Saturday, November 11, 2017

Youth Baseball Participation Rising in the United States


Bruce A. Willey is an Iowa-based tax strategist and Certified Public Accountant who operates his own firm and serves as a consultant to business owners. Outside of his work, Bruce A. Willey enjoys coaching youth baseball in his home state of Iowa.

Youth baseball registration and other team sports in the United States began declining with the recession in 2009. However, a recent report by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) says that baseball combined with softball had the largest participant base in 2016. 

The SFIA report included data from 25,000 interviews in which respondents were asked about participation in more than 100 different physical activities. Results showed drastic increases in casual and core participation in baseball.

Casual participation in baseball increased 18.1 percent from 2015 to 2016 and showed an average annual growth of 6.5 percent since 2011. Core participation, which the SFIA defines as playing more than 13 times in a calendar year, showed a similar but less dramatic increase. The trend is attributed in part to Major League Baseball's Play Ball initiative, which was launched in 2015 with the goal of inspiring children to play baseball.

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Three Ways to Boost Working Capital


For more than two decades, Iowa Certified Public Accountant Bruce A. Willey has worked in the area of tax law. A consultant for American Tax Law Planning in Iowa, Bruce A. Willey has helped businesses with a wide range of issues, including boosting working capital.

Below are a few ways to increase a company’s working capital:

Offer early payment incentives
Giving customers incentives for paying their bills early speeds up how quickly customers pay and reduces the rate of late or ignored invoice payments. Further, these incentives can be as simple as offering a 1 percent savings on invoices if paying within 10 days, meaning they won’t negatively impact business sales in a significant way.

Pay suppliers on time
Although doing this can be challenging for companies that are dealing with a lot of bills, it is an important part of boosting working capital. When a company pays its suppliers on time, it is in a better position to negotiate deals. These deals can help companies save money without sacrificing the quality of their products.

Promote clear communication when handling AR
An effective company maintains clear lines of communication when dealing with accounts receivable (AR). After sending out invoices, companies should call those invoiced to check that invoices were received, whether those invoices are accurate, and whether they have been approved for payment. Further, good communication in the area of AR helps businesses track various problems that could affect invoiced parties’ ability to remit payment in the future.

Friday, October 20, 2017

The American Institute of Public Accountants CPA Marketing Toolkit


Iowa resident Bruce A. Willey is a certified public accountant and attorney with more than two decades of experience in tax strategy and business law. Currently, he practices with American Tax Law Planning and the Willey Law Firm, both in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In addition to his professional work, Bruce A. Willey holds membership with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. 

Founded in 1887, the Institute is a membership organization that advocates for the interests of those in the accounting profession. The organization currently has more than 418,000 members from 143 countries.

Outside of advocacy efforts, the institute also provides members with access to professional education courses and resources such as the CPA Marketing Toolkit. The kit includes a variety of resources, like infographics, templates, branded marketing materials, and surveys designed to enhance marketing and communications for accounting professionals. In addition, members can review customer service pointers, selling tips, and other best-practice information that can be applied to their work. For additional information on the Toolkit, visit www.aicpa.org.

Thursday, October 12, 2017

The CLE Program at WealthCounsel


Bruce A. Willey is a CPA and lawyer who provides tax law strategy and legal services to the Cedar Rapids, Iowa region. A graduate of the University of Iowa, Bruce A. Willey is also a member of professional organizations like the American Institute of Public Accountants and WealthCounsel.

Founded in 1997, WealthCounsel provides legal services and technology solutions to a community of more than 4,000 attorneys. The firm's offerings include a resource center and educational services, such as continuing legal education (CLE). 

The CLE program enables WealthCounsel members to achieve mandatory CLE requirements and educational credits. The program is flexible in nature and is designed to give members the ability to take the courses they want at their own convenience. In-person seminars are a regular program feature, in addition to online courses, seminars, live streaming sessions, and webinars. Successful business professionals and attorneys lead many of the courses, which cover topics such as the tax code, irrevocable trusts, and estate planning for non-citizens. For further information on available educational courses and resources, visit www.wealthcounsel.com.

Monday, October 2, 2017

Why Having an Accountant is Important for Startups


Iowa-based accountant Bruce A. Willey works as a consultant at American Tax Law Planning. Possessing nearly 30 years of experience, Bruce A. Willey of Iowa is a Certified Public Accountant who has worked with companies in a wide range of industries. He also frequently contributes to small business-targeted webcasts and websites.

Many startups believe that they do not need an accountant right away since their business operations are fairly simple. In actuality, startups need accountants even before they start operating. The reason accountants are needed so early is because they can provide entrepreneurs with valuable advice to ensure the company starts off strong. This often involves helping entrepreneurs determine the right legal entity for their company and understand the tax associated implications.

Once a startup begins selling, accountants continue their assistance by helping owners manage their business without worrying too much about finances. They often handle everything from keeping owners informed about their money and balancing the books to preparing and filing taxes. Since most startups operate with just one entrepreneur or a few employees, having this extra help is extremely beneficial.

As the startup continues to grow, accountants provide financial advice about seeking investors and growing a business financially. Poor accounting methods can keep valuable investors away, but companies that have had an accountant and accounting system in place since opening often do not have to worry about this.

Friday, September 15, 2017

New Rules Emerge Guiding Bonus Depreciation


Bruce A. Willey is a respected presence in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, business community who guides the Willey Law Firm, PC. The firm enables clients to maximize their revenues and minimize tax obligations. Bruce A. Willey focuses on new tax laws and regulations that impact small business owners in Iowa. 

As reported in Entrepreneur, one tax law that came into effect in 2017 centers on Section 179, bonus depreciation and expensing. Under the expensing provision, capital investments of up to half a million dollars for certain properties can be claimed as expense deductions instead of as depreciated breaks. Made permanent in 2015 with the PATH Act, the bonus depreciation provision does not apply when asset purchases exceed $2 million. 

With the new rules in place, HVAC units undertaken after December 31, 2015, are eligible as an expense deduction. Another aspect of the bonus depreciation provision is that additional depreciation can be claimed on property during the first year of the recovery period as long as it is put into use between 2015 and 2019.

The bonus depreciation is 50 percent for 2015, 2016, and 2017, while in 2018, this drops to 40 percent and in 2019 to 30 percent. This means that businesses may want to look at placing newly purchased, up-to-date equipment in service in 2017 rather than waiting until 2018 or beyond.

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants - CGMA Designation


A certified public accountant with more than 30 years of experience, Bruce A. Willey serves as a consultant at American Tax Law Planning, LLC, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. As a professional certified public accountant, Iowa resident Bruce A. Willey is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

Established in 1887, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants was created to act as an advocate for the CPA profession before public interest groups and legislative bodies. The AICPA also features research programs and educational materials that help members stay up-to-date with the latest accounting rules and procedures, as well as increase their skills and knowledge in the industry. 

One of the programs established by the AICPA is the Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation. Members qualify for this designation by passing an exam that demonstrates expertise in business strategy, finance, management and operations. Applicants for the CGMA designation will find resources available in areas including risk management assessment, decision-making, and scenario-planning.

Friday, August 25, 2017

Legal Clinics and Advocacy at Iowa Law


A private practice CPA based in Iowa, Bruce A. Willey is a tax strategist with American Tax Law Planning, LLC in Cedar Rapids. Before launching his career in tax law, Bruce A. Willey received his JD with distinction from the University of Iowa. 

The JD program at the University of Iowa College of Law includes a variety of practical legal learning opportunities for students. Moot court competitions give second year students the chance to conduct legal research and draft legal briefs, culminating in an oral presentation of their arguments. Appellate advocacy participants with the highest scores have the opportunity to compete in spring competitions such as the Van Oosterhout-Baskerville Domestic Competition and Jessup International Moot Court Competition. 

Iowa Law also offers a comprehensive clinical law program, where students can put their legal knowledge to use in several distinct practice areas. As interns, students work closely with full-time faculty, handling responsibilities ranging from counseling and negotiation to fact investigation and courtroom appearances.

To learn more about legal clinic and advocacy efforts at Iowa Law, visit the official website at law.uiowa.edu.

Thursday, August 17, 2017

The American Academy of Attorney - Certified Public Accountants


Bruce A. Willey, attorney and certified public accountant at the Willey Law Firm, PC in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been working in his current field for over 20 years, having established his own firm in 1996. A member of the American Academy of Attorneys - Certified Public Accountants, Bruce A. Willey continuously uses this resource to find new methods and resources with which to assist his Iowa-based clientele.

The American Academy of Attorney - Certified Public Accountants was founded in 1946, as a simple committee seeking to halt the ban on dual practice. Today, its membership is made up entirely of professional who hold dual qualification as attorneys and certified public accountants. The organization’s mission is to provide top-tier educational resources and opportunities to its members.

Accredited by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy and the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., the AAA-CPA continues to aid the public in finding attorneys or CPAs to meet their individual needs.

Conferences take place throughout the year, providing opportunities for those seeking to further their professional knowledge to network and attend sessions related to personal growth. The 2017 Fall Meeting and Education Conference, taking place in Palm Springs, includes panels related to liability insurance and growing one’s business.

Monday, August 7, 2017

Community Outreach with the University of Iowa


Attorney and certified public accountant at the Willey Law Firm, PC, Bruce A. Willey is a graduate of the University of Iowa. Holding a BBA in accounting as well as a JD, Bruce A. Willey earned his degrees from this Iowa-based institution, which has a long history of outreach and community engagement, and which continues to be a leading institution in these efforts nationwide.

With programs in every county in the state, the University of Iowa boasts over 90,000 alumni who have chosen to remain in Iowa. The Office of Outreach & Engagement, founded in 2013, fosters connections between staff, students and communities, with the goal of creating a better future for all Iowa citizens.

Many of the featured developed by the office are intended to facilitate community engagement. This includes the Arts Share; the Resource, Conservation & Development Partnership; and the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities. These mutually-beneficial programs provide scholarship opportunities for students and help inspire change in surrounding neighborhoods. 

The Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities is focused on creating neighborhoods able to meet social, economic and environmental needs by bringing in students from backgrounds in many different areas, including urban planning and engineering.

Saturday, July 22, 2017

The Business Enterprise Institute’s Seven-Step Exit Planning Process


A graduate of the University of Iowa, Bruce A. Willey serves as an attorney and tax strategist. In addition to his work in Iowa, Bruce A. Willey is a sought-after expert in business law and taxation, and has spoken at the Business Enterprise Institute’s National Exit Planning Conference.

The Business Enterprise Institute is a professional membership organization and leading firm in the exit planning industry. It maintains a network of advisors who assist clients via an established seven-step exit planning process, which encompasses the following:

1. The identification of business owners’ unique goals and objectives.
2. The valuation of business and personal assets.
3. The creation of a business plan that protects assets and property.
4. The facilitation of business sales to a third party, if necessary.
5. The transfer to new ownership, if necessary.
6. The development of a plan to protect the owner, family members, and the business through life and death.
7. Traditional wealth and estate planning.

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Proper Posture on Skis


A tax strategist by profession, Bruce A. Willey serves with American Tax Law Planning in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In his free time, Bruce A. Willey of Iowa is an avid outdoorsman and an enthusiastic snow skier.

Correct posture and positioning play a vital role in a skier's ability to turn correctly. A skier has the most control when he or she approaches a turn with bent knees and a slightly forward lean, so that the chest is directly over the toes. The weight should stay fully over the feet, which a skier can feel as the shins pressing into the front of the boot.

The skier should maintain this basic stance throughout the turn. The upper body should remain vertical and not twisted to face the side of the slope. Instead, the skier should keep the chin up and the eyes facing downhill, so that the body naturally remains in the diagonally downward direction of travel.

Correct use of the poles can help the skier to initiate this turning posture. The pole should be planted firmly in the snow near the tip of the ski at the beginning of the turn. Keeping the legs in a crouched stance, the skier shifts the weight slightly so that the edge of the newly uphill ski digs into the snow and helps to guide the skier around.

Saturday, June 17, 2017

The AICPA John L. Carey Scholarship


The holder of a juris doctor from the University of Iowa, Bruce A. Willey is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who works as a consultant for American Tax Law Planning, LLC. To further his professional endeavors, Iowa-based Bruce A. Willey is a member of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), which provides a host of educational resources and support for CPAs around the world. 

The AICPA operates several scholarship programs, including the John L. Carey Scholarship, which was created in 1969 to honor the work of the AICPA’s former managing director. The John L. Carey scholarship is a $5,000 award given annually to a student who has earned an undergraduate degree in the liberal arts or a nonbusiness-related subject and now wishes to pursue graduate studies in accounting.

To be eligible for the scholarship, a student may have a maximum of 12 credits in business or accounting subjects in undergraduate studies and may not be actively taking part in a separate graduate accounting program at the time of application. Beyond this, the student must have been accepted to or must be in the process of applying for admittance to a graduate program from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business or the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.