can now share my expertise for the benefit of others. Regardless of your position, answering the phone is a part of everyone’s daily repertoire...
Frequent users of Excel are routinely looking for ways to condense an enormous volume of data into useful information. Proficiency with the pivot table feature in Excel can provide a pivotal method by which to encapsulate numbers into what you and your viewers are...
Collaboration and productivity are considered high priorities in today’s workplace. With so many mobile apps available to support conducting business on-the-go, we are able to work and connect with others from virtually any place that has web access. There are also...
Are you tired of switching between tabs on your single Excel workbook? Want the ability to calculate backward? Fortunately, Microsoft Excel now has functions to solve these demands. In our newest addition to the Excel Hacks series, I will be showcasing the “New...
When most people hear the word ‘accountant,’ their vision is clouded by a set of preconceived notions based on old-school misconceptions about the profession. I’m about to debunk some of the common myths that not only get in the way of having a positive relationship...
It’s best to take a proactive approach at the front end when planning to acquire a target company. Any acquisition is an event that requires careful consideration and due diligence before signing on the line. To avoid problems after acquiring a given target company,...
One of my favorite work responsibilities is visiting college campuses, like Texas A&M, to recruit new grads to work at Weinstein Spira. I often present a slide show to students that depicts things to know when charting a career path in accounting. These are the...
Every company goes through an annual planning and budgeting process to operate their business, so they are able to meet both fixed and capital expenses—making changes as needed to react to inevitable ups and downs in the market. To grow their business, they may need...
As busy as we all are, it’s important to schedule some relaxation time to chill and de-stress. But, this doesn’t always have to mean going to the gym or doing yoga. It can take the form of exercising your mind, by listening to an interesting, informative podcast,...
Independent, third-party audits have long been viewed as a necessary component of doing business. It’s something that generally must be performed in response to outside forces (i.e., banking institutions, external equity holders, etc.) in order to maintain a...
Have you ever thought to yourself “there is so much to do and so little time”? If so, you are not alone. Everyone has had an overwhelming feeling at some point, but it is what we can do to overcome those feelings that make us successful. The biggest contributors to...
You’ve chosen a great career that, from everything we can see, will always be around. Regardless of technology advances, clients want someone to talk to, to ask questions, to help plan ahead and so on. With over 25 years as a tax accountant, I’ve seen it all. As I now...
It’s a cliché; I admit that. “I was in your spot just a couple years ago.” Yes, I was a college student who had determined that accounting was a solid major, a stable choice, and a sound decision. And accordingly, I began following through with all the steps. I looked...
Globalization Today’s marketplace is more globalized than ever before, with other countries investing in the United States and vice versa. Whether you want to build “inbound” or “outbound” business relationships with foreign companies, it is advantageous to have a...
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you wake up in the morning? Is it… What am I going to have for breakfast? What is the weather like today? How long will it take me to get to work? If you are like me (and most people), the first thing that may come to...
Accounting departments play a unique, business-critical role within organizations. An accounting department that works typically has a strong leader, which in turn makes for a strong group. Such strength helps alleviate the pressure that goes along with the job of...
Weinstein Spira focuses on making relationships count. What better way to establish, build or maintain a relationship than sharing a meal. As business professionals, we need to take into consideration several factors that would constitute an ideal business lunch....